the red one(红色的那人)-第3章
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and bestial of appearance as Balatta； had wanted his body for the roasting
oven。 At that time he had not understood their language； if by
LANGUAGE might be dignified the uncouth sounds they made to
represent ideas。 But Bassett had thoroughly understood the matter of
debate； especially when the men pressed and prodded and felt of the flesh
of him as if he were so much commodity in a butcher's stall。
Balatta had been losing the debate rapidly； when the accident
happened。 One of the men； curiously examining Bassett's shot…gun；
managed to cock and pull a trigger。 The recoil of the butt into the pit of
the man's stomach had not been the most sanguinary result； for the charge
of shot； at a distance of a yard； had blown the head of one of the debaters
into nothingness。
Even Balatta joined the others in flight； and； ere they returned； his
senses already reeling from the oncoming fever…attack； Bassett had
regained possession of the gun。 Whereupon； although his teeth chattered
with the ague and his swimming eyes could scarcely see； he held on to his
fading consciousness until he could intimidate the bushmen with the
simple magics of compass； watch； burning glass； and matches。 At the
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THE RED ONE
last； with due emphasis； of solemnity and awfulness； he had killed a young
pig with his shot…gun and promptly fainted。
Bassett flexed his arm…muscles in quest of what possible strength
might reside in such weakness； and dragged himself slowly and totteringly
to his feet。 He was shockingly emaciated； yet； during the various
convalescences of the many months of his long sickness； he had never
regained quite the same degree of strength as this time。 What he feared
was another relapse such as he had already frequently experienced。
Without drugs； without even quinine； he had managed so far to live
through a combination of the most pernicious and most malignant of
malarial and black…water fevers。 But could he continue to endure？ Such
was his everlasting query。 For； like the genuine scientist he was； he would
not be content to die until he had solved the secret of the sound。
Supported by a staff； he staggered the few steps to the devil…devil
house where death and Ngurn reigned in gloom。 Almost as infamously
dark and evil…stinking as the jungle was the devil…devil house … in Bassett's
opinion。 Yet therein was usually to be found his favourite crony and
gossip； Ngurn； always willing for a yarn or a discussion； the while he sat
in the ashes of death and in a slow smoke shrewdly revolved curing
human heads suspended from the rafters。 For； through the months'
interval of consciousness of his long sickness； Bassett had mastered the
psychological simplicities and lingual difficulties of the language of the
tribe of Ngurn and Balatta and Vngngn … the latter the addle…headed young
chief who was ruled by Ngurn； and who； whispered intrigue had it； was
the son of Ngurn。
〃Will the Red One speak to…day？〃 Bassett asked； by this time so
accustomed to the old man's gruesome occupation as to take even an
interest in the progress of the smoke…curing。
With the eye of an expert Ngurn examined the particular head he was
at work upon。
〃It will be ten days before I can say 'finish；'〃 he said。 〃Never has any
man fixed heads like these。〃
Bassett smiled inwardly at the old fellow's reluctance to talk with him
of the Red One。 It had always been so。 Never； by any chance； had
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THE RED ONE
Ngurn or any other member of the weird tribe divulged the slightest hint
of any physical characteristic of the Red One。 Physical the Red One must
be； to emit the wonderful sound； and though it was called the Red One；
Bassett could not be sure that red represented the colour of it。 Red
enough were the deeds and powers of it； from what abstract clues he had
gleaned。 Not alone； had Ngurn informed him； was the Red One more
bestial powerful than the neighbour tribal gods； ever athirst for the red
blood of living human sacrifices； but the neighbour gods themselves were
sacrificed and tormented before him。 He was the god of a dozen allied
villages similar to this one； which was the central and commanding village
of the federation。 By virtue of the Red One many alien villages had been
devastated and even wiped out； the prisoners sacrificed to the Red One。
This was true to…day； and it extended back into old history carried down by
word of mouth through the generations。 When he； Ngurn； had been a
young man； the tribes beyond the grass lands had made a war raid。 In the
counter raid； Ngurn and his fighting folk had made many prisoners。 Of
children alone over five score living had been bled white before the Red
One； and many； many more men and women。
The Thunderer was another of Ngurn's names for the mysterious deity。
Also at times was he called The Loud Shouter； The God… Voiced； The
Bird…Throated； The One with the Throat Sweet as the Throat of the
Honey…Bird； The Sun Singer； and The Star…Born。
Why The Star…Born？ In vain Bassett interrogated Ngurn。
According to that old devil…devil doctor； the Red One had always been；
just where he was at present； for ever singing and thundering his will over
men。 But Ngurn's father； wrapped in decaying grass…matting and
hanging even then over their heads among the smoky rafters of the devil…
devil house； had held otherwise。 That departed wise one had believed
that the Red One came from out of the starry night； else why … so his
argument had run … had the old and forgotten ones passed his name down
as the Star…Born？ Bassett could not but recognize something cogent in
such argument。 But Ngurn affirmed the long years of his long life；
wherein he had gazed upon many starry nights； yet never had he found a
star on grass land or in jungle depth … and he had looked for them。 True；
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he had beheld shooting stars （this in reply to Bassett's contention）； but
likewise had he beheld the phosphorescence of fungoid growths and rotten
meat and fireflies on dark nights； and the flames of wood… fires and of
blazing candle…nuts； yet what were flame and blaze and glow when they
had flamed and blazed and glowed？ Answer： memories； memories only；
of things which had ceased to be； like memories of matings accomplished；
of feasts forgotten； of desires that were the ghosts of desires； flaring；
flaming； burning； yet unrealized in achievement of easement and
satisfaction。 Where was the appetite of yesterday？ the roasted flesh of
the wild pig the hunter's arrow failed to slay？ the maid； unwed and dead
ere the young man knew her？
A memory was not a star； was Ngurn's contention。 How could a
memory be a star？ Further； after all his long life he still observed the
starry night…sky unaltered。 Never had he noted the absence of a single
star from its accustomed place。 Besides； stars were fire； and the Red One
was not fire … which last involuntary betrayal told Bassett nothing。
〃Will the Red One speak to…morrow？〃 he queried。
Ngurn shrugged his shoulders as who should say。
〃And the day after？ … and the day after that？〃 Bassett persisted。
〃I would like to have the curing of your head；〃 Ngurn changed the
subject。 〃It is different from any other head。 No devil…devil has a head
like it。 Besides； I would cure it well。 I would take months and months。
The moons would come and the moons would go； and the smoke would be
very slow； and I should myself gather the materials for the curing smoke。
The skin would not wrinkle。 It would be as smooth as your skin now。〃
He stood up； and from the dim rafters； grimed with the smoking of
countless heads； where day was no more than a gloom； took down a
matting…wrapped parcel and began to open it。
〃It is a head like yours；〃 he said； 〃but it is poorly cured。〃
Bassett had pricked up his ears at the suggestion that it was a white
man's head； for he had long since come to accept that these jungle…
dwellers； in the midmost centre of the great island； had never had
intercourse with white men。 Certainly he had found them without the
almost universal beche…de…mer English of the west South Pacific。 Nor
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had they knowledge of tobacco； nor of gunpowder。 Their few precious
knives； made from lengths of hoop…iron； and their few and more precious
tomahawks from cheap trade hatchets； he had surmised they had captured
in war from the bushmen of the jungle beyond the grass lands； and that
they； in turn； had similarly gained them from the salt…water men who
fringed the coral beaches of the shore and had contact with the occasional
white men。
〃The folk in the out beyond do not know how to cure heads；〃 old
Ngurn explained； as he drew forth from the filthy matting and placed in
Bassett's hands an indu
