before adam(亚当之前)-第15节
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His thrusts were prodigious。 They could have disembowelled us。 We
shrank back against the side…walls； where we were almost out of range。
But by industrious poking he got us now and againcruel； scraping jabs
with the end of the stick that raked off the hide and hair。 When we
screamed with the hurt； he roared his satisfaction and jabbed the harder。
I began to grow angry。 I had a temper of my own in those days； and
pretty considerable courage； too； albeit it was largely the courage of the
cornered rat。 I caught hold of the stick with my hands； but such was his
strength that he jerked me into the crevice。 He reached for me with his
long arm； and his nails tore my flesh as I leaped back from the clutch and
gained the comparative safety of the side…wall。
He began poking again； and caught me a painful blow on the shoulder。
Beyond shivering with fright and yelling when he was hit； Lop…Ear did
nothing。 I looked for a stick with which to jab back； but found only the
end of a branch； an inch through and a foot long。 I threw this at Red…Eye。
It did no damage； though he howled with a sudden increase of rage at my
daring to strike back。 He began jabbing furiously。 I found a fragment of
rock and threw it at him； striking him on the chest。
This emboldened me； and； besides； I was now as angry as he； and had
lost all fear。 I ripped fragment of rock from the wall。 The piece must
have weighed two or three pounds。 With my strength I slammed it full
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into Red…Eye's face。 It nearly finished him。 He staggered backward；
dropping his stick； and almost fell off the cliff。
He was a ferocious sight。 His face was covered with blood； and he
was snarling and gnashing his fangs like a wild boar。 He wiped the blood
from his eyes； caught sight of me； and roared with fury。 His stick was
gone； so he began ripping out chunks of crumbling rock and throwing
them in at me。 This supplied me with ammunition。 I gave him as good
as he sent； and better； for he presented a good target； while he caught only
glimpses of me as I snuggled against the side…wall。
Suddenly he disappeared again。 From the lip of the cave I saw him
descending。 All the horde had gathered outside and in awed silence was
looking on。 As he descended； the more timid ones scurried for their
caves。 I could see old Marrow…Bone tottering along as fast as he could。
Red…Eye sprang out from the wall and finished the last twenty feet through
the air。 He landed alongside a mother who was just beginning the ascent。
She screamed with fear； and the two…year…old child that was clinging to
her released its grip and rolled at Red…Eye's feet。 Both he and the mother
reached for it； and he got it。 The next moment the frail little body had
whirled through the air and shattered against the wall。 The mother ran to
it； caught it up in her arms； and crouched over it crying。
Red…Eye started over to pick up the stick。 Old Marrow…Bone had
tottered into his way。 Red…Eye's great hand shot out and clutched the old
man by the back of the neck。 I looked to see his neck broken。 His body
went limp as he surrendered himself to his fate。 Red…Eye hesitated a
moment； and Marrow…Bone； shivering terribly； bowed his head and
covered his face with his crossed arms。 Then Red…Eye slammed him
face…downward to the ground。 Old Marrow…Bone did not struggle。 He
lay there crying with the fear of death。 I saw the Hairless One； out in the
open space； beating his chest and bristling； but afraid to come forward。
And then； in obedience to some whim of his erratic spirit； Red…Eye let the
old man alone and passed on and recovered the stick。
He returned to the wall and began to climb up。 Lop…Ear； who was
shivering and peeping alongside of me； scrambled back into the cave。 It
was plain that Red…Eye was bent upon murder。 I was desperate and
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angry and fairly cool。 Running back and forth along the neighboring
ledges； I gathered a heap of rocks at the cave…entrance。 Red…Eye was
now several yards beneath me； concealed for the moment by an out…jut of
the cliff。 As he climbed； his head came into view； and I banged a rock
down。 It missed； striking the wall and shattering； but the flying dust and
grit filled his eyes and he drew back out of view。
A chuckling and chattering arose from the horde； that played the part
of audience。 At last there was one of the Folk who dared to face Red…Eye。
As their approval and acclamation arose on the air； Red…Eye snarled down
at them； and on the instant they were subdued to silence。 Encouraged by
this evidence of his power； he thrust his head into view； and by scowling
and snarling and gnashing his fangs tried to intimidate me。 He scowled
horribly； contracting the scalp strongly over the brows and bringing the
hair down from the top of the head until each hair stood apart and pointed
straight forward。
The sight chilled me； but I mastered my fear； and； with a stone poised
in my hand； threatened him back。 He still tried to advance。 I drove the
stone down at him and made a sheer miss。 The next shot was a success。
The stone struck him on the neck。 He slipped back out of sight； but as he
disappeared I could see him clutching for a grip on the wall with one hand；
and with the other clutching at his throat。 The stick fell clattering to the
ground。
I could not see him any more； though I could hear him choking and
strangling and coughing。 The audience kept a death…like silence。 I
crouched on the lip of the entrance and waited。 The strangling and
coughing died down； and I could hear him now and again clearing his
throat。 A little later he began to climb down。 He went very quietly；
pausing every moment or so to stretch his neck or to feel it with his hand。
At the sight of him descending； the whole horde； with wild screams
and yells； stampeded for the woods。 Old Marrow…Bone； hobbling and
tottering； followed behind。 Red…Eye took no notice of the flight。 When he
reached the ground he skirted the base of the bluff and climbed up and into
his own cave。 He did not look around once。
I stared at Lop…Ear； and he stared back。 We understood each other。
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Immediately； and with great caution and quietness； we began climbing up
the cliff。 When we reached the top we looked back。 The abiding…place
was deserted； Red…Eye remained in his cave； and the horde had
disappeared in the depths of the forest。
We turned and ran。 We dashed across the open spaces and down the
slopes unmindful of possible snakes in the grass； until we reached the
woods。 Up into the trees we went； and on and on； swinging our arboreal
flight until we had put miles between us and the caves。 And then； and not
till then； in the security of a great fork； we paused； looked at each other；
and began to laugh。 We held on to each other； arms and legs； our eyes
streaming tears； our ；sides aching； and laughed and laughed and laughed。
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CHAPTER X
After we had had out our laugh； Lop…Ear and I curved back in our
flight and got breakfast in the blueberry swamp。 It was the same swamp
to which I had made my first journeys in the world； years before；
accompanied by my mother。 I had seen little of her in the intervening
time。 Usually； when she visited the horde at the caves； I was away in
