Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest

ed above all forests, because of that mystery that drew me to it! And it was mine, truly and absolutely-as much mine as any portion of earth's surface could belong to any man-mine with all its product

ike pain in its intensity, causing tears to rush to my eyes. And caring not in that solitude to disguise my feelings from myself, and from the wide heaven that looked down and saw me-for this is the sweetest thing that solitude has for us, that w

nion make itself heard at all on that day, or, at all events, not in its usual bird-like warbling language. But on this day I met with a curious little adventure an

ntly I discovered that this was no web-spinning, sedentary spider, but a wandering hunter, that captured its prey, like a cat, by stealing on it concealed and making a rush or spring at the last. The moving shadow had attracted it and, as the sequel showed, was mistaken for a fly running about over the leaves and flitting from leaf to leaf. Now began a series of wonderful manoeuvres on the spider's part, with the object of circumventing the imaginary fly, which seemed specially designed to meet this special case; for certainly no insect had ever before behaved in quite so erratic a manner. Each time the shadow flew past, the spider ran swiftly in the same direction, hiding itself under the leaves, always trying to get near without alarming its prey; and then the shadow would go round and round in a small circle, and some new strategic move on the part of the hunter would be called forth. I became deeply interested in this curious scene; I began to wish that the shadow would remain quiet for a moment or two, so as to give the hunter a chance. And at last I had my wish: the shadow was almost motionless, and the spider moving towards it, yet seeming not to move, and as it crept closer I fancied that I could almost see the little striped body quivering with excitement. Then came the final scene: swift and straight as an arrow the hunter shot himself on to the fly-like shadow, then wiggled round and round, evident

the known spots any longer, I turned southwards and penetrated into a denser part of the forest, where the undergrowth made progress difficult. I

I had advanced twenty or thirty yards further, I made out to be the gurgling of running water; and at the same moment I made the discovery that my throat was parched and my palms tingling with heat. I hurried on, promising myself a cool draught, when all at once, above the soft dashing and gurgling of the water, I caught yet another sound-a low, warbling note, or succession of notes, which might have been emitted by a bird. But it startled me nevertheless-bird-like warbling sounds had come to mean so much to me-and pausing, I listened intently. It was not repeated, and finally, treading with th

on to her finger. From my position it was impossible to see her distinctly, yet I dared not move. I could make out that she was small, not above four feet six or seven inches in height, in figure slim, with delicately shaped little hands and feet. Her feet were bare, and her only garment was a slight chemise-shaped dress reaching below her knees, of a whitish-gray colour, with a faint lustre as of a silky material. Her hair was very wonderful; it was loose and abundant, and seemed wavy or curly, falling in a cloud on her shoulders and arms. Dark it appeared, but the precise tint was indeterminable, as was that of her skin, whi

ts form and place, yet to the eye seems not to have moved-she rose to her knees, to her feet, retired, and with face still towards me, and eyes fixed on mine, finally disappeared, going as if she had melted away into the verdure. The leafage was there occupying the precise spot where she had been a moment before-the feathery foliage of an acacia shrub, and stems and broad, arrow-shaped leaves of an aquatic plant, and slim, drooping fern fronds, and they were motionless and seemed not to have been touched by something passing through them. She h

ous sound. For I was now convinced that in this wild solitary girl I had at length discovered the mysterious warbler that so often followed me in the w

lated, and with cautious steps I proceeded to explore the ground, hoping again to catch her unawares. But I saw nothing; and only after beginning to doubt that I had heard anything unusual, and had sat down to rest on a rock, the sound was repeated, soft and low as before, very n

hat the cause of the elusive creature's behaviour was that she had been piqued at my discovery of her in one of

king note of yesterday, which seemed to challenge me to find her a second time. In the end I was vexed, and resolved to be even with her

d attract a large number of birds. The fruit, however, proved still green, so that we gathered none and killed few birds. Returning together, Kua-ko kept at

growing confidential, he said that I would soon possess a zabatana of my own, with arrows in plenty. He was going to make the arrows himself,

disappointed. He even tried to persuade me to go, where before I had been earnestly recommended not to go, until, finding that I would not, he took me with him to

and am getting tired of it." I had seen everything in i

knowingly; "but you have seen nothing st

ained, including a strange young girl; and I went on to describe her appearance, and f

have to dispose of a sister in this offhand way? He replied that there would be no difficulty: that Runi would give his consent, as would also Otawinki, Piake, and other relations; and last, and LEAST, according to the matrimonial customs of these latitudes, Oalava herself would be ready to bestow her person-queyou, worn figleaf-wise, necklace of accouri teeth, and all-on so worthy a suitor as myself. Finally, to make the prospect still more inviting, he added that it would not be necessary for me to subject myself to any voluntary tortures to prove myself a man and fitted to enter into the purgatorial state of matrimony. He was a great deal too considerate, I said, and, with all the gravity I could command, asked him what kind of torture he would recommend. For me-so valorous a person-"no torture," he answered magnanimously. But he-Kua-ko-had made up his mind as to the form of torture he meant to inflict some day on his own person. He would prepare a large sack and into it put fire-ants-"As many as that!" he exclaimed triumphantly, stooping and filling his two han

nd still on the same subject, he said that not one person in the village would expect to see me torture myself; that

been leading up to some very important matter. It would, of course, have been a great mistake to suppose

ay with poisoned arrows! This was why he now wished me to go often to the wood, to become more and more familiar with her haunts and habits, to overcome all shyness and suspicion in her; and at the proper moment, when it would be impossible to miss my mark, to plant the fatal arrow! The disgust he had inspired in me before, when gloating over anticipated tortures, was a weak and transient feeling to what I now experienced. I turned on him in a sudden transport of rage,

g my revolver, "this is the white man's weapon; but he kills men with it-men who attempt to kill or injure him-but neither with this nor any other weapon does he murder innocent young girls treacherously." After that we went on in silence for some time; at length he said that the being I had seen in the wood and was not afraid of was no innocent young girl, but a daughter of the