before adam-第28章

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Fire　People　appeared　again。　　They　had　come　down　the

river；　not　on　a　catamaran；　but　in　a　rude　dug…out。

There　were　three　of　them　that　paddled　in　it；　and　one　of

them　was　the　little　wizened　old　hunter。　　They　landed　on

our　beach；　and　he　limped　across　the　sand　and　examined

our　caves。



They　went　away　in　a　few　minutes；　but　the　Swift　One　was

badly　scared。　　We　were　all　frightened；　but　none　of　us

to　the　extent　that　she　was。　　She　whimpered　and　cried

and　was　restless　all　that　night。　In　the　morning　she

took　the　child　in　her　arms；　and　by　sharp　cries；

gestures；　and　example；　started　me　on　our　second　long

flight。　There　were　eight　of　the　Folk　（all　that　was　left

of　the　horde）　that　remained　behind　in　the　caves。　　There

was　no　hope　for　them。　Without　doubt；　even　if　the　Fire

People　did　not　return；　they　must　soon　have　perished。

It　was　a　bad　climate　down　there　by　the　sea。　　The　Folk

were　not　constituted　for　the　coast…dwelling　life。



We　travelled　south；　for　days　skirting　the　great　swamp

but　never　venturing　into　it。　　Once　we　broke　back　to　the

westward；　crossing　a　range　of　mountains　and　coming　down

to　the　coast。　　But　it　was　no　place　for　us。　　There　were

no　treesonly　bleak　headlands；　a　thundering　surf；　and

strong　winds　that　seemed　never　to　cease　from　blowing。

We　turned　back　across　the　mountains；　travelling　east

and　south；　until　we　came　in　touch　with　the　great　swamp

again。



Soon　we　gained　the　southern　extremity　of　the　swamp；　and

we　continued　our　course　south　and　east。　　It　was　a

pleasant　land。　　The　air　was　warm；　and　we　were　again　in

the　forest。　　Later　on　we　crossed　a　low…lying　range　of

hills　and　found　ourselves　in　an　even　better　forest

country。　　The　farther　we　penetrated　from　the　coast　the

warmer　we　found　it；　and　we　went　on　and　on　until　we　came

to　a　large　river　that　seemed　familiar　to　the　Swift　One。

It　was　where　she　must　have　come　during　the　four　years'

absence　from　the　harde。　This　river　we　crossed　on　logs；

landing　on　side　at　the　large　bluff。　High　up　on　the

bluff　we　found　our　new　home　most　difficult　of　access

and　quite　hidden　from　any　eye　beneath。



There　is　little　more　of　my　tale　to　tell。　　Here　the

Swift　One　and　I　lived　and　reared　our　family。　　And　here

my　memories　end。　　We　never　made　another　migration。　　I

never　dream　beyond　our　high；　inaccessible　cave。　　And

here　must　have　been　born　the　child　that　inherited　the

stuff　of　my　dreams；　that　had　moulded　into　its　being　all

the　impressions　of　my　lifeor　of　the　life　of

Big…Tooth；　rather；　who　is　my　other…self；　and　not　my

real　self；　but　who　is　so　real　to　me　that　often　I　am

unable　to　tell　what　age　I　am　living　in。



I　often　wonder　about　this　line　of　descent。　　I；　the

modern；　am　incontestably　a　man；　yet　I；　Big…Tooth；　the

primitive；　am　not　a　man。　　Somewhere；　and　by　straight

line　of　descent；　these　two　parties　to　my　dual

personality　were　connected。　　Were　the　Folk；　before

their　destruction；　in　the　process　of　becoming　men？　And

did　I　and　mine　carry　through　this　process？　On　the　other

hand；　may　not　some　descendant　of　mine　have　gone　in　to

the　Fire　People　and　become　one　of　them？　I　do　not　know。

There　is　no　way　of　learning。　　One　thing　only　is

certain；　and　that　is　that　Big…Tooth　did　stamp　into　the

cerebral　constitution　of　one　of　his　progeny　all　the

impressions　of　his　life；　and　stamped　them　in　so

indelibly　that　the　hosts　of　intervening　generations

have　failed　to　obliterate　them。



There　is　one　other　thing　of　which　I　must　speak　before　I

close。　　It　is　a　dream　that　I　dream　often；　and　in　point

of　time　the　real　event　must　have　occurred　during　the

period　of　my　living　in　the　high；　inaccessible　cave。　I

remember　that　I　wandered　far　in　the　forest　toward　the

east。　　There　I　came　upon　a　tribe　of　Tree　People。　　I

crouched　in　a　thicket　and　watched　them　at　play。　　They

were　holding　a　laughing　council；　jumping　up　and　down

and　screeching　rude　choruses。



Suddenly　they　hushed　their　noise　and　ceased　their

capering。　　They　shrank　down　in　fear；　and　quested

anxiously　about　with　their　eyes　for　a　way　of　retreat。

Then　Red…Eye　walked　in　among　them。　　They　cowered　away

from　him。　　All　were　frightened。　　But　he　made　no　attempt

to　hurt　them。　　He　was　one　of　them。　　At　his　heels；　on

stringy　bended　legs；　supporting　herself　with　knuckles

to　the　ground　on　either　side；　walked　an　old　female　of

the　Tree　People；　his　latest　wife。　　He　sat　down　in　the

midst　of　the　circle。　　I　can　see　him　now；　as　I　write

this；　scowling；　his　eyes　inflamed；　as　he　peers　about

him　at　the　circle　of　the　Tree　People。　　And　as　he　peers

he　crooks　one　monstrous　leg　and　with　his　gnarly　toes

scratches　himself　on　the　stomach。　　He　is　Red…Eye；　the

atavism。












End