before adam-第8章

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I　was　knocked　backward　fully　a　dozen　feet　before　I

fetched　up　against　the　ground；　and　I　remember；

half…stunned；　even　as　the　blow　was　struck；　hearing　the

wild　uproar　of　clucking　and　shrieking　laughter　that

arose　from　the　caves。　　It　was　a　great　jokeat　least　in

that　day；　and　right　heartily　the　Folk　appreciated　it。



Thus　was　I　received　into　the　horde。　　Red…Eye　paid　no

further　attention　to　me；　and　I　was　at　liberty　to

whimper　and　sob　to　my　heart's　content。　　Several　of　the

women　gathered　curiously　about　me；　and　I　recognized

them。　　I　had　encountered　them　the　preceding　year　when

my　mother　had　taken　me　to　the　hazelnut　canyons。



But　they　quickly　left　me　alone；　being　replaced　by　a

dozen　curious　and　teasing　youngsters。　　They　formed　a

circle　around　me；　pointing　their　fingers；　making　faces；

and　poking　and　pinching　me。　　I　was　frightened；　and　for

a　time　I　endured　them；　then　anger　got　the　best　of　me

and　I　sprang　tooth　and　nail　upon　the　most　audacious　one

of　themnone　other　than　Lop…Ear　himself。　　I　have　so

named　him　because　he　could　prick　up　only　one　of　his

ears。　　The　other　ear　always　hung　limp　and　without

movement。　　Some　accident　had　injured　the　muscles　and

deprived　him　of　the　use　of　it。



He　closed　with　me；　and　we　went　at　it　for　all　the　world

like　a　couple　of　small　boys　fighting。　　We　scratched　and

bit；　pulled　hair；　clinched；　and　threw　each　other　down。

I　remember　I　succeeded　in　getting　on　him　what　in　my

college　days　I　learned　was　called　a　half…Nelson。　　This

hold　gave　me　the　decided　advantage。　　But　I　did　not

enjoy　it　long。　　He　twisted　up　one　leg；　and　with　the

foot　（or　hind…hand）　made　so　savage　an　onslaught　upon　my

abdomen　as　to　threaten　to　disembowel　me。　　I　had　to

release　him　in　order　to　save　myself；　and　then　we　went

at　it　again。



Lop…Ear　was　a　year　older　than　I；　but　I　was　several

times　angrier　than　he；　and　in　the　end　he　took　to　his

heels。　　I　chased　him　across　the　open　and　down　a　run…way

to　the　river。　　But　he　was　better　acquainted　with　the

locality　and　ran　along　the　edge　of　the　water　and　up

another　run…way。　　He　cut　diagonally　across　the　open

space　and　dashed　into　a　wide…mouthed　cave。



Before　I　knew　it；　I　had　plunged　after　him　into　the

darkness。　　The　next　moment　I　was　badly　frightened。　　I

had　never　been　in　a　cave　before。　　I　began　to　whimper

and　cry　out。　　Lop…Ear　chattered　mockingly　at　me；　and；

springing　upon　me　unseen；　tumbled　me　over。　He　did　not

risk　a　second　encounter；　however；　and　took　himself　off。

I　was　between　him　and　the　entrance；　and　he　did　not　pass

me；　yet　he　seemed　to　have　gone　away。　　I　listened；　but

could　get　no　clew　as　to　where　he　was。　　This　puzzled　me；

and　when　I　regained　the　outside　I　sat　down　to　watch。



He　never　came　out　of　the　entrance；　of　that　I　was

certain；　yet　at　the　end　of　several　minutes　he　chuckled

at　my　elbow。　　Again　I　ran　after　him；　and　again　he　ran

into　the　cave；　but　this　time　I　stopped　at　the　mouth。　　I

dropped　back　a　short　distance　and　watched。　　He　did　not

come　out；　yet；　as　before；　he　chuckled　at　my　elbow　and

was　chased　by　me　a　third　time　into　the　cave。



This　performance　was　repeated　several　times。　　Then　I

followed　him　into　the　cave；　where　I　searched　vainly　for

him。　　I　was　curious。　　I　could　not　understand　how　he

eluded　me。　　Always　he　went　into　the　cave；　never　did　he

come　out　of　it；　yet　always　did　he　arrive　there　at　my

elbow　and　mock　me。　　Thus　did　our　fight　transform　itself

into　a　game　of　hide　and　seek。



All　afternoon；　with　occasional　intervals；　we　kept　it

up；　and　a　playful；　friendly　spirit　arose　between　us。

In　the　end；　he　did　not　run　away　from　me；　and　we　sat

together　with　our　arms　around　each　other。　　A　little

later　he　disclosed　the　mystery　of　the　wide…mouthed

cave。　　Holding　me　by　the　hand　he　led　me　inside。　　It

connected　by　a　narrow　crevice　with　another　cave；　and　it

was　through　this　that　we　regained　the　open　air。



We　were　now　good　friends。　　When　the　other　young　ones

gathered　around　to　tease；　he　joined　with　me　in

attacking　them；　and　so　viciously　did　we　behave　that

before　long　I　was　let　alone。　　Lop…Ear　made　me

acquainted　with　the　village。　　There　was　little　that　he

could　tell　me　of　conditions　and　customshe　had　not　the

necessary　vocabulary；　but　by　observing　his　actions　I

learned　much；　and　also　he　showed　me　places　and　things。



He　took　me　up　the　open　space；　between　the　caves　and　the

river；　and　into　the　forest　beyond；　where；　in　a　grassy

place　among　the　trees；　we　made　a　meal　of　stringy…rooted

carrots。　　After　that　we　had　a　good　drink　at　the　river

and　started　up　the　run…way　to　the　caves。



It　was　in　the　run…way　that　we　came　upon　Red…Eye　again。

The　first　I　knew；　Lop…Ear　had　shrunk　away　to　one　side

and　was　crouching　low　against　the　bank。　　Naturally　and

involuntarily；　I　imitated　him。　Then　it　was　that　I

looked　to　see　the　cause　of　his　fear。　　It　was　Red…Eye；

swaggering　down　the　centre　of　the　run…way　and　scowling

fiercely　with　his　inflamed　eyes。　　I　noticed　that　all

the　youngsters　shrank　away　from　him　as　we　had　done；

while　the　grown…ups　regarded　him　with　wary　eyes　when

he　drew　near；　and　stepped　aside　to　give　him　the　centre

of　the　path。



As　twilight　came　on；　the　open　space　was　deserted。　　The

Folk　were　seeking　the　safety　of　the　caves。　　Lop…Ear　led

the　way　to　bed。　High　up　the　bluff　we　climbed；　higher

than　all　the　other　caves；　to　a　tiny　crevice　that　could

not　be　seen　from　the　ground。　　Into　this　Lop…Ear

squeezed。　　I　followed　with　difficulty；　so　narrow　was

the　entrance；　and　found　myself　in　a　small　rock…chamber。

It　was　very　lownot　more　than　a　couple　of　feet　in

height；　and　possibly　three　feet　by　four　in　width　and

length。　　Here；　cuddled　together　in　each　other's　arms；

we　slept　out　the　night。







CHAPTER　VI





While　the　more　courageous　of　the　youngsters　played　in

and　out　of　the　large…mouthed　caves；　I　early　learned

that　such　caves　were　unoccupied。　　No　one　slept　in　them

at　night。　　Only　the　crevice…mouthed　caves　were　used；

the　narrower　the　mouth　the　better。　　This　was　from　fear

of　the　preying　animals　that　made　life　a　burden　to　us　in

those　days　and　nights。



The　first　morning；　after　my　night's　sleep　with　Lop…Ear；

I　learned　the　advantage　of　the　narrow…mouthed　caves。

It　was　just　daylight　when　old　Saber…Tooth；　the　tiger；

walked　into　the　open　space。　　Two　of　the　Folk　were

already　up。　　They　made　a　rush　for　it。　　Whether　they

were　panic…stricken；　or　whether　he　was　too　close　on

their　heels　for　them　to　attempt　to　scramble　up　the

bluff　to　the　crevices；　I　do　not　know；　but　at　any　rate

they　dashed　into　the　wide…mouthed　cave　wherein　Lop…Ear

and　I　had　played　the　afternoon　before。



What　happened　inside　there　was　no　way　of　telling；　but

it　is　fair　to　conclude　that　the　two　Folk　slipped

through　the　connecting　crevice　into　the　other　cave。

This　crevice　was　too　small　to　allow　for　the　passage　of

Saber…Tooth；　and　he　came　out　the　way　he　had　gone　in；

unsatisfied　and　angry。　　It　was　evident　that　his　night's

hunting　had　been　unsuccessful　and　that　he　had　expected

to　make　a　meal　off　of　us。　　He　caught　sight　of　the　two

Folk　at　the　other　cave…mouth　and　sprang　for　them。　　Of

course；　they　darted　through　the　passageway　into　the

first　cave。　　He　emerged　angrier　than　ever　and　snarling。



Pandemonium　broke　loose　amongst　the　rest　of　us。　　All　up

and　down　the　great　bluff；　we　crowded　the　crevices　and

outside　ledges；　and　we　were　all　chattering　and

shrieking　in　a　thousand　keys。　　And　we　were　all　making

facessnarling　faces；　this　was　an　instinct　with　us。

We　were　as　angry　as　Saber…Tooth；　though　our　anger　was

allied　with　fear。　　I　remember　that　I　shrieked　and　made

faces　with　the　best　of　them。　　Not　only　did　they　set　the

example；　but　I　felt　the　urge　from　within　me　to　do　the

same　things　they　were　doing。　　My　hair　was　bristling；

and　I　was　convulsed　with　a　fierce；　unreasoning　rage。



For　some　time　old　Saber…Tooth　continued　dashing　in　and

out　of　first　the　one　cave　and　then　the　other。　　But　the

two　Folk　merely　slipped　back　and　for