before adam(亚当之前)-第11节
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strings and springs and we could do anything。
Broken…Tooth displayed remarkable agility in the game。 He was 〃It〃
less frequently than any of us； and in the course of the game he discovered
one difficult 〃slip〃 that neither Lop…Ear nor I was able to accomplish。 To
be truthful； we were afraid to attempt it。
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When we were 〃It；〃 Broken…Tooth always ran out to the end of a lofty
branch in a certain tree。 From the end of the branch to the ground it must
have been seventy feet； and nothing intervened to break a fall。 But about
twenty feet lower down； and fully fifteen feet out from the perpendicular；
was the thick branch of another tree。
As we ran out the limb； Broken…Tooth； facing us； would begin
teetering。 This naturally impeded our progress； but there was more in the
teetering than that。 He teetered with his back to the jump he was to make。
Just as we nearly reached him he would let go。 The teetering branch was
like a spring…board。 It threw him far out； backward； as he fell。 And as
he fell he turned around sidewise in the air so as to face the other branch
into which he was falling。 This branch bent far down under the impact；
and sometimes there was an ominous crackling； but it never broke； and out
of the leaves was always to be seen the face of Broken…Tooth grinning
triumphantly up at us。
I was 〃It〃 the last time Broken…Tooth tried this。 He had gained the
end of the branch and begun his teetering； and I was creeping out after him；
when suddenly there came a low warning cry from Lop…Ear。 I looked
down and saw him in the main fork of the tree crouching close against the
trunk。 Instinctively I crouched down upon the thick limb。 Broken…
Tooth stopped teetering； but the branch would not stop； and his body
continued bobbing up and down with the rustling leaves。
I heard the crackle of a dry twig； and looking down saw my first Fire…
Man。 He was creeping stealthily along on the ground and peering up into
the tree。 At first I thought he was a wild animal； because he wore around
his waist and over his shoulders a ragged piece of bearskin。 And then I
saw his hands and feet； and more clearly his features。 He was very much
like my kind； except that he was less hairy and that his feet were less like
hands than ours。 In fact； he and his people； as I was later to know； were
far less hairy than we； 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
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Before Adam
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
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Before Adam
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
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Before Adam
the arrow with his teeth。 As he did so he held the arrow firmly in both
hands so that it would not play about
