before adam(亚当之前)-第17章
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upon the fire； I saw that he limped with his crippled leg。 Whatever it was；
it was a permanent injury。 He seemed more dried up and wizened than
ever； and the hair on his face was quite gray。
The other hunters were young men。 I noted； lying near them on the
ground； their bows and arrows； and I knew the weapons for what they
were。 The Fire…Men wore animal skins around their waists and across
their shoulders。 Their arms and legs； however； were bare； and they wore
no footgear。 As I have said before； they were not quite so hairy as we of
the Folk。 They did not have large heads； and between them and the Folk
there was very little difference in the degree of the slant of the head back
from the eyes。
They were less stooped than we； less springy in their movements。
Their backbones and hips and knee…joints seemed more rigid。 Their arms
were not so long as ours either； and I did not notice that they ever balanced
themselves when they walked； by touching the ground on either side with
their hands。 Also； their muscles were more rounded and symmetrical
than ours； and their faces were more pleasing。 Their nose orifices opened
downward； likewise the bridges of their noses were more developed； did
not look so squat nor crushed as ours。 Their lips were less flabby and
pendent； and their eye…teeth did not look so much like fangs。 However；
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they were quite as thin…hipped as we； and did not weigh much more。 Take
it all in all； they were less different from us than were we from the Tree
People。 Certainly； all three kinds were related； and not so remotely
related at that。
The fire around which they sat was especially attractive。 Lop…Ear
and I sat for hours； watching the flames and smoke。 It was most
fascinating when fresh fuel was thrown on and showers of sparks went
flying upward。 I wanted to come closer and look at the fire； but there
was no way。 We were crouching in the forks of a tree on the edge of the
open space； and we did not dare run the risk of being discovered。
The Fire…Men squatted around the fire and slept with their heads
bowed forward on their knees。 They did not sleep soundly。 Their ears
twitched in their sleep； and they were restless。 Every little while one or
another got up and threw more wood upon the fire。 About the circle of
light in the forest； in the darkness beyond； roamed hunting animals。 Lop…
Ear and I could tell them by their sounds。 There were wild dogs and a
hyena； and for a time there was a great yelping and snarling that awakened
on the instant the whole circle of sleeping Fire…Men。
Once a lion and a lioness stood beneath our tree and gazed out with
bristling hair and blinking eyes。 The lion licked his chops and was
nervous with eagerness； as if he wanted to go forward and make a meal。
But the lioness was more cautious。 It was she that discovered us； and the
pair stood and looked up at us； silently； with twitching； scenting nostrils。
Then they growled； looked once again at the fire； and turned away into the
forest。
For a much longer time Lop…Ear and I remained and watched。 Now
and again we could hear the crashing of heavy bodies in the thickets and
underbrush； and from the darkness of the other side； across the circle； we
could see eyes gleaming in the firelight。 In the distance we heard a lion
roar； and from far off came the scream of some stricken animal； splashing
and floundering in a drinking…place。 Also； from the river； came a great
grunting of rhinoceroses。
In the morning； after having had our sleep； we crept back to the fire。
It was still smouldering； and the Fire…Men were gone。 We made a circle
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through the forest to make sure； and then we ran to the fire。 I wanted to
see what it was like； and between thumb and finger I picked up a glowing
coal。 My cry of pain and fear； as I dropped it； stampeded Lop…Ear into
the trees； and his flight frightened me after him。
The next time we came back more cautiously； and we avoided the
glowing coals。 We fell to imitating the Fire…Men。 We squatted down by
the fire； and with heads bent forward on our knees； made believe to sleep。
Then we mimicked their speech； talking to each other in their fashion and
making a great gibberish。 I remembered seeing the wizened old hunter
poke the fire with a stick。 I poked the fire with a stick； turning up masses
of live coals and clouds of white ashes。 This was great sport； and soon we
were coated white with the ashes。
It was inevitable that we should imitate the Fire…Men in replenishing
the fire。 We tried it first with small pieces of wood。 It was a success。
The wood flamed up and crackled； and we danced and gibbered with
delight。 Then we began to throw on larger pieces of wood。 We put on
more and more； until we had a mighty fire。 We dashed excitedly back
and forth； dragging dead limbs and branches from out the forest。 The
flames soared higher and higher； and the smoke…column out…towered the
trees。 There was a tremendous snapping and crackling and roaring。 It
was the most monumental work we had ever effected with our hands； and
we were proud of it。 We； too； were Fire…Men； we thought； as we danced
there； white gnomes in the conflagration。
The dried grass and underbrush caught fire； but we did not notice it。
Suddenly a great tree on the edge of the open space burst into flames。
We looked at it with startled eyes。 The heat of it drove us back。
Another tree caught； and another； and then half a dozen。 We were
frightened。 The monster had broken loose。 We crouched down in fear；
while the fire ate around the circle and hemmed us in。 Into Lop…Ear's
eyes came the plaintive look that always accompanied incomprehension；
and I know that in my eyes must have been the same look。 We huddled；
with our arms around each other； until the heat began to reach us and the
odor of burning hair was in our nostrils。 Then we made a dash of it； and
fled away westward through the forest； looking back and laughing as we
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ran。
By the middle of the day we came to a neck of land； made； as we
afterward discovered； by a great curve of the river that almost completed a
circle。 Right across the neck lay bunched several low and partly wooded
hills。 Over these we climbed； looking backward at the forest which had
become a sea of flame that swept eastward before a rising wind。 We
continued to the west； following the river bank； and before we knew it we
were in the midst of the abiding…place of the Fire People。
This abiding…place was a splendid strategic selection。 It was a
peninsula； protected on three sides by the curving river。 On only one side
was it accessible by land。 This was the narrow neck of the peninsula； and
here the several low hills were a natural obstacle。 Practically isolated from
the rest of the world； the Fire People must have here lived and prospered
for a long time。 In fact； I think it was their prosperity that was responsible
for the subsequent migration that worked such calamity upon the Folk。
The Fire People must have increased in numbers until they pressed
uncomfortably against the bounds of their habitat。 They were expanding；
and in the course of their expanding they drove the Folk before them； and
settled down themselves in the caves and occupied the territory that we
had occupied。
But Lop…Ear and I little dreamed of all this when we found ourselves
in the Fire People's stronghold。 We had but one idea； and that was to get
away； though we could not forbear humoring our curiosity by peeping out
upon the village。 For the first time we saw the women and children of
the Fire People。 The latter ran for the most part naked； though the former
wore skins of wild animals。
The Fire People； like ourselves； lived in caves。 The open space in
front of the caves sloped down to the river； and in the open space burned
many small fires。 But whether or not the Fire People cooked their food； I
do not know。 Lop…Ear and I did not see them cook。 Yet it is my opinion
that they surely must have performed some sort of rude cookery。 Like us；
they carried water in gourds from the river。 There was much coming and
going； and loud cries made by the women and children。 The latter played
about and cut up antics quite in the same way as did the children of the
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Folk； and they more nearly resembled the children of the Folk than did the
grown Fire People resemble the grown Folk。
Lop…Ear and I did not linger long。 We saw some of the part…grown
boys shooting with bow and arrow； and we sneaked back into the thicker
forest and made our way to the river。 And there we found a catamaran； a
real catamaran； one evidently made by some Fire…Man。 The two logs
were small and straight； and were lashed together by means of tough roots
and crosspieces of wood。
This time the idea occurred simultaneously to us。 We were trying to
escape out of the Fire People's territory。 What better way than by
crossing the river on these logs？ We climbed on board and shoved off。
A sudden something gripped the catamaran and flung it downstream
violently against the bank。 The abrupt stoppage almost whipped us off
into the water。 The catamaran was
