before adam(亚当之前)-第16节
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time。 Usually； when she visited the horde at the caves； I was away in the
forest。 I had once or twice caught glimpses of the Chatterer in the open
space； and had had the pleasure of making faces at him and angering him
from the mouth of my cave。 Beyond such amenities I had left my family
severely alone。 I was not much interested in it； and anyway I was doing
very well by myself。
After eating our fill of berries； with two nestfuls of partly hatched
quail…eggs for dessert； Lop…Ear and I wandered circumspectly into the
woods toward the river。 Here was where stood my old home…tree； out of
which I had been thrown by the Chatterer。 It was still occupied。 There
had been increase in the family。 Clinging tight to my mother was a little
baby。 Also； there was a girl； partly grown； who cautiously regarded us
from one of the lower branches。 She was evidently my sister； or half…
sister； rather。
My mother recognized me； but she warned me away when I started to
climb into the tree。 Lop…Ear； who was more cautious by far than I； beat a
retreat； nor could I persuade him to return。 Later in the day； however； my
sister came down to the ground； and there and in neighboring trees we
romped and played all afternoon。 And then came trouble。 She was my
sister； but that did not prevent her from treating me abominably； for she
had inherited all the viciousness of the Chatterer。 She turned upon me
suddenly； in a petty rage； and scratched me； tore my hair； and sank her
sharp little teeth deep into my forearm。 I lost my temper。 I did not
injure her； but it was undoubtedly the soundest spanking she had received
up to that time。
How she yelled and squalled。 The Chatterer； who had been away all
day and who was only then returning； heard the noise and rushed for the
spot。 My mother also rushed； but he got there first。 Lop…Ear and I did not
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wait his coming。 We were off and away； and the Chatterer gave us the
chase of our lives through the trees。
After the chase was over； and Lop…Ear and I had had out our laugh； we
discovered that twilight was falling。 Here was night with all its terrors
upon us； and to return to the caves was out of the question。 Red…Eye
made that impossible。 We took refuge in a tree that stood apart from
other trees； and high up in a fork we passed the night。 It was a miserable
night。 For the first few hours it rained heavily； then it turned cold and a
chill wind blew upon us。 Soaked through； with shivering bodies and
chattering teeth； we huddled in each other's arms。 We missed the snug；
dry cave that so quickly warmed with the heat of our bodies。
Morning found us wretched and resolved。 We would not spend
another such night。 Remembering the tree…shelters of our elders； we set
to work to make one for ourselves。 We built the framework of a rough
nest； and on higher forks overhead even got in several ridge…poles for the
roof。 Then the sun came out； and under its benign influence we forgot
the hardships of the night and went off in search of breakfast。 After that；
to show the inconsequentiality of life in those days； we fell to playing。 It
must have taken us all of a month； working intermittently； to make our
tree…house； and then； when it was completed； we never used it again。
But I run ahead of my story。 When we fell to playing； after breakfast；
on the second day away from the caves； Lop…Ear led me a chase through
the trees and down to the river。 We came out upon it where a large
slough entered from the blueberry swamp。 The mouth of this slough was
wide； while the slough itself was practically without a current。 In the
dead water； just inside its mouth； lay a tangled mass of tree trunks。 Some
of these； what of the wear and tear of freshets and of being stranded long
summers on sand…bars； were seasoned and dry and without branches。
They floated high in the water； and bobbed up and down or rolled over
when we put our weight upon them。
Here and there between the trunks were water…cracks； and through
them we could see schools of small fish； like minnows； darting back and
forth。 Lop…Ear and I became fishermen at once。 Lying flat on the logs；
keeping perfectly quiet； waiting till the minnows came close； we would
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make swift passes with our hands。 Our prizes we ate on the spot； wriggling
and moist。 We did not notice the lack of salt。
The mouth of the slough became our favorite playground。 Here we
spent many hours each day； catching fish and playing on the logs； and here；
one day； we learned our first lessons in navigation。 The log on which Lop…
Ear was lying got adrift。 He was curled up on his side； asleep。 A light
fan of air slowly drifted the log away from the shore； and when I noticed
his predicament the distance was already too great for him to leap。
At first the episode seemed merely funny to me。 But when one of the
vagrant impulses of fear； common in that age of perpetual insecurity；
moved within me； I was struck with my own loneliness。 I was made
suddenly aware of Lop…Ear's remoteness out there on that alien element a
few feet away。 I called loudly to him a warning cry。 He awoke
frightened； and shifted his weight rashly on the log。 It turned over；
sousing him under。 Three times again it soused him under as he tried to
climb out upon it。 Then he succeeded； crouching upon it and chattering
with fear。
I could do nothing。 Nor could he。 Swimming was something of
which we knew nothing。 We were already too far removed from the
lower life…forms to have the instinct for swimming； and we had not yet
become sufficiently man…like to undertake it as the working out of a
problem。 I roamed disconsolately up and down the bank； keeping as
close to him in his involuntary travels as I could； while he wailed and
cried till it was a wonder that he did not bring down upon us every hunting
animal within a mile。
The hours passed。 The sun climbed overhead and began its descent
to the west。 The light wind died down and left Lop…Ear on his log
floating around a hundred feet away。 And then； somehow； I know not
how； Lop…Ear made the great discovery。 He began paddling with his
hands。 At first his progress was slow and erratic。 Then he straightened
out and began laboriously to paddle nearer and nearer。 I could not
understand。 I sat down and watched and waited until he gained the
shore。
But he had learned something； which was more than I had done。 Later
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in the afternoon； he deliberately launched out from shore on the log。 Still
later he persuaded me to join him； and I； too； learned the trick of paddling。
For the next several days we could not tear ourselves away from the
slough。 So absorbed were we in our new game that we almost neglected
to eat。 We even roosted in a nearby tree at night。 And we forgot that
Red…Eye existed。
We were always trying new logs； and we learned that the smaller the
log the faster we could make it go。 Also； we learned that the smaller the
log the more liable it was to roll over and give us a ducking。 Still another
thing about small logs we learned。 One day we paddled our individual
logs alongside each other。 And then； quite by accident； in the course of
play； we discovered that when each； with one hand and
