before adam-第12部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



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。　　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。







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　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　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　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　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　foot；　held　on　to　the

other's　log；　the　logs　were　steadied　and　did　not　turn

over。　　Lying　side　by　side　in　this　position；　our　outside

hands　and　feet　were　left　free　for　paddling。　　Our　final

discovery　was　that　this　arrangement　enabled　us　to　use

still　smaller　logs　and　thereby　gain　greater　speed。　　And

there　our　discoveries　ended。　　We　had　invented　the　most

primitive　catamaran；　and　we　did　not　have　sense　enough

to　know　it。　　It　never　entered　our　heads　to　lash　the

logs　together　with　tough　vines　or　stringy　roots。　　We

were　content　to　hold　th