the red one-第7章

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dew　shaken　from　the　lion…mane　of　some　sun　in　torment；　was　the

sounding　sphere。　　It　was　of　design；　not　chance；　and　it　contained

the　speech　and　wisdom　of　the　stars。



What　engines　and　elements　and　mastered　forces；　what　lore　and

mysteries　and　destiny…controls；　might　be　there！　　Undoubtedly；　since

so　much　could　be　enclosed　in　so　little　a　thing　as　the　foundation

stone　of　a　public　building；　this　enormous　sphere　should　contain

vast　histories；　profounds　of　research　achieved　beyond　man's　wildest

guesses；　laws　and　formulae　that；　easily　mastered；　would　make　man's

life　on　earth；　individual　and　collective；　spring　up　from　its

present　mire　to　inconceivable　heights　of　purity　and　power。　　It　was

Time's　greatest　gift　to　blindfold；　insatiable；　and　sky…aspiring

man。　　And　to　him；　Bassett；　had　been　vouchsafed　the　lordly　fortune

to　be　the　first　to　receive　this　message　from　man's　interstellar

kin！



　No　white　man；　much　less　no　outland　man　of　the　other　bush…tribes；

had　gazed　upon　the　Red　One　and　lived。　　Such　the　law　expounded　by

Ngurn　to　Bassett。　　There　was　such　a　thing　as　blood　brotherhood。

Bassett；　in　return；　had　often　argued　in　the　past。　　But　Ngurn　had

stated　solemnly　no。　　Even　the　blood　brotherhood　was　outside　the

favour　of　the　Red　One。　　Only　a　man　born　within　the　tribe　could　look

upon　the　Red　One　and　live。　　But　now；　his　guilty　secret　known　only

to　Balatta；　whose　fear　of　immolation　before　the　Red　One　fast…sealed

her　lips；　the　situation　was　different。　　What　he　had　to　do　was　to

recover　from　the　abominable　fevers　that　weakened　him；　and　gain　to

civilization。　　Then　would　he　lead　an　expedition　back；　and；　although

the　entire　population　of　Guadalcanal　he　destroyed；　extract　from　the

heart　of　the　Red　One　the　message　of　the　world　from　other　worlds。



But　Bassett's　relapses　grew　more　frequent；　his　brief　convalescences

less　and　less　vigorous；　his　periods　of　coma　longer；　until　he　came

to　know；　beyond　the　last　promptings　of　the　optimism　inherent　in　so

tremendous　a　constitution　as　his　own；　that　he　would　never　live　to

cross　the　grass　lands；　perforate　the　perilous　coast　jungle；　and

reach　the　sea。　　He　faded　as　the　Southern　Cross　rose　higher　in　the

sky；　till　even　Balatta　knew　that　he　would　be　dead　ere　the　nuptial

date　determined　by　his　taboo。　　Ngurn　made　pilgrimage　personally　and

gathered　the　smoke　materials　for　the　curing　of　Bassett's　head；　and

to　him　made　proud　announcement　and　exhibition　of　the　artistic

perfectness　of　his　intention　when　Bassett　should　be　dead。　　As　for

himself；　Bassett　was　not　shocked。　　Too　long　and　too　deeply　had　life

ebbed　down　in　him　to　bite　him　with　fear　of　its　impending

extinction。　　He　continued　to　persist；　alternating　periods　of

unconsciousness　with　periods　of　semi…consciousness；　dreamy　and

unreal；　in　which　he　idly　wondered　whether　he　had　ever　truly　beheld

the　Red　One　or　whether　it　was　a　nightmare　fancy　of　delirium。



Came　the　day　when　all　mists　and　cob…webs　dissolved；　when　he　found

his　brain　clear　as　a　bell；　and　took　just　appraisement　of　his　body's

weakness。　　Neither　hand　nor　foot　could　he　lift。　　So　little　control

of　his　body　did　he　have；　that　he　was　scarcely　aware　of　possessing

one。　　Lightly　indeed　his　flesh　sat　upon　his　soul；　and　his　soul；　in

its　briefness　of　clarity；　knew　by　its　very　clarity　that　the　black

of　cessation　was　near。　　He　knew　the　end　was　close；　knew　that　in　all

truth　he　had　with　his　eyes　beheld　the　Red　One；　the　messenger

between　the　worlds；　knew　that　he　would　never　live　to　carry　that

message　to　the　world　…　that　message；　for　aught　to　the　contrary；

which　might　already　have　waited　man's　hearing　in　the　heart　of

Guadalcanal　for　ten　thousand　years。　　And　Bassett　stirred　with

resolve；　calling　Ngurn　to　him；　out　under　the　shade　of　the

breadfruit　tree；　and　with　the　old　devil…devil　doctor　discussing　the

terms　and　arrangements　of　his　last　life　effort；　his　final　adventure

in　the　quick　of　the　flesh。



〃I　know　the　law；　O　Ngurn；〃　he　concluded　the　matter。　　〃Whoso　is　not

of　the　folk　may　not　look　upon　the　Red　One　and　live。　　I　shall　not

live　anyway。　　Your　young　men　shall　carry　me　before　the　face　of　the

Red　One；　and　I　shall　look　upon　him；　and　hear　his　voice；　and

thereupon　die；　under　your　hand；　O　Ngurn。　　Thus　will　the　three

things　be　satisfied：　　the　law；　my　desire；　and　your　quicker

possession　of　my　head　for　which　all　your　preparations　wait。〃



To　which　Ngurn　consented；　adding：



〃It　is　better　so。　　A　sick　man　who　cannot　get　well　is　foolish　to

live　on　for　so　little　a　while。　　Also　is　it　better　for　the　living

that　he　should　go。　　You　have　been　much　in　the　way　of　late。　　Not　but

what　it　was　good　for　me　to　talk　to　such　a　wise　one。　　But　for　moons

of　days　we　have　held　little　talk。　　Instead；　you　have　taken　up　room

in　the　house　of　heads；　making　noises　like　a　dying　pig；　or　talking

much　and　loudly　in　your　own　language　which　I　do　not　understand。

This　has　been　a　confusion　to　me；　for　I　like　to　think　on　the　great

things　of　the　light　and　dark　as　I　turn　the　heads　in　the　smoke。

Your　much　noise　has　thus　been　a　disturbance　to　the　long…learning

and　hatching　of　the　final　wisdom　that　will　be　mine　before　I　die。

As　for　you；　upon　whom　the　dark　has　already　brooded；　it　is　well　that

you　die　now。　　And　I　promise　you；　in　the　long　days　to　come　when　I

turn　your　head　in　the　smoke；　no　man　of　the　tribe　shall　come　in　to

disturb　us。　　And　I　will　tell　you　many　secrets；　for　I　am　an　old　man

and　very　wise；　and　I　shall　be　adding　wisdom　to　wisdom　as　I　turn

your　head　in　the　smoke。〃



So　a　litter　was　made；　and；　borne　on　the　shoulders　of　half　a　dozen

of　the　men；　Bassett　departed　on　the　last　little　adventure　that　was

to　cap　the　total　adventure；　for　him；　of　living。　　With　a　body　of

which　he　was　scarcely　aware；　for　even　the　pain　had　been　exhausted

out　of　it；　and　with　a　bright　clear　brain　that　accommodated　him　to　a

quiet　ecstasy　of　sheer　lucidness　of　thought；　he　lay　back　on　the

lurching　litter　and　watched　the　fading　of　the　passing　world；

beholding　for　the　last　time　the　breadfruit　tree　before　the　devil…

devil　house；　the　dim　day　beneath　the　matted　jungle　roof；　the　gloomy

gorge　between　the　shouldering　mountains；　the　saddle　of　raw

limestone；　and　the　mesa　of　black　volcanic　sand。



Down　the　spiral　path　of　the　pit　they　bore　him；　encircling　the

sheening；　glowing　Red　One　that　seemed　ever　imminent　to　iridesce

from　colour　and　light　into　sweet　singing　and　thunder。　　And　over

bones　and　logs　of　immolated　men　and　gods　they　bore　him；　past　the

horrors　of　other　immolated　ones　that　yet　lived；　to　the　three…king…

post　tripod　and　the　huge　king…post　striker。



Here　Bassett；　helped　by　Ngurn　and　Balatta；　weakly　sat　up；　swaying

weakly　from　the　hips；　and　with　clear；　unfaltering；　all…seeing　eyes

gazed　upon　the　Red　One。



〃Once；　O　Ngurn；〃　he　said；　not　taking　his　eyes　from　the　sheening；

vibrating　surface　whereon　and　wherein　all　the　shades　of　cherry…red

played　unceasingly；　ever　a…quiver　to　change　into　sound；　to　become

silken　rustlings；　silvery　whisperings；　golden　thrummings　of　cords；

velvet　pipings　of　elfland；　mellow　distances　of　thunderings。



〃I　wait；〃　Ngurn　prompted　after　a　long　pause；　the　long…handled

tomahawk　unassumingly　ready　in　his　hand。



〃Once；　O　Ngurn；〃　Bassett　repeated；　〃let　the　Red　One　speak　so　that　I

may　see　it　speak　as　well　as　hear　it。　　Then　strike；　thus；　when　I

raise　my　hand；　for；　when　I　raise　my　hand；　I　shall　drop　my　head

forward　and　make　place　for　the　stroke　at　the　base　of　my　neck。　　But；

O　Ngurn；　I；　who　am　about　to　pass　out　of　the　light　of　day　for　ever；

would　like　to　pass　with　the　wonder…voice　of　the　Red　One　singing

greatly　in　my　ears。〃



〃And　I　promise　you　that　never　will　a　head　be　so　well　cured　as

yours；〃　Ngurn　assured　him；　at　the　same　time　signalling　the

tribesmen　to　man　the　propelling　ropes　suspended　from　the　king…post

striker。　　〃Your　head　shall　be　my　greatest　piece　of　work　in　the

curing　of　heads。〃



Bassett　smiled　quietly　to　the　old　one's　conceit；　as　the　great

carved　log；　drawn　back　through　two…score　feet　of　space；　was