before adam-第8章

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though　we；　in　turn；　were　equally　less　hairy　than　the

Tree　People。



It　came　to　me　instantly；　as　I　looked　at　him。　　This　was

the　terror　of　the　northeast；　of　which　the　mystery　of

smoke　was　a　token。　　Yet　I　was　puzzled。　　Certainly　he

was　nothing；　of　which　to　be　afraid。　Red…Eye　or　any　of

our　strong　men　would　have　been　more　than　a　match　for

him。　　He　was　old；　too；　wizened　with　age；　and　the　hair

on　his　face　was　gray。　　Also；　he　limped　badly　with　one

leg。　　There　was　no　doubt　at　all　that　we　could　out…run

him　and　out…climb　him。　　He　could　never　catch　us；　that

was　certain。



But　he　carried　something　in　his　hand　that　I　had　never

seen　before。　It　was　a　bow　and　arrow。　　But　at　that　time

a　bow　and　arrow　had　no　meaning　for　me。　　How　was　I　to

know　that　death　lurked　in　that　bent　piece　of　wood？　But

Lop…Ear　knew。　　He　had　evidently　seen　the　Fire　People

before　and　knew　something　of　their　ways。　　The　Fire…Man

peered　up　at　him　and　circled　around　the　tree。　　And

around　the　main　trunk　above　the　fork　Lop…Ear　circled

too；　keeping　always　the　trunk　between　himself　and　the

Fire…Man。



The　latter　abruptly　reversed　his　circling。　　Lop…Ear；

caught　unawares；　also　hastily　reversed；　but　did　not　win

the　protection　of　the　trunk　until　after　the　Fire…Man

had　twanged　the　bow。



I　saw　the　arrow　leap　up；　miss　Lop…Ear；　glance　against　a

limb；　and　fall　back　to　the　ground。　　I　danced　up　and

down　on　my　lofty　perch　with　delight。　　It　was　a　game！

The　Fire…Man　was　throwing　things　at　Lop…Ear　as　we

sometimes　threw　things　at　one　another。



The　game　continued　a　little　longer；　but　Lop…Ear　did　not

expose　himself　a　second　time。　　Then　the　Fire…Man　gave

it　up。　　I　leaned　far　out　over　my　horizontal　limb　and

chattered　down　at　him。　　I　wanted　to　play。　　I　wanted　to

have　him　try　to　hit　me　with　the　thing。　　He　saw　me；　but

ignored　me；　turning　his　attention　to　Broken…Tooth；　who

was　still　teetering　slightly　and　involuntarily　on　the

end　of　the　branch。



The　first　arrow　leaped　upward。　　Broken…Tooth　yelled

with　fright　and　pain。　　It　had　reached　its　mark。　　This

put　a　new　complexion　on　the　matter。　　I　no　longer　cared

to　play；　but　crouched　trembling　close　to　my　limb。　　A

second　arrow　and　a　third　soared　up；　missing

Broken…Tooth；　rustling　the　leaves　as　they　passed

through；　arching　in　their　flight　and　returning　to

earth。



The　Fire…Man　stretched　his　bow　again。　　He　shifted　his

position；　walking　away　several　steps；　then　shifted　it　a

second　time。　　The　bow…string　twanged；　the　arrow　leaped

upward；　and　Broken…Tooth；　uttering　a　terrible　scream；

fell　off　the　branch。　　I　saw　him　as　he　went　down；

turning　over　and　over；　all　arms　and　legs　it　seemed；　the

shaft　of　the　arrow　projecting　from　his　chest　and

appearing　and　disappearing　with　each　revolution　of　his

body。



Sheer　down；　screaming；　seventy　feet　he　fell；　smashing

to　the　earth　with　an　audible　thud　and　crunch；　his　body

rebounding　slightly　and　settling　down　again。　　Still　he

lived；　for　he　moved　and　squirmed；　clawing　with　his

hands　and　feet。　　I　remember　the　Fire…Man　running

forward　with　a　stone　and　hammering　him　on　the

head。。。and　then　I　remember　no　more。



Always；　during　my　childhood；　at　this　stage　of　the

dream；　did　I　wake　up　screaming　with　frightto　find；

often；　my　mother　or　nurse；　anxious　and　startled；　by　my

bedside；　passing　soothing　hands　through　my　hair　and

telling　me　that　they　were　there　and　that　there　was

nothing　to　fear。



My　next　dream；　in　the　order　of　succession；　begins

always　with　the　flight　of　Lop…Ear　and　myself　through

the　forest。　　The　Fire…Man　and　Broken…Tooth　and　the　tree

of　the　tragedy　are　gone。　　Lop…Ear　and　I；　in　a　cautious

panic；　are　fleeing　through　the　trees。　　In　my　right　leg

is　a　burning　pain；　and　from　the　flesh；　protruding　head

and　shaft　from　either　side；　is　an　arrow　of　the

Fire…Man。　　Not　only　did　the　pull　and　strain　of　it　pain

me　severely；　but　it　bothered　my　movements　and　made　it

impossible　for　me　to　keep　up　with　Lop…Ear。



At　last　I　gave　up；　crouching　in　the　secure　fork　of　a

tree。　　Lop…Ear　went　right　on。　　I　called　to　himmost

plaintively；　I　remember；　and　he　stopped　and　looked

back。　　Then　he　returned　to　me；　climbing　into　the　fork

and　examining　the　arrow。　　He　tried　to　pull　it　out；　but

one　way　the　flesh　resisted　the　barbed　lead；　and　the

other　way　it　resisted　the　feathered　shaft。　　Also；　it

hurt　grievously；　and　I　stopped　him。



For　some　time　we　crouched　there；　Lop…Ear　nervous　and

anxious　to　be　gone；　perpetually　and　apprehensively

peering　this　way　and　that；　and　myself　whimpering　softly

and　sobbing。　　Lop…Ear　was　plainly　in　a　funk；　and　yet

his　conduct　in　remaining　by　me；　in　spite　of　his　fear；　I

take　as　a　foreshadowing　of　the　altruism　and　comradeship

that　have　helped　make　man　the　mightiest　of　the　animals。



Once　again　Lop…Ear　tried　to　drag　the　arrow　through　the

flesh；　and　I　angrily　stopped　him。　　Then　he　bent　down

and　began　gnawing　the　shaft　of　the　arrow　with　his

teeth。　　As　he　did　so　he　held　the　arrow　firmly　in　both

hands　so　that　it　would　not　play　about　in　the　wound；　and

at　the　same　time　I　held　on　to　him。　　I　often　meditate

upon　this　scenethe　two　of　us；　half…grown　cubs；　in　the

childhood　of　the　race；　and　the　one　mastering　his　fear；

beating　down　his　selfish　impulse　of　flight；　in　order　to

stand　by　and　succor　the　other。　　And　there　rises　up

before　me　all　that　was　there　foreshadowed；　and　I　see

visions　of　Damon　and　Pythias；　of　life…saving　crews　and

Red　Cross　nurses；　of　martyrs　and　leaders　of　forlorn

hopes；　of　Father　Damien；　and　of　the　Christ　himself；　and

of　all　the　men　of　earth；　mighty　of　stature；　whose

strength　may　trace　back　to　the　elemental　loins　of

Lop…Ear　and　Big…Tooth　and　other　dim　denizens　of　the

Younger　World。



When　Lop…Ear　had　chewed　off　the　head　of　the　arrow；　the

shaft　was　withdrawn　easily　enough。　　I　started　to　go　on；

but　this　time　it　was　he　that　stopped　me。　　My　leg　was

bleeding　profusely。　　Some　of　the　smaller　veins　had

doubtless　been　ruptured。　　Running　out　to　the　end　of　a

branch；　Lop…Ear　gathered　a　handful　of　green　leaves。

These　he　stuffed　into　the　wound。　　They　accomplished　the

purpose；　for　the　bleeding　soon　stopped。　　Then　we　went

on　together；　back　to　the　safety　of　the　caves。







CHAPTER　VIII





Well　do　I　remember　that　first　winter　after　I　left　home。

I　have　long　dreams　of　sitting　shivering　in　the　cold。

Lop…Ear　and　I　sit　close　together；　with　our　arms　and

legs　about　each　other；　blue…faced　and　with　chattering

teeth。　　It　got　particularly　crisp　along　toward　morning。

In　those　chill　early　hours　we　slept　little；　huddling

together　in　numb　misery　and　waiting　for　the　sunrise　in

order　to　get　warm。



When　we　went　outside　there　was　a　crackle　of　frost　under

foot。　　One　morning　we　discovered　ice　on　the　surface　of

the　quiet　water　in　the　eddy　where　was　the

drinking…place；　and　there　was　a　great　How…do…you…do

about　it。　　Old　Marrow…Bone　was　the　oldest　member　of　the

horde；　and　he　had　never　seen　anything　like　it　before。

I　remember　the　worried；　plaintive　look　that　came　into

his　eyes　as　he　examined　the　ice。　　（This　plaintive　look

always　came　into　our　eyes　when　we　did　not　understand　a

thing；　or　when　we　felt　the　prod　of　some　vague　and

inexpressible　desire。）　Red…Eye；　too；　when　he

investigated　the　ice；　looked　bleak　and　plaintive；　and

stared　across　the　river　into　the　northeast；　as　though

in　some　way　he　connected　the　Fire　People　with　this

latest　happening。



But　we　found　ice　only　on　that　one　morning；　and　that　was

the　coldest　winter　we　experienced。　　I　have　no　memory　of

other　winters　when　it　was　so　cold。　　I　have　often

thought　that　that　cold　winter　was　a　fore…runner　of　the

countless　cold　winters　to　come；　as　the　ice…sheet　from

farther　north　crept　down　over　the　face　of　the　land。　But

we　never　saw　that　ice…sheet。　　Many　generations　must

have　passed　away　before　the　descendants　of　the　horde

migrated　south；　or　remained　and　adapted　themselves　to

the　changed　conditions。



Life　was　hit　or　miss　and　happy…go…lucky　with　us。

Little　was　ever　planned；　and　less　was　executed。　　We　ate

when　we　were　hungry；　drank　when　we　were　thirsty；

avoided　our　carnivorous　enemies；　took　shelter　in　the

caves　at　night；　and　for　the　rest　just　sort　of　played

along　through　life。



We　were　very　curious；　easily　amused；　and　full　of　tricks

and　pranks。　　There　was　no　seriousness　about　us；　except

when　we　were　in　danger　or　were　angry；　in　which　cases

the　one　was　quickly　forgotten　and　the　other　as　quickly

got　over。



We　were　inconsecutive；　illogical；　and　inconsequential。

We　had　no　steadfastness　of　purpose；　and　it　was　here

that　the　Fire　People　were　ahead　of　us。　　They　possessed

all　these　things　of　which　we　possessed　so　little。

Occasionally；　however；　especially　in　the　realm　of　the

emotions；　we　were　capable　of　long…cherished　purpose。

The　faithfulness　of　the　monogamic　couples　I　have

referred　to　may　be　explained　as　a　matter　of　habit；　but

my　long　desire　for　the　Swift　One　cannot　be　so

explained；　any　more　than　can　be　explained　the　undying

enmity　between　me　and　Red…Eye。



But　it　was　our　inconsequentiality　and　stupidity　that

especially　distresses　me　when　I　look　back　upon　that

life　in　the　long　ago。　Once　I　found　a　broken　gourd　which

happened　to　lie　right　side　up　and　which　had　been　filled

with　the　rain。　　The　water　was　sweet；　and　I　drank　it。　　I

even　took　the　gourd　down　to　the　stream　and　filled　it

with　more　water；　some　of　which　I　drank　and　some　of

which　I　poured　over　Lop…Ear。　　And　then　I　threw　the

gourd　away。　　It　never　entered　my　head　to　fill　the　gourd

with　water　and　carry　it　into　my　cave。　　Yet　often　I　was

thirsty　at　night；　especially　after　eating　wild　onions

and　watercress；　and　no　one　ever　dared　leave　the　caves

at　night　for　a　drink。



Another　time　I　found　a　dry；　gourd；　inside　of　which　the

seeds　rattled。　　I　had　fun　with　it　for　a　while。　　But　it

was　a　play　thing；　nothing　more。　　And　yet；　it　was　not

long　after　this　that　the　using　of　gourds　for　storing

water　became　the　general　practice　of　the　horde。　　But　I

was　not　the　inventor。　　The　honor　was　due　to　old

Marrow…Bone；　and　it　is　fair　to　assume　that　it　was　the

necessity　of　his　great　age　that　brought　about　the

innovation。



At　any　rate；　the　first　member　of　the　horde　to　use

gourds　was　Marrow…Bone。　　He　kept　a　supply　of

drinking…water　in　his　cave；　which　cave　belonged　to　his

son；　the　Hairless　One；　who　permitted　him　to　occupy　a

corner　of　it。　　We　used　to　see　Marrow…Bone　filling　his

gourd　at　the　drinking…place　and　carrying　it　carefully

up　to　his　cave。　　Imitation　was　strong　in　the　Folk；　and

first　one；　and　then　another　and　another；　procured　a

gourd　and　used　it　in　similar　fashion；　until　it　was　a

general　practice　with　all　of　us　so　to　store　water。



Sometimes　old　Marrow…Bone　had　sick　spells　and　was

unable　to　leave　the　cave。　　Then　it　was　that　the

Hairless　One　filled　the　gourd　for　him。　　A　little　later；

the　Hairless　One　deputed　the　task　to　Long…Lip；　his

son。　　And　after　that；　even　whe