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Green Mansions-Part21_W.H.Hudson(1841-1922)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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coast, listening to the thunder of its great waves, and pausing

at intervals to survey some maritime city.



Never probably since old Father Noah divided the earth among his

sons had so grand a geographicaldiscourse been delivered; and



having finished, I sat down, exhausted with my efforts, and

mopped my brow, but glad that my huge task was over, and



satisfied that I had convinced her of the futility of her wish to

see the world for herself.



Her excitement had passed away by now. She was standing a little

apart from me, her eyes cast down and thoughtful. At length she



approached me and said, waving her hand all round: "What is

beyond the mountains over there, beyond the cities on that



side--beyond the world?"

"Water, only water. Did I not tell you?" I returned stoutly;



for I had, of course, sunk the Isthmus of Panama beneath the sea.

"Water! All round?" she persisted.



"Yes."

"Water, and no beyond? Only water--always water?"



I could no longer adhere to so gross a lie. She was too

intelligent, and I loved her too much. Standing up, I pointed to



distant mountains and isolated peaks.

"Look at those peaks," I said. "It is like that with the



world--this world we are standing on. Beyond that great water

that flows all round the world, but far away, so far that it



would take months in a big boat to reach them, there are islands,

some small, others as large as this world. But, Rima, they are



so far away, so impossible to reach, that it is useless to speak

or to think of them. They are to us like the sun and moon and



stars, to which we cannot fly. And now sit down and rest by my

side, for you know everything."



She glanced at me with troubled eyes.

"Nothing do I know--nothing have you told me. Did I not say that



mountains and rivers and forests are nothing? Tell me about all

the people in the world. Look! there is Cuzco over there, a



city like no other in the world--did you not tell me so? Of the

people nothing. Are they also different from all others in the



world?"

"I will tell you that if you will first answer me one question,



Rima."

She drew a little nearer, curious to hear, but was silent.



"Promise that you will answer me," I persisted, and as she

continued silent, I added: "Shall I not ask you, then?"



"Say," she murmured.

"Why do you wish to know about the people of Cuzco?"



She flashed a look at me, then averted her face. For some

moments she stood hesitating; then, coming closer, touched me on



the shoulder and said softly: "Turn away, do not look at me."

I obeyed, and bending so close that I felt her warm breath on my



neck, she whispered: "Are the people in Cuzco like me? Would

they understand me--the things you cannot understand? Do you



know?"

Her tremulous voice betrayed her agitation, and her words, I



imagined, revealed the motive of her action in bringing me to the

summit of Ytaioa, and of her desire to visit and know all the



various peoples inhabiting the world. She had begun to realize,

after knowing me, her isolation and unlikeness to others, and at



the same time to dream that all human beings might not be unlike

her and unable to understand her mysterious speech and to enter



into her thoughts and feelings.

"I can answer that question, Rima," I said. "Ah, no, poor child,



there are none there like you--not one, not one. Of all

there--priests, soldiers, merchants, workmen, white, black, red,



and mixed; men and women, old and young, rich and poor, ugly and

beautiful--not one would understand the sweet language you



speak."

She said nothing, and glancing round, I discovered that she was



walking away, her fingers clasped before her, her eyes cast down,

and looking profoundlydejected. Jumping up, I hurried after



her. "Listen!" I said, coming to her side. "Do you know that

there are others in the world like you who would understand your



speech?"

"Oh, do I not! Yes--mother told me. I was young when you died,



but, O mother, why did you not tell me more?"

"But where?"



"Oh, do you not think that I would go to them if I knew--that I

would ask?"






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