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第21节

before adam-第21节

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for a long time and watched us; looking our caves and

the cliff…wall up and down。  He descended one of the

run…ways to a drinking…place; returning a few minutes

later by another run…way。  Again he stood and watched

us carefully; for a long time。  Then he turned on his

heel and limped into the forest; leaving us calling

querulously and plaintively to one another from the

cave…mouths。







CHAPTER XVI





I found her down in the old neighborhood near the

blueberry swamp; where my mother lived and where

Lop…Ear and I had built our first tree…shelter。  It was

unexpected。  As I came under the tree I heard the

familiar soft sound and looked up。  There she was; the

Swift One; sitting on a limb and swinging her legs back

and forth as she looked at me。



I stood still for some time。  The sight of her had made

me very happy。  And then an unrest and a pain began to

creep in on this happiness。  I started to climb the

tree after her; and she retreated slowly out the limb。

Just as I reached for her; she sprang through the air

and landed in the branches of the next tree。  From amid

the rustling leaves she peeped out at me and made soft

sounds。  I leaped straight for her; and after an

exciting chase the situation was duplicated; for there

she was; making soft sounds and peeping out from the

leaves of a third tree。



It was borne in upon me that somehow it was different

now from the old days before Lop…Ear and I had gone on

our adventure…journey。 I wanted her; and I knew that I

wanted her。  And she knew it; too。 That was why she

would not let me come near her。  I forgot that she was

truly the Swift One; and that in the art of climbing

she had been my teacher。  I pursued her from tree to

tree; and ever she eluded me; peeping back at me with

kindly eyes; making soft sounds; and dancing and

leaping and teetering before me just out of reach。  The

more she eluded me; the more I wanted to catch her; and

the lengthening shadows of the afternoon bore witness

to the futility of my effort。



As I pursued her; or sometimes rested in an adjoining

tree and watched her; I noticed the change in her。  She

was larger; heavier; more grown…up。  Her lines were

rounder; her muscles fuller; and there was about her

that indefinite something of maturity that was new to

her and that incited me on。  Three years she had been

gonethree years at the very least; and the change in

her was marked。  I say three years; it is as near as I

can measure the time。  A fourth year may have elapsed;

which I have confused with the happenings of the other

three years。  The more I think of it; the more

confident I am that it must be four years that she was

away。



Where she went; why she went; and what happened to her

during that time; I do not know。  There was no way for

her to tell me; any more than there was a way for

Lop…Ear and me to tell the Folk what we had seen when

we were away。  Like us; the chance is she had gone off

on an adventure…journey; and by herself。  On the other

hand; it is possible that Red…Eye may have been the

cause of her going。  It is quite certain that he must

have come upon her from time to time; wandering in the

woods; and if he had pursued her there is no question

but that it would have been sufficient to drive her

away。  From subsequent events; I am led to believe that

she must have travelled far to the south; across a

range of mountains and down to the banks of a strange

river; away from any of her kind。  Many Tree People

lived down there; and I think it must have been they

who finally drove her back to the horde and to me。  My

reasons for this I shall explain later。



The shadows grew longer; and I pursued more ardently

than ever; and still I could not catch her。  She made

believe that she was trying desperately to escape me;

and all the time she managed to keep just beyond reach。

I forgot everythingtime; the oncoming of night; and

my meat…eating enemies。  I was insane with love of her;

and withanger; too; because she would not let me come

up with her。  It was strange how this anger against her

seemed to be part of my desire for her。



As I have said; I forgot everything。  In racing across

an open space I ran full tilt upon a colony of snakes。

They did not deter me。  I was mad。  They struck at me;

but I ducked and dodged and ran on。  Then there was a

python that ordinarily would have sent me screeching to

a tree…top。  He did run me into a tree; but the Swift

One was going out of sight; and I sprang back to the

ground and went on。  It was a close shave。  Then there

was my old enemy; the hyena。  From my conduct he was

sure something was going to happen; and he followed me

for an hour。  Once we exasperated a band of wild pigs;

and they took after us。  The Swift One dared a wide

leap between trees that was too much for me。  I had to

take to the ground。  There were the pigs。  I didn't

care。  I struck the earth within a yard of the nearest

one。  They flanked me as I ran; and chased me into two

different trees out of the line of my pursuit of the

Swift One。  I ventured the ground again; doubled back;

and crossed a wide open space; with the whole band

grunting; bristling; and tusk…gnashing at my heels。



If I had tripped or stumbled in that open space; there

would have been no chance for me。  But I didn't。  And I

didn't care whether I did or not。  I was in such mood

that I would have faced old Saber…Tooth himself; or a

score of arrow…shooting Fire People。  Such was the

madness of love。。。with me。  With the Swift One it was

different。  She was very wise。  She did not take any

real risks; and I remember; on looking back across the

centuries to that wild love…chase; that when the pigs

delayed me she did not run away very fast; but waited;

rather; for me to take up the pursuit again。  Also; she

directed her retreat before me; going always in the

direction she wanted to go。



At last came the dark。  She led me around the mossy

shoulder of a canyon wall that out…jutted among the

trees。  After that we penetrated a dense mass of

underbrush that scraped and ripped me in passing。  But

she never ruffled a hair。  She knew the way。  In the

midst of the thicket was a large oak。  I was very close

to her when she climbed it; and in the forks; in the

nest…shelter I had sought so long and vainly; I caught

her。



The hyena had taken our trail again; and he now sat

down on the ground and made hungry noises。  But we did

not mind; and we laughed at him when he snarled and

went away through the thicket。 It was the spring…time;

and the night noises were many and varied。 As was the

custom at that time of the year; there was much

fighting among the animals。  From the nest we could

hear the squealing and neighing of wild horses; the

trumpeting of elephants; and the roaring of lions。  But

the moon came out; and the air was warm; and we laughed

and were unafraid。



I remember; next morning; that we came upon two ruffled

cock…birds that fought so ardently that I went right up

to them and caught them by their necks。  Thus did the

Swift One and I get our wedding breakfast。  They were

delicious。  It was easy to catch birds in the spring of

the year。  There was one night that year when two elk

fought in the moonlight; while the Swift One and I

watched from the trees; and we saw a lion and lioness

crawl up to them unheeded; and kill them as they

fought。



There is no telling how long we might have lived in the

Swift One's tree…shelter。  But one day; while we were

away; the tree was struck by lightning。  Great limbs

were riven; and the nest was demolished。  I started to

rebuild; but the Swift One would have nothing to do

with it。  As I was to learn; she was greatly afraid of

lightning; and I could not persuade her back into the

tree。  So it came about; our honeymoon over; that we

went to the caves to live。  As Lop…Ear had evicted me

from the cave when he got married; I now evicted him;

and the Swift One and I settled down in it; while he

slept at night in the connecting passage of the double

cave。



And with our coming to live with the horde came

trouble。  Red…Eye had had I don't know how many wives

since the Singing One。  She had gone the way of the

rest。  At present he had a little; soft; spiritless

thing that whimpered and wept all the time; whether he

beat her or not; and her passing was a question of very

little time。  Before she passed; even; Red…Eye set his

eyes on the Swift One; and when she passed; the

persecution of the Swift One began。



Well for her that she was the Swift One; that she had

that amazing aptitude for swift flight through the

trees。  She needed all her wisdom and daring in order

to keep out of the clutches of Red…Eye。 I could not

help her。  He was so powerful a monster that he could

have torn me limb from limb。  As it was; to my death I

carried 

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