gulliver of mars-第33章
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〃And as I have very urgent and very important business with him； comrade； no doubt your advice is good。 I will call on Princess Yang some other day。 And now goodbye！ Rougher but friendlier shelter than you have given me no man could ask for。 I am downright sorry to part with you in this lonely land。 If ever we meet again〃 but we never did！ The honest old churl clasped me into his hairy bosom three times； stuffed my wallet with dry fruit and bread； and once more repeating his directions； sent me on my lonely way。
I confess I sighed while turning into the forest； and looked back more than once at his retreating form。 The loneliness of my position； the hopelessness of my venture； welled up in my heart after that good comradeship； and when the hut was out of sight I went forward down the green grass road； chin on chest； for twenty minutes in the deepest dejection。 But； thank Heaven； I was born with a tough spirit； and possess a mind which has learned in many fights to give brave counsel to my spirit； and thus presently I shook myself together； setting my face boldly to the quest and the day's work。
It was not so clear a morning as the previous one； and a steamy wind on what at sea I should have called the starboard bow； as I pressed forward to the distant hill； had a curiously subduing effect on my thoughts； and filled the forest glades with a tremulous unreality like to nothing on our earth； and distinctly embarrassing to a stranger in a strange land。 Small birds in that quaint atmospheric haze looked like condors； butterflies like giant fowl； and the sim… plest objects of the forest like the imaginations of a disordered dream。 Behind that gauzy hallucination a fine white mist came up； and the sun spread out flat and red in the sky； while the pent…in heat became almost unendurable。
Still I plodded on； growling to myself that in Christian latitudes all the evidences would have been held to be… token a storm before night； whatever they might do here； but for the most part lost in my own gloomy speculations。 That was the more pity since； in thinking the walk over now； it seems to me that I passed many marvels； saw many glorious vistas in those nameless forests； many spreads of colour； many incidents that； could I but remember them more distinctly； would supply material for making my fortune as a descriptive traveller。 But what would you？ I have forgotten； and am too virtuous to draw on my imagination； as it is sometimes said other travellers have done when picturesque facts were deficient。 Yes； I have forgotten all about that day； save that it was sultry hot； that I took off my coat and waistcoat to be cooler； carrying them； like the tramp I was； across my arm； and thus dishevelled passed some time in the afternoon an encampment of forest folk； wherefrom almost all the men were gone； and the women shy and surly。
In no very social humour myself； I walked round their woodland village； and on the outskirts； by a brook； just as I was wishing there were some one to eat my solitary lunch with； chanced upon a fellow busily engaged in hammering stones into weapons upon a flint anvil。
He was an ugly…looking individual at best； yet I was hard up for company； so I put my coat down； and； seating myself on a log opposite； proceeded to open my wallet； and take out the frugal stores the woodman had given me that morning。
The man was seated upon the ground holding a stone anvil between his feet； while with his hands he turned and chipped with great skill a spear…head he was making out of flint。 It was about the only pastime he had； and his little yellow eyes gleamed with a craftsman's pleasure； his shaggy round shoulders were bent over the task； the chips flew in quick particles； and the wood echoed musically as the arti… ficer watched the thing under his hands take form and fashion。 Presently I spoke； and the worker looked up； not too pleased at being thus interrupted。 But he was easy of propitiation； and over a handful of dried raisins communi… cative。
How； I asked； knowing a craftsman's craft is often nearest to his heart； how was it such things as that he chipped came to be thought of by him and his？ Whereon the woodman； having spit out the raisin…stones and wiped his fingers on his fur； said in substance that the first weapon was fashioned when the earliest ape hurled the first stone in wrath。
〃But； chum；〃 I said； taking up his half…finished spear and touching the razor…fine edge with admiring caution； 〃from hurling the crude pebble to fashioning such as this is a long stride。 Who first edged and pointed the primitive malice？ What man with the soul of a thousand unborn fighters in him notched and sharpened your natural rock？〃
Whereon the chipper grinned； and answered that； when the woodmen had found stones that would crack skulls； it came upon them presently that they would crack nuts as well。 And cracking nuts between two stones one day a flint shattered； and there on the grass was the golden secret of the edgethe thing that has made man what he is。
〃Yet again； good fellow；〃 I queried； 〃even this happy chance only gives us a weapon； sharp； no doubt； and cal… culated to do a hundred services for any ten the original pebble could have done； but still unhandled； small in force； imperfectnow tell me； which of your amiable ancestors first put a handle to the fashioned flint； and how he thought of it？〃
The workman had done his flake by now； and wrapping it in a bit of skin； put it carefully in his belt before turning to answer my question。
〃Who made the first handle for the first flint； you of the many questions？ She didshe； the Mother；〃 he suddenly cried； patting the earth with his brown hand； and working himself up as he spoke； 〃made it in her heart for us her first…born。 See； here is such as the first handled weapon that ever came out of darkness；〃 and he snatched from the ground； where it had lain hidden under his fox…skin cloak； a heavy club。 I saw in an instant how it was。 The club had been a sapling； and the sapling's roots had grown about and circled with a splendid grip a lump of native flint。 A woodman had pulled the sapling； found the flint； and fashioned the two in a moment of happy inspiration； the one to an axe…head and the other to a handle； as they lay Nature…welded！
〃This； I say； is the firstthe first！〃 screamed the old fellow as though I were contradicting him； thumping the ground with his weapon； and working himself up to a fury as its black magic entered his being。 〃This is the first： with this I slew Hetter and Gur； and those who plundered my hiding… places in the woods； with this I have killed a score of others； bursting their heads； and cracking their bones like dry sticks。 With thiswith this〃 but here his rage rendered him in… articulate； he stammered and stuttered for a minute； and then as the killing fury settled on him his yellow teeth shut with a sudden snap； while through them his breath rattled like wind through dead pine branches in December； the sinews sat up on his hands as his fingers tightened upon the axe…heft like the roots of the same pines from the ground when winter rain has washed the soil from beneath them； his small eyes gleamed like baleful planets； every hair upon his shaggy back grew stiff and erectanother minute and my span were ended。
With a leap from where I sat I flew at that hairy beast； and sinking my fists deep in his throttle； shook him till his eyes blazed with delirious fires。 We waltzed across the short green… sward； and in and about the tree…trunks； shaking； pulling； and hitting as we went； till at last I felt the man's vigour dy… ing within him； a little more shaking； a sudden twist； and he was lying on the ground before me； senseless and civil！ That is the worst of some orators； I thought to myself； as I gloomily gathered up the scattered fragments of my lunch； they never know when they have said enough； and are too apt to be carried away by their own arguments。
That inhospitable village was left behind in full belief the mountain looming in the south could be reached before nightfall； while the road to its left would serve as a sure guide to food and shelter for the evening。 But； as it turned out； the morning's haze developed a
