before adam(亚当之前)-第12章
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to the carnage of the hunting animals； while the fore…runners of man hide
tremblingly in their holes。
There yet remain to us a few minutes before we climb to our caves。 We
are tired from the play of the day； and the sounds we make are subdued。
Even the cubs； still greedy for fun and antics； play with restraint。 The
wind from the sea has died down； and the shadows are lengthening with
the last of the sun's descent。 And then； suddenly； from Red…Eye's cave；
breaks a wild screaming and the sound of blows。 He is beating his wife。
At first an awed silence comes upon us。 But as the blows and
screams continue we break out into an insane gibbering of helpless rage。
It is plain that the men resent Red…Eye's actions； but they are too afraid of
him。 The blows cease； and a low groaning dies away； while we chatter
among ourselves and the sad twilight creeps upon us。
We； to whom most happenings were jokes； never laughed during Red…
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Eye's wife…beatings。 We knew too well the tragedy of them。 On more
than one morning； at the base of the cliff； did we find the body of his latest
wife。 He had tossed her there； after she had died； from his cave…mouth。
He never buried his dead。 The task of carrying away the bodies； that else
would have polluted our abiding…place； he left to the horde。 We usually
flung them into the river below the last drinking…place。
Not alone did Red…Eye murder his wives； but he also murdered for his
wives； in order to get them。 When he wanted a new wife and selected the
wife of another man； he promptly killed that man。 Two of these murders I
saw myself。 The whole horde knew； but could do nothing。 We had not
yet developed any government； to speak of； inside the horde。 We had
certain customs and visited our wrath upon the unlucky ones who violated
those customs。 Thus； for example； the individual who defiled a drinking…
place would be attacked by every onlooker； while one who deliberately
gave a false alarm was the recipient of much rough usage at our hands。
But Red…Eye walked rough…shod over all our customs； and we so feared
him that we were incapable of the collective action necessary to punish
him。
It was during the sixth winter in our cave that Lop…Ear and I
discovered that we were really growing up。 From the first it had been a
squeeze to get in through the entrance…crevice。 This had had its
advantages； however。 It had prevented the larger Folk from taking our
cave away from us。 And it was a most desirable cave； the highest on the
bluff； the safest； and in winter the smallest and warmest。
To show the stage of the mental development of the Folk； I may state
that it would have been a simple thing for some of them to have driven us
out and enlarged the crevice…opening。 But they never thought of it。
Lop…Ear and I did not think of it either until our increasing size compelled
us to make an enlargement。 This occurred when summer was well along
and we were fat with better forage。 We worked at the crevice in spells；
when the fancy struck us。
At first we dug the crumbling rocks away with our fingers； until our
nails got sore； when I accidentally stumbled upon the idea of using a piece
of wood on the rock。 This worked well。 Also it worked woe。 One
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morning early； we had scratched out of the wall quite a heap of fragments。
I gave the heap a shove over the lip of the entrance。 The next moment
there came up from below a howl of rage。 There was no need to look。
We knew the voice only too well。 The rubbish had descended upon Red…
Eye。
We crouched down in the cave in consternation。 A minute later he
was at the entrance； peering in at us with his inflamed eyes and raging like
a demon。 But he was too large。 He could not get in to us。 Suddenly
he went away。 This was suspicious。 By all we knew of Folk nature he
should have remained and had out his rage。 I crept to the entrance and
peeped down。 I could see him just beginning to mount the bluff again。
In one hand he carried a long stick。 Before I could divine his plan； he
was back at the entrance and savagely jabbing the stick in at us。
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。
