the red one(红色的那人)-第3节
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opened his eyes again under the impending blow； and saw her studying
him intently。 What especially struck her about him were his blue eyes
and white skin。 Coolly she had squatted on her hams； spat on his arm； and
with her finger…tips scrubbed away the dirt of days and nights of muck and
jungle that sullied the pristine whiteness of his skin。
And everything about her had struck him especially； although there
was nothing conventional about her at all。 He laughed weakly at the
recollection； for she had been as innocent of garb as Eve before the fig…
leaf adventure。 Squat and lean at the same time； asymmetrically limbed；
string…muscled as if with lengths of cordage； dirt…caked from infancy save
for casual showers； she was as unbeautiful a prototype of woman as he；
with a scientist's eye； had ever gazed upon。 Her breasts advertised at the
one time her maturity and youth； and； if by nothing else； her sex was
advertised by the one article of finery with which she was adorned；
namely a pig's tail； thrust though a hole in her left ear…lobe。 So lately had
the tail been severed； that its raw end still oozed blood that dried upon her
shoulder like so much candle…droppings。 And her face！ A twisted and
wizened complex of apish features； perforated by upturned； sky…open；
Mongolian nostrils； by a mouth that sagged from a huge upper…lip and
faded precipitately into a retreating chin； by peering querulous eyes that
blinked as blink the eyes of denizens of monkey…cages。
Not even the water she brought him in a forest…leaf； and the ancient
and half…putrid chunk of roast pig； could redeem in the slightest the
grotesque hideousness of her。 When he had eaten weakly for a space； he
closed his eyes in order not to see her； although again and again she poked
them open to peer at the blue of them。 Then had come the sound。
Nearer； much nearer； he knew it to be； and he knew equally well； despite
the weary way he had come； that it was still many hours distant。 The
effect of it on her had been startling。 She cringed under it； with averted
face； moaning and chattering with fear。 But after it had lived its full life
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THE RED ONE
of an hour； he closed his eyes and fell asleep with Balatta brushing the
flies from him。
When he awoke it was night； and she was gone。 But he was aware of
renewed strength； and； by then too thoroughly inoculated by the mosquito
poison to suffer further inflammation； he closed his eyes and slept an
unbroken stretch till sun…up。 A little later Balatta had returned； bringing
with her a half…dozen women who； unbeautiful as they were； were patently
not so unbeautiful as she。 She evidenced by her conduct that she
considered him her find； her property； and the pride she took in showing
him off would have been ludicrous had his situation not been so desperate。
Later； after what had been to him a terrible journey of miles； when he
collapsed in front of the devil…devil house in the shadow of the breadfruit
tree； she had shown very lively ideas on the matter of retaining possession
of him。 Ngurn； whom Bassett was to know afterward as the devil…devil
doctor； priest； or medicine man of the village； had wanted his head。
Others of the grinning and chattering monkey…men； all as stark of clothes
and bestial of appearance as Balatta； had wanted his body for the roasting
oven。 At that time he had not understood their language； if by
LANGUAGE might be dignified the uncouth sounds they made to
represent ideas。 But Bassett had thoroughly understood the matter of
debate； especially when the men pressed and prodded and felt of the flesh
of him as if he were so much commodity in a butcher's stall。
Balatta had been losing the debate rapidly； when the accident
happened。 One of the men； curiously examining Bassett's shot…gun；
managed to cock and pull a trigger。 The recoil of the butt into the pit of
the man's stomach had not been the most sanguinary result； for the charge
of shot； at a distance of a yard； had blown the head of one of the debaters
into nothingness。
Even Balatta joined the others in flight； and； ere they returned； his
senses already reeling from the oncoming fever…attack； Bassett had
regained possession of the gun。 Whereupon； although his teeth chattered
with the ague and his swimming eyes could scarcely see； he held on to his
fading consciousness until he could intimidate the bushmen with the
simple magics of compass； watch； burning glass； and matches。 At the
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THE RED ONE
last； with due emphasis； of solemnity and awfulness； he had killed a young
pig with his shot…gun and promptly fainted。
Bassett flexed his arm…muscles in quest of what possible strength
might reside in such weakness； and dragged himself slowly and totteringly
to his feet。 He was shockingly emaciated； yet； during the various
convalescences of the many months of his long sickness； he had never
regained quite the same degree of strength as this time。 What he feared
was another relapse such as he had already frequently experienced。
Without drugs； without even quinine； he had managed so far to live
through a combination of the most pernicious and most malignant of
malarial and black…water fevers。 But could he continue to endure？ Such
was his everlasting query。 For； like the genuine scientist he was； he would
not be content to die until he had solved the secret of the sound。
Supported by a staff； he staggered the few steps to the devil…devil
house where death and Ngurn reigned in gloom。 Almost as infamously
dark and evil…stinking as the jungle was the devil…devil house … in Bassett's
opinion。 Yet therein was usually to be found his favourite crony and
gossip； Ngurn； always willing for a yarn or a discussion； the while he sat
in the ashes of death and in a slow smoke shrewdly revolved curing
human heads suspended from the rafters。 For； through the months'
interval of consciousness of his long sickness； Bassett had mastered the
psychological simplicities and lingual difficulties of the language of the
tribe of Ngurn and Balatta and Vngngn … the latter the addle…headed young
chief who was ruled by Ngurn； and who； whispered intrigue had it； was
the son of Ngurn。
〃Will the Red One speak to…day？〃 Bassett asked； by this time so
accustomed to the old man's gruesome occupation as to take even an
interest in the progress of the smoke…curing。
With the eye of an expert Ngurn examined the particular head he was
at work upon。
〃It will be ten days before I can say 'finish；'〃 he said。 〃Never has any
man fixed heads like these。〃
Bassett smiled inwardly at the old fellow's reluctance to talk with him
of the Red One。 It had always been so。 Never； by any chance； had
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THE RED ONE
Ngurn or any other member of the weird tribe divulged the slightest hint
of any physical characteristic of the Red One。 Physical the Red One must
be； to emit the wonderful sound； and though it was called the Red One；
Bassett could not be sure that red represented the colour of it。 Red
enough were the deeds and powers of it； from what abstract clues he had
gleaned。 Not alone； had Ngurn informed him； was the Red One more
bestial powerful than the neighbour tribal gods； ever athirst for the red
blood of living human sacrifices； but the neighbour gods them
