On their way back to the cottage they heard dogs barking, and a man talking to them. Next moment these came in sight.
“The old hunter!” exclaimed Pedro, hastening forward with evident pleasure to meet his friend.
It was equally evident that the old man was as much pleased to meet Pedro, for they grasped each other’s hands with hearty2 good-will.
“What news?” asked the old man, eagerly, as he held up a hand to check the dogs, which were leaping round him.
Pedro shook his head sadly, and the expression of the old man became grave. The question referred to Pedro’s search for his lost child. It had long been the first inquiry3 when these two met after a separation. The old man seemed never to lose hope, but he had become so accustomed to the reply that his despondency was now of short duration. He had known and loved the child in days gone by—had helped the mother in cultivating her garden-plot, and had gone out hunting with the father many a time. He was a fine-looking man, above seventy years of age, with iron-grey hair, turning in some places to pure white. The hunter’s spare though still upright figure showed that he must have been a powerful man in his youth, and the deeply-marked wrinkles about his mouth and eyes told eloquently5 that he was a kind one. Round his shoulders were twined the cords of the heavy “bolas,” or balls, with which he sometimes felled, at other times entangled6, his prey7. These balls were covered with clotted8 blood. He carried a short gun in his hand, and a large knife was stuck in his belt.
The dogs that leaped around him were a strange pack—some being very large, some very small, and all of different breeds. A few of them had been lamed9, and all were more or less marked by the wounds received from jaguars10 and pumas13.
“You expected me, Ignacio?” said Pedro, after the first greetings were over.
“No—not quite so soon, but I chanced to be wandering about in the mountains, and came down to take a look at the old place, to see that all was right. You know I am fond of our old haunts, and never stay long away from them, but I did not expect to find you here.”
The hunter spoke14 in Spanish, and Lawrence found to his satisfaction that, although he by no means understood all that was said, he had already improved so much in that tongue through his frequent efforts to converse15 with Manuela, that he could follow the drift at least of the hunter’s remarks.
“I have come back sooner than I intended,” returned Pedro, “for war is a wonderful hastener, as well as dictator, of events; but I have to thank war for having given me a new friend. Let me introduce Senhor Lawrence Armstrong to you; Senhor, my old comrade Ignacio, who, as I have told you, nursed me back to life many years ago.”
The old man held out a hard bony hand, and gave Lawrence a hearty squeeze of friendship that had something vice-like in its vigour16. He then turned to Pedro, and began to make anxious inquiries17 about the war. As the two men spoke in undertones, Lawrence drew back a few paces, and followed them towards the cottage. He observed that Ignacio shook his head very often, and also that he laughed once or twice silently, but with apparent heartiness18. As he overheard the name of Manuela just before one of these laughs, he experienced some disagreeable feelings, which it was not easy to understand or get rid of, so he took to fondling the hunter’s dogs by way of diversion to his mind.
The animals testified indirectly19 to the character of their master by receiving his advances with effusive20 demonstrations21 of joy.
At the cottage they found Ignacio’s horse—a very fine one—with a lasso hanging from the saddle. Beside it stood a loose horse with the carcass of a guanaco flung over it, and a Gaucho22 lad who was the hunter’s only attendant. Quashy was engaged in animated23 conversation with this youth, and Manuela stood beside him listening.
“I cannot understand,” said Lawrence to Pedro, as they approached, “how men ever acquire dexterity24 in the use of these bolas.”
“Practice makes perfect, you know,” said the guide, “and it doesn’t matter much what sort of weapons you use, if you only learn to use them well. Of course it’s not easy to a beginner. When Ignacio’s dogs turn out a jaguar11 or a puma12, they follow him hotly till he stops to defend himself. If the dogs fly upon the brute25, the hunter usually jumps off his horse, whirls the three balls about till they get up tremendous momentum26, and then brings them down on the jaguar’s skull27 with a whack28 that generally drops him. But if the dogs are afraid to go at him, Ignacio throws the lasso over him, gallops29 away, and drags him over the ground, while the dogs rush in and tear him. What between bumping and hounds, the jaguar’s career is soon finished.”
“I’m glad I’ve met you,” said Pedro to Ignacio, as they turned aside into the bushes together, “for I’ve got news to tell, and I’ll want your help. There’s mischief31 brewing32 in the air, and I am commissioned—”
Thus much did Lawrence and Quashy overhear before the voice died away in the distance. It was a tantalising point to stop at! Lawrence looked at Quashy and at Manuela, who stood near.
“Does Manuela know anything of the mischief that is brewing?” asked Lawrence in amazing Spanish.
“Not’ing,” replied the girl in English, “but she trust Pedro.”
“So do I, with all my heart,” returned Lawrence; “my question was prompted by curiosity, not by doubt.”
“I’s not so sure,” said Quashy, with a frown, and a tone of self-assertion which was rare in him. “Nice-lookin’ men like him’s not allers as nice as dey looks.”
“Fie, Quashy! I thought you were of a more trustful spirit.”
“So I is, massa—awrful trus’ful! Kin1 trus’ you wid a’most anyt’ing. Trus’ dis yer Injin gal30 wid untol’ gol’. Trus’ Sooz’n wid de whole world, an’ eberyt’ing else besides, but I’s not quite so sure about dis yer Pedro. Di’n’t he say dar’s noos to tell, an’ he wants help, an’ der’s mischif a-brewin’? An’ ain’t I sure ’nuff dat he’s got suffin to do wid de mischif, or he wouldn’t be so secret?”
“Well, Quashy, you’d better not tell Pedro your doubts of him,” said Lawrence; “for if he knocks you down, I won’t feel bound to stand up for you—seeing that I have perfect confidence in him.”
Further conversation on this point was cut abruptly33 short by a tremendous hissing34 inside the cottage, followed by clouds of steam. It was caused by one of Quashy’s pots having boiled over. The negro sprang to the rescue. Soon afterwards, the host and the old hunter returning, they all entered the place together, and sat down to supper.
It was but a simple cottage, suitable to the simple tastes of a mountaineer in such a region, with only two rooms and a kitchen, besides a small attic35 divided into two chambers36, which could be reached only by a ladder through a trap-door. Little furniture graced it, yet what little there was bore evidence of having felt the touch of a tasteful female hand. Numerous nails and pegs37 were stuck in the walls for the purpose of supporting fire-arms, etcetera, but the weapons had been secreted38 in a place of safety, for, during the owner’s frequent and long absences from home, the cottage was locked up and left pretty much to take care of itself, being deemed safe enough, owing to its remote and lonely position.
The key was always left in charge of old Ignacio who was understood to have his eye on the place, and privileged to inhabit it whenever he chose.
All this, and a great deal more, Pedro told to Lawrence as they sat round the table at supper in what used to be the parlour of the establishment. “But I’m going to lock it up, and hide the key this time,” he continued; “because I have to send Ignacio on urgent matters into the eastern parts of Bolivia, to—”
“To git help, an’ tell de noos about de mischif what’s a-brewin’,” said the negro abruptly, with a pointed39 stare at the guide, and an arrested potato on the end of his fork.
“You’ve learnt your lesson well, Quashy,” returned Pedro, with a good-humoured smile, as he helped himself to a fresh supply of meat; “these are the very words—to obtain help and spread the news about the mischief that’s brewing. Pass the salt, like a good fellow, and help Manuela to some more maize40. You’re forgetting your manners, boy.”
The negro heaved a sigh of discomfiture41, and did as he was bid.
Next morning at daybreak they left the cottage, and descended43 the intricate valley which led to it. Pedro seemed to have quite subdued44 his feelings—at least all outward manifestation45 of them—for he was sterner and more silent than usual as they resumed their journey. For some distance their route and that of Ignacio lay in the same direction, but towards the afternoon of the same day on which they left Mariquita Cottage the old hunter bade the party adieu, and, accompanied by his Gaucho lad and his dogs, entered a north-easterly defile46 of the hills, and disappeared.
“We shall soon get to more cultivated lands, Manuela,” said Pedro, in the Indian tongue, glancing back at Lawrence, who rode a few paces behind. “I doubt not you will be glad to see female faces again.”
To the surprise of the guide, Manuela said that she did not care!
“Indeed!” he rejoined; “I thought you would be getting tired by this time of such rough travelling, and frequent hard lodging47 and fare, as well as of the conversation of us men.”
“No, I am not tired. I delight in this wild, free life.”
“Surely not because it is new to you,” said Pedro, with a glance of amusement; “when you dwell with your kindred, your life must be wild enough—unless indeed the great chief, your father, deems it beneath the dignity of his daughter to join in the sports of her fellows.”
Manuela made no reply, but for a moment or two gave vent4 to that clear, short, merry laugh in which she sometimes indulged. Lawrence Armstrong, irresistibly48 charmed by the sound, rode up alongside.
“Manuela is merry,” he said to the guide; “will you not translate, that I may enjoy the joke?”
“It is not easy to translate,” replied Pedro. “In fact, I doubt if you will see the joke at all. It requires a little knowledge of Manuela’s past career to make understanding possible. She only said that she delighted in this wild, free life.”
“Not much jest in that, truly,” returned Lawrence, “being, I fear, dull of comprehension; nevertheless, I see an unintentional compliment to us in the remark, for it implies that we have not made Manuela’s journey tedious to her.”
“It may be so,” said Pedro, simply. “I was just telling her that we shall soon get to more inhabited parts of the land, where she will have a little female society now and then, and I was about to add that afterwards we shall descend42 into the lower grounds of Bolivia, where she will have wild life enough to her heart’s content—perchance too much of it.”
Soon afterwards the guide’s prophecy came true, for they passed from the rugged49 mountains into a wide and richly clothed table-land, where there were a few scattered50 farms, at which they were made heartily51 welcome whenever they chose to stop for the night or for a meal.
Passing thence into another range of comparatively low hills, they reached the town of San Ambrosio, where they found comfortable quarters in a new and commodious52 inn—at least it seemed commodious, after the recent experiences of our travellers.
Here Pedro said he would have to spend a day or two, as he had business to transact53 in the town, and that he would search out an old acquaintance with whose family he would place Manuela till their departure.
While Pedro was gone in quest of his friend, the Indian girl, probably feeling shy in the midst of such unwonted crowds, retired54 to the room provided for her, and Lawrence and Quashy found themselves left in the unusual condition of having nothing to do. Of course, in these circumstances, they resolved to go out and see the town.
While Lawrence was questioning the landlord, an American, as to how he should proceed, a very decided55 tremor56 passed through his frame. Quashy seemed to experience a similar sensation, for he said abruptly—
“Eart’quak’!”
“That’s nothing new here, sir,” said the landlord to Lawrence, as he lighted a cigarette; “we’re used to it, though some of the natives ain’t quite easy in their minds, for the shocks have been both frequent as well as violent lately.”
“Have they done any damage?” asked Lawrence.
“Nothin’ to speak of. Only shook down a house or two that was built to sell, I suppose, not to stand. You’ll find the market-place second turn to your left.”
Somewhat impressed by the landlord’s free-and-easy manner, as well as by his apparent contempt for earthquakes, the master and man went out together. With characteristic modesty57 the negro attempted to walk behind, but Lawrence would by no means permit this. He insisted on his walking beside him.
“Bery good, massa,” said Quashy, at last giving in, “if you will walk ’longside ob a nigger, ’s’not my fault. Don’t blame me.”
With this protest, solemnly uttered, the faithful negro accompanied our hero in his inspection58 of the town.
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1
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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eloquently
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| adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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6
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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clotted
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| adj.凝结的v.凝固( clot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lamed
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| 希伯莱语第十二个字母 | |
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jaguars
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| n.（中、南美洲的）美洲虎( jaguar的名词复数 ) | |
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jaguar
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| n.美洲虎 | |
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puma
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| 美洲豹 | |
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pumas
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| n.美洲狮( puma的名词复数 )；彪马；于1948年成立于德国荷索金劳勒(Herzogenaurach)的国际运动品牌；创始人：鲁道夫及达斯勒。 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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heartiness
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| 诚实，热心 | |
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indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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effusive
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| adj.热情洋溢的；感情(过多)流露的 | |
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demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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gaucho
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| n. 牧人 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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momentum
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| n.动力，冲力，势头；动量 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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whack
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| v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份 | |
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gallops
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| （马等）奔驰，骑马奔驰( gallop的名词复数 ) | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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37
pegs
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| n.衣夹( peg的名词复数 )；挂钉；系帐篷的桩；弦钮v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的第三人称单数 )；使固定在某水平 | |
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38
secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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40
maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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41
discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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42
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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43
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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44
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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45
manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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46
defile
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| v.弄污，弄脏；n.(山间)小道 | |
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47
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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48
irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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49
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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50
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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51
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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52
commodious
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| adj.宽敞的；使用方便的 | |
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53
transact
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| v.处理；做交易；谈判 | |
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54
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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55
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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56
tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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57
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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