before adam(亚当之前)-第20章
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arrows that transfixed them。 The next instant they were down on the
ground； floundering and gasping； and the rest of us were stampeding for
the trees。 An arrow drove past me and entered the ground； its feathered
shaft vibrating and oscillating from the impact of its arrested flight。 I
remember clearly how I swerved as I ran； to go past it； and that I gave it a
needlessly wide berth。 I must have shied at it as a horse shies at an
object it fears。
Lop…Ear took a smashing fall as he ran beside me。 An arrow had
driven through the calf of his leg and tripped him。 He tried to run； but
was tripped and thrown by it a second time。 He sat up； crouching；
trembling with fear； and called to me pleadingly。 I dashed back。 He
showed me the arrow。 I caught hold of it to pull it out； but the
consequent hurt made him seize my hand and stop me。 A flying arrow
passed between us。 Another struck a rock； splintered； and fell to the
ground。 This was too much。 I pulled； suddenly； with all my might。
Lop…Ear screamed as the arrow came out； and struck at me angrily。 But
the next moment we were in full flight again。
I looked back。 Old Marrow…Bone； deserted and far behind； was
tottering silently along in his handicapped race with death。 Sometimes he
almost fell； and once he did fall； but no more arrows were coming。 He
scrambled weakly to his feet。 Age burdened him heavily； but he did not
want to die。 The three Fire…Men； who were now running forward from
their forest ambush； could easily have got him； but they did not try。
Perhaps he was too old and tough。 But they did want the Hairless One and
my sister； for as I looked back from the trees I could see the Fire…Men
beating in their heads with rocks。 One of the Fire…Men was the wizened
old hunter who limped。
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We went on through the trees toward the cavesan excited and
disorderly mob that drove before it to their holes all the small life of the
forest； and that set the blue…jays screaming impudently。 Now that there
was no immediate danger； Long…Lip waited for his grand…father； Marrow…
Bone； and with the gap of a generation between them； the old fellow and
the youth brought up our rear。
And so it was that Lop…Ear became a bachelor once more。 That night I
slept with him in the old cave； and our old life of chumming began again。
The loss of his mate seemed to cause him no grief。 At least he showed
no signs of it； nor of need for her。 It was the wound in his leg that seemed
to bother him； and it was all of a week before he got back again to his old
spryness。
Marrow…Bone was the only old member in the horde。 Sometimes； on
looking back upon him； when the vision of him is most clear； I note a
striking resemblance between him and the father of my father's gardener。
The gardener's father was very old； very wrinkled and withered； and for all
the world； when he peered through his tiny； bleary eyes and mumbled with
his toothless gums； he looked and acted like old Marrow…Bone。 This
resemblance； as a child； used to frighten me。 I always ran when I saw the
old man tottering along on his two canes。 Old Marrow…Bone even had a
bit of sparse and straggly white beard that seemed identical with the
whiskers of the old man。
As I have said； Marrow…Bone was the only old member of the horde。
He was an exception。 The Folk never lived to old age。 Middle age was
fairly rare。 Death by violence was the common way of death。 They died
as my father had died； as Broken…Tooth had died； as my sister and the
Hairless One had just diedabruptly and brutally； in the full possession of
their faculties； in the full swing and rush of life。 Natural death？ To die
violently was the natural way of dying in those days。
No one died of old age among the Folk。 I never knew of a case。 Even
Marrow…Bone did not die that way； and he was the only one in my
generation who had the chance。 A bad rippling； any serious accidental or
temporary impairment of the faculties； meant swift death。 As a rule；
these deaths were not witnessed。
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Members of the horde simply dropped out of sight。 They left the
caves in the morning； and they never came back。 They disappearedinto
the ravenous maws of the hunting creatures。
This inroad of the Fire People on the carrot…patch was the beginning of
the end； though we did not know it。 The hunters of the Fire People began
to appear more frequently as the time went by。 They came in twos and
threes； creeping silently through the forest； with their flying arrows able to
annihilate distance and bring down prey from the top of the loftiest tree
without themselves climbing into it。 The bow and arrow was like an
enormous extension of their leaping and striking muscles； so that； virtually；
they could leap and kill at a hundred feet and more。 This made them far
more terrible than Saber…Tooth himself。 And then they were very wise。
They had speech that enabled them more effectively to reason； and in
addition they understood cooperation。
We Folk came to be very circumspect when we were in the forest。 We
were more alert and vigilant and timid。 No longer were the trees a
protection to be relied upon。 No longer could we perch on a branch and
laugh down at our carnivorous enemies on the ground。 The Fire People
were carnivorous； with claws and fangs a hundred feet long； the most
terrible of all the hunting animals that ranged the primeval world。
One morning； before the Folk had dispersed to the forest； there was a
panic among the water…carriers and those who had gone down to the river
to drink。 The whole horde fled to the caves。 It was our habit； at such
times； to flee first and investigate afterward。 We waited in the mouths of
our caves and watched。 After some time a Fire…Man stepped cautiously
into the open space。 It was the little wizened old hunter。 He stood for a
long time and watched us； looking our caves and the cliff…wall up and
down。 He descended one of the run…ways to a drinking…place； returning a
few minutes later by another run…way。 Again he stood and watched us
carefully； for a long time。 Then he turned on his heel and limped into the
forest； leaving us calling querulously and plaintively to one another from
the cave…mouths。
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CHAPTER XVI
I found her down in the old neighborhood near the blueberry swamp；
where my mother lived and where Lop…Ear and I had built our first tree…
shelter。 It was unexpected。 As I came under the tree I heard the
familiar soft sound and looked up。 There she was； the Swift One； sitting
on a limb and swinging her legs back and forth as she looked at me。
I stood still for some time。 The sight of her had made me very happy。
And then an unrest and a pain began to creep in on this happiness。 I
started to climb the tree after her； and she retreated slowly out the limb。
Just as I reached for her； she sprang through the air and landed in the
branches of the next tree。 From amid the rustling leaves she peeped out
at me and made soft sounds。 I leaped straight for her； and after an
exciting chase the situation was duplicated； for there she was； making soft
sounds and peeping out from the leaves of a third tree。
It was borne in upon me that somehow it was different now from the
old days before Lop…Ear and I had gone on our adventure…journey。 I
wanted her； and I knew that I wanted her。 And she knew it； too。 That was
why she would not let me come near her。 I forgot that she was truly the
Swift One； and that in the art of climbing she had been my teacher。 I
pursued her from tree to tree； and ever she eluded me； peeping back at me
with kindly eyes； making soft sounds； and dancing and leaping and
teetering before me just out of reach。 The more she eluded me； the more
I wanted to catch her； and the lengthening shadows of the afternoon bore
witness to the futility of my effort。
As I pursued her； or sometimes rested in an adjoining tree and watched
her； I noticed the change in her。 She was larger； heavier； more grown…up。
Her lines were rounder； her muscles fuller； and there was about her that
indefinite something of maturity that was new to her and that incited me
on。 Three years she had been gonethree years at the very least； and the
change in her was marked。 I say three years； it is as near as I can
measure the time。 A fourth year may have elapsed； which I have
confused with the happenings of the other three years。 The more I think
of it； the more confident I am that it must be four years that she was away。
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Where she went； why she went； and what happened to her during that
time； I do not know。 There was no way for her to tell me； any more than
there was a way for Lop…Ear and me to tell the Folk what we had seen
when we were away。 Like us； the chance is she had gone off on an
adventure…journey； and by herself。 On the other hand； it is possible that
Red…Eye may have been the cause of her going。 It is
