before adam(亚当之前)-第10节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
stood on the edge of the forest whither he had finally retreated。 He was
looking back at us； his writhing lips lifted clear of the very roots of his
huge fangs； his hair bristling and his tail lashing。 He gave one last snarl
and slid from view among the trees。
And then such a chattering as went up。 We swarmed out of our holes；
examining the marks his claws had made on the crumbling rock of the
bluff； all of us talking at once。 One of the two Folk who had been caught
in the double cave was part…grown； half child and half youth。 They had
come out proudly from their refuge； and we surrounded them in an
admiring crowd。 Then the young fellow's mother broke through and fell
upon him in a tremendous rage； boxing his ears； pulling his hair； and
shrieking like a demon。 She was a strapping big woman； very hairy； and
the thrashing she gave him was a delight to the horde。 We roared with
laughter； holding on to one another or rolling on the ground in our glee。
In spite of the reign of fear under which we lived； the Folk were
always great laughers。 We had the sense of humor。 Our merriment was
Gargantuan。 It was never restrained。 There was nothing half way about
it。 When a thing was funny we were convulsed with appreciation of it；
and the simplest； crudest things were funny to us。 Oh； we were great
laughers； I can tell you。
The way we had treated Saber…Tooth was the way we treated all
animals that invaded the village。 We kept our run…ways and drinking…
places to ourselves by making life miserable for the animals that
trespassed or strayed upon our immediate territory。 Even the fiercest
hunting animals we so bedevilled that they learned to leave our places
alone。 We were not fighters like them； we were cunning and cowardly；
34
… Page 35…
Before Adam
and it was because of our cunning and cowardice； and our inordinate
capacity for fear； that we survived in that frightfully hostile environment
of the Younger World。
Lop…Ear； I figure； was a year older than I。 What his past history was
he had no way of telling me； but as I never saw anything of his mother I
believed him to be an orphan。 After all； fathers did not count in our
horde。 Marriage was as yet in a rude state； and couples had a way of
quarrelling and separating。 Modern man； what of his divorce institution；
does the same thing legally。 But we had no laws。 Custom was all we
went by； and our custom in this particular matter was rather promiscuous 。
Nevertheless； as this narrative will show later on； we betrayed
glimmering adumbrations of the monogamy that was later to give power
to； and make mighty； such tribes as embraced it。 Furthermore； even at the
time I was born； there were several faithful couples that lived in the trees
in the neighborhood of my mother。 Living in the thick of the horde did not
conduce to monogamy。 It was for this reason； undoubtedly； that the
faithful couples went away and lived by themselves。 Through many years
these couples stayed together； though when the man or woman died or was
eaten the survivor invariably found a new mate。
There was one thing that greatly puzzled me during the first days of
my residence in the horde。 There was a nameless and incommunicable
fear that rested upon all。 At first it appeared to be connected wholly with
direction。 The horde feared the northeast。 It lived in perpetual
apprehension of that quarter of the compass。 And every individual gazed
more frequently and with greater alarm in that direction than in any other。
When Lop…Ear and I went toward the north…east to eat the stringy…
rooted carrots that at that season were at their best； he became unusually
timid。 He was content to eat the leavings； the big tough carrots and the
little ropy ones； rather than to venture a short distance farther on to where
the carrots were as yet untouched。 When I so ventured； he scolded me
and quarrelled with me。 He gave me to understand that in that direction
was some horrible danger； but just what the horrible danger was his
paucity of language would not permit him to say。
Many a good meal I got in this fashion； while he scolded and chattered
35
… Page 36…
Before Adam
vainly at me。 I could not understand。 I kept very alert； but I could see
no danger。 I calculated always the distance between myself and the
nearest tree； and knew that to that haven of refuge I could out…foot the
Tawny One； or old Saber…Tooth； did one or the other suddenly appear。
One late afternoon； in the village； a great uproar arose。 The horde
was animated with a single emotion； that of fear。 The bluff…side swarmed
with the Folk； all gazing and pointing into the northeast。 I did not know
what it was； but I scrambled all the way up to the safety of my own high
little cave before ever I turned around to see。
And then； across the river； away into the northeast； I saw for the first
time the mystery of smoke。 It was the biggest animal I had ever seen。 I
thought it was a monster snake； up…ended； rearing its head high above the
trees and swaying back and forth。 And yet； somehow； I seemed to gather
from the conduct of the Folk that the smoke itself was not the danger。
They appeared to fear it as the token of something else。 What this
something else was I was unable to guess。 Nor could they tell me。 Yet I
was soon to know； and I was to know it as a thing more terrible than the
Tawny One； than old Saber…Tooth； than the snakes themselves； than which
it seemed there could be no things more terrible。
36
… Page 37…
Before Adam
CHAPTER VII
Broken…Tooth was another youngster who lived by himself。 His
mother lived in the caves； but two more children had come after him and
he had been thrust out to shift for himself。 We had witnessed the
performance during the several preceding days； and it had given us no
little glee。 Broken…Tooth did not want to go； and every time his mother
left the cave he sneaked back into it。 When she returned and found him
there her rages were delightful。 Half the horde made a practice of
watching for these moments。 First； from within the cave； would come her
scolding and shrieking。 Then we could hear sounds of the thrashing and
the yelling of Broken…Tooth。 About this time the two younger children
joined in。 And finally； like the eruption of a miniature volcano； Broken…
Tooth would come flying out。
At the end of several days his leaving home was accomplished。 He
wailed his grief； unheeded； from the centre of the open space； for at least
half an hour； and then came to live with Lop…Ear and me。 Our cave was
small； but with squeezing there was room for three。 I have no recollection
of Broken…Tooth spending more than one night with us； so the accident
must have happened right away。
It came in the middle of the day。 In the morning we had eaten our fill
of the carrots； and then； made heedless by play； we had ventured on to the
big trees just beyond。 I cannot understand how Lop…Ear got over his
habitual caution； but it must have been the play。 We were having a great
time playing tree tag。 And such tag！ We leaped ten or fifteen…foot gaps as
a matter of course。 And a twenty or twenty…five foot deliberate drop clear
down to the ground was nothing to us。 In fact； I am almost afraid to say
the great distances we dropped。 As we grew older and heavier we found
we had to be more cautious in dropping； but at that age our bodies were all
strings and springs and we c
