the red one-第3章

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face！　　A　twisted　and　wizened　complex　of　apish　features；　perforated

by　upturned；　sky…open；　Mongolian　nostrils；　by　a　mouth　that　sagged

from　a　huge　upper…lip　and　faded　precipitately　into　a　retreating

chin；　by　peering　querulous　eyes　that　blinked　as　blink　the　eyes　of

denizens　of　monkey…cages。



Not　even　the　water　she　brought　him　in　a　forest…leaf；　and　the

ancient　and　half…putrid　chunk　of　roast　pig；　could　redeem　in　the

slightest　the　grotesque　hideousness　of　her。　　When　he　had　eaten

weakly　for　a　space；　he　closed　his　eyes　in　order　not　to　see　her；

although　again　and　again　she　poked　them　open　to　peer　at　the　blue　of

them。　　Then　had　come　the　sound。　　Nearer；　much　nearer；　he　knew　it　to

be；　and　he　knew　equally　well；　despite　the　weary　way　he　had　come；

that　it　was　still　many　hours　distant。　　The　effect　of　it　on　her　had

been　startling。　　She　cringed　under　it；　with　averted　face；　moaning

and　chattering　with　fear。　　But　after　it　had　lived　its　full　life　of

an　hour；　he　closed　his　eyes　and　fell　asleep　with　Balatta　brushing

the　flies　from　him。



When　he　awoke　it　was　night；　and　she　was　gone。　　But　he　was　aware　of

renewed　strength；　and；　by　then　too　thoroughly　inoculated　by　the

mosquito　poison　to　suffer　further　inflammation；　he　closed　his　eyes

and　slept　an　unbroken　stretch　till　sun…up。　　A　little　later　Balatta

had　returned；　bringing　with　her　a　half…dozen　women　who；　unbeautiful

as　they　were；　were　patently　not　so　unbeautiful　as　she。　　She

evidenced　by　her　conduct　that　she　considered　him　her　find；　her

property；　and　the　pride　she　took　in　showing　him　off　would　have　been

ludicrous　had　his　situation　not　been　so　desperate。



Later；　after　what　had　been　to　him　a　terrible　journey　of　miles；　when

he　collapsed　in　front　of　the　devil…devil　house　in　the　shadow　of　the

breadfruit　tree；　she　had　shown　very　lively　ideas　on　the　matter　of

retaining　possession　of　him。　　Ngurn；　whom　Bassett　was　to　know

afterward　as　the　devil…devil　doctor；　priest；　or　medicine　man　of　the

village；　had　wanted　his　head。　　Others　of　the　grinning　and

chattering　monkey…men；　all　as　stark　of　clothes　and　bestial　of

appearance　as　Balatta；　had　wanted　his　body　for　the　roasting　oven。

At　that　time　he　had　not　understood　their　language；　if　by　LANGUAGE

might　be　dignified　the　uncouth　sounds　they　made　to　represent　ideas。

But　Bassett　had　thoroughly　understood　the　matter　of　debate；

especially　when　the　men　pressed　and　prodded　and　felt　of　the　flesh

of　him　as　if　he　were　so　much　commodity　in　a　butcher's　stall。



Balatta　had　been　losing　the　debate　rapidly；　when　the　accident

happened。　　One　of　the　men；　curiously　examining　Bassett's　shot…gun；

managed　to　cock　and　pull　a　trigger。　　The　recoil　of　the　butt　into

the　pit　of　the　man's　stomach　had　not　been　the　most　sanguinary

result；　for　the　charge　of　shot；　at　a　distance　of　a　yard；　had　blown

the　head　of　one　of　the　debaters　into　nothingness。



Even　Balatta　joined　the　others　in　flight；　and；　ere　they　returned；

his　senses　already　reeling　from　the　oncoming　fever…attack；　Bassett

had　regained　possession　of　the　gun。　　Whereupon；　although　his　teeth

chattered　with　the　ague　and　his　swimming　eyes　could　scarcely　see；

he　held　on　to　his　fading　consciousness　until　he　could　intimidate

the　bushmen　with　the　simple　magics　of　compass；　watch；　burning

glass；　and　matches。　　At　the　last；　with　due　emphasis；　of　solemnity

and　awfulness；　he　had　killed　a　young　pig　with　his　shot…gun　and

promptly　fainted。



Bassett　flexed　his　arm…muscles　in　quest　of　what　possible　strength

might　reside　in　such　weakness；　and　dragged　himself　slowly　and

totteringly　to　his　feet。　　He　was　shockingly　emaciated；　yet；　during

the　various　convalescences　of　the　many　months　of　his　long　sickness；

he　had　never　regained　quite　the　same　degree　of　strength　as　this

time。　　What　he　feared　was　another　relapse　such　as　he　had　already

frequently　experienced。　　Without　drugs；　without　even　quinine；　he

had　managed　so　far　to　live　through　a　combination　of　the　most

pernicious　and　most　malignant　of　malarial　and　black…water　fevers。

But　could　he　continue　to　endure？　　Such　was　his　everlasting　query。

For；　like　the　genuine　scientist　he　was；　he　would　not　be　content　to

die　until　he　had　solved　the　secret　of　the　sound。



Supported　by　a　staff；　he　staggered　the　few　steps　to　the　devil…devil

house　where　death　and　Ngurn　reigned　in　gloom。　　Almost　as　infamously

dark　and　evil…stinking　as　the　jungle　was　the　devil…devil　house　…　in

Bassett's　opinion。　　Yet　therein　was　usually　to　be　found　his

favourite　crony　and　gossip；　Ngurn；　always　willing　for　a　yarn　or　a

discussion；　the　while　he　sat　in　the　ashes　of　death　and　in　a　slow

smoke　shrewdly　revolved　curing　human　heads　suspended　from　the

rafters。　　For；　through　the　months'　interval　of　consciousness　of　his

long　sickness；　Bassett　had　mastered　the　psychological　simplicities

and　lingual　difficulties　of　the　language　of　the　tribe　of　Ngurn　and

Balatta　and　Vngngn　…　the　latter　the　addle…headed　young　chief　who

was　ruled　by　Ngurn；　and　who；　whispered　intrigue　had　it；　was　the　son

of　Ngurn。



〃Will　the　Red　One　speak　to…day？〃　Bassett　asked；　by　this　time　so

accustomed　to　the　old　man's　gruesome　occupation　as　to　take　even　an

interest　in　the　progress　of　the　smoke…curing。



With　the　eye　of　an　expert　Ngurn　examined　the　particular　head　he　was

at　work　upon。



〃It　will　be　ten　days　before　I　can　say　'finish；'〃　he　said。　　〃Never

has　any　man　fixed　heads　like　these。〃



Bassett　smiled　inwardly　at　the　old　fellow's　reluctance　to　talk　with

him　of　the　Red　One。　　It　had　always　been　so。　　Never；　by　any　chance；

had　Ngurn　or　any　other　member　of　the　weird　tribe　divulged　the

slightest　hint　of　any　physical　characteristic　of　the　Red　One。

Physical　the　Red　One　must　be；　to　emit　the　wonderful　sound；　and

though　it　was　called　the　Red　One；　Bassett　could　not　be　sure　that

red　represented　the　colour　of　it。　　Red　enough　were　the　deeds　and

powers　of　it；　from　what　abstract　clues　he　had　gleaned。　　Not　alone；

had　Ngurn　informed　him；　was　the　Red　One　more　bestial　powerful　than

the　neighbour　tribal　gods；　ever　athirst　for　the　red　blood　of　living

human　sacrifices；　but　the　neighbour　gods　themselves　were　sacrificed

and　tormented　before　him。　　He　was　the　god　of　a　dozen　allied

villages　similar　to　this　one；　which　was　the　central　and　commanding

village　of　the　federation。　　By　virtue　of　the　Red　One　many　alien

villages　had　been　devastated　and　even　wiped　out；　the　prisoners

sacrificed　to　the　Red　One。　　This　was　true　to…day；　and　it　extended

back　into　old　history　carried　down　by　word　of　mouth　through　the

generations。　　When　he；　Ngurn；　had　been　a　young　man；　the　tribes

beyond　the　grass　lands　had　made　a　war　raid。　　In　the　counter　raid；

Ngurn　and　his　fighting　folk　had　made　many　prisoners。　　Of　children

alone　over　five　score　living　had　been　bled　white　before　the　Red

One；　and　many；　many　more　men　and　women。



The　Thunderer　was　another　of　Ngurn's　names　for　the　mysterious

deity。　　Also　at　times　was　he　called　The　Loud　Shouter；　The　God…

Voiced；　The　Bird…Throated；　The　One　with　the　Throat　Sweet　as　the

Throat　of　the　Honey…Bird；　The　Sun　Singer；　and　The　Star…Born。



Why　The　Star…Born？　　In　vain　Bassett　interrogated　Ngurn。　　According

to　that　old　devil…devil　doctor；　the　Red　One　had　always　been；　just

where　he　was　at　present；　for　ever　singing　and　thundering　his　will

over　men。　　But　Ngurn's　father；　wrapped　in　decaying　grass…matting

and　hanging　even　then　over　their　heads　among　the　smoky　rafters　of

the　devil…devil　house；　had　held　otherwise。　　That　departed　wise　one

had　believed　that　the　Red　One　came　from　out　of　the　starry　night；

else　why　…　so　his　argument　had　run　…　had　the　old　and　forgotten　ones

passed　his　name　down　as　the　Star…Born？　　Bassett　could　not　but

recognize　something　cogent　in　such　argument。　　But　Ngurn　affirmed

the　long　years　of　his　long　life；　wherein　he　had　gazed　upon　many

starry　nights；　yet　never　had　he　found　a　star　on　grass　land　or　in

jungle　depth　…　and　he　had　looked　for　them。　　True；　he　had　beheld

shooting　stars　（this　in　reply　to　Bassett's　contention）；　but

likewise　h