the night-born-第8部分

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other　explanation。　He　was　blood…mad；　a　beast　himself。　I　leave

it　to　your　judgment。　Which　is　worsethe　goring　of　the　horse　by

the　bull；　or　the　goring　of　Colonel　Jacinto　Fierro　by　the

bayonet　in　the　hands　of　John　Harned！　And　John　Harned　gored

others　with　that　bayonet。　He　was　full　of　devils。　He　fought　with

many　bullets　in　him；　and　he　was　hard　to　kill。　And　Maria

Valenzuela　was　a　brave　woman。　Unlike　the　other　women；　she　did

not　cry　out　nor　faint。　She　sat　still　in　her　box；　gazing　out

across　the　bull…ring。　Her　face　was　white　and　she　fanned

herself；　but　she　never　looked　around。



From　all　sides　came　the　soldiers　and　officers　and　the　common

people　bravely　to　subdue　the　mad　Gringo。　It　is　truethe　cry

went　up　from　the　crowd　to　kill　all　the　Gringos。　It　is　an　old

cry　in　Latin…American　countries；　what　of　the　dislike　for　the

Gringos　and　their　uncouth　ways。　It　is　true；　the　cry　went　up。

But　the　brave　Ecuadorianos　killed　only　John　Harned；　and　first

he　killed　seven　of　them。　Besides；　there　were　many　hurt。　I　have

seen　many　bull…fights；　but　never　have　I　seen　anything　so

abominable　as　the　scene　in　the　boxes　when　the　fight　was　over。

It　was　like　a　field　of　battle。　The　dead　lay　around　everywhere；

while　the　wounded　sobbed　and　groaned　and　some　of　them　died。　One

man；　whom　John　Harned　had　thrust　through　the　belly　with　the

bayonet；　clutched　at　himself　with　both　his　hands　and　screamed。

I　tell　you　for　a　fact　it　was　more　terrible　than　the　screaming

of　a　thousand　horses。



No；　Maria　Valenzuela　did　not　marry　Luis　Cervallos。　I　am　sorry

for　that。　He　was　my　friend；　and　much　of　my　money　was　invested

in　his　ventures。　It　was　five　weeks　before　the　surgeons　took　the

bandages　from　his　face。　And　there　is　a　scar　there　to　this　day；

on　the　cheek；　under　the　eye。　Yet　John　Harned　struck　him　but

once　and　struck　him　only　with　his　naked　fist。　Maria　Valenzuela

is　in　Austria　now。　It　is　said　she　is　to　marry　an　Arch…Duke　or

some　high　nobleman。　I　do　not　know。　I　think　she　liked　John

Harned　before　he　followed　her　to　Quito　to　see　the　bull…fight。

But　why　the　horse？　That　is　what　I　desire　to　know。　Why　should　he

watch　the　bull　and　say　that　it　did　not　count；　and　then　go

immediately　and　most　horribly　mad　because　a　horse　screamed　？

There　is　no　understanding　the　Gringos。　They　are　barbarians。　







WHEN　THE　WORLD　WAS　YOUNG



HE　was　a　very　quiet；　self…possessed　sort　of　man；　sitting　a

moment　on　top　of　the　wall　to　sound　the　damp　darkness　for

warnings　of　the　dangers　it　might　conceal。　But　the　plummet　of

his　hearing　brought　nothing　to　him　save　the　moaning　of　wind

through　invisible　trees　and　the　rustling　of　leaves　on　swaying

branches。　A　heavy　fog　drifted　and　drove　before　the　wind；　and

though　he　could　not　see　this　fog；　the　wet　of　it　blew　upon　his

face；　and　the　wall　on　which　he　sat　was　wet。



Without　noise　he　had　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　wall　from　the

outside；　and　without　noise　he　dropped　to　the　ground　on　the

inside。　From　his　pocket　he　drew　an　electric　night…stick；　but　he

did　not　use　it。　Dark　as　the　way　was；　he　was　not　anxious　for

light。　Carrying　the　night…stick　in　his　hand；　his　finger　on　the

button；　he　advanced　through　the　darkness。　The　ground　was

velvety　and　springy　to　his　feet；　being　carpeted　with　dead

pine…needles　and　leaves　and　mold　which　evidently　bad　been

undisturbed　for　years。　Leaves　and　branches　brushed　against　his

body；　but　so　dark　was　it　that　he　could　not　avoid　them。　Soon　he

walked　with　his　hand　stretched　out　gropingly　before　him；　and

more　than　once　the　hand　fetched　up　against　the　solid　trunks　of

massive　trees。　All　about　him　he　knew　were　these　trees；　he

sensed　the　loom　of　them　everywhere；　and　he　experienced　a

strange　feeling　of　microscopic　smallness　in　the　midst　of　great

bulks　leaning　toward　him　to　crush　him。　Beyond；　he　knew；　was　the

house；　and　he　expected　to　find　some　trail　or　winding　path　that

would　lead　easily　to　it。



Once；　he　found　himself　trapped。　On　every　side　he　groped　against

trees　and　branches；　or　blundered　into　thickets　of　underbrush；

until　there　seemed　no　way　out。　Then　he　turned　on　his　light；

circumspectly；　directing　its　rays　to　the　ground　at　his　feet。

Slowly　and　carefully　he　moved　it　about　him；　the　white

brightness　showing　in　sharp　detail　all　the　obstacles　to　his

progress。　He　saw；　an　opening　between　huge…trunked　trees；　and

advanced　through　it；　putting　out　the　light　and　treading　on　dry

footing　as　yet　protected　from　the　drip　of　the　fog　by　the　dense

foliage　overhead。　His　sense　of　direction　was　good；　and　he　knew

he　was　going　toward　the　house。



And　then　the　thing　happenedthe　thing　unthinkable　and

unexpected。　His　descending　foot　came　down　upon　something　that

was　soft　and　alive；　and　that　arose　with　a　snort　under　the

weight　of　his　body。　He　sprang　clear；　and　crouched　for　another

spring；　anywhere；　tense　and　expectant；　keyed　for　the　onslaught

of　the　unknown。　He　waited　a　moment；　wondering　what　manner　of

animal　it　was　that　had　arisen　from　under　his　foot　and　that　now

made　no　sound　nor　movement　and　that　must　be　crouching　and

waiting　just　as　tensely　and　expectantly　as　he。　The　strain

became　unbearable。　Holding　the　night…stick　before　him；　he

pressed　the　button；　saw；　and　screamed　aloud　in　terror。　He　was

prepared　for　anything；　from　a　frightened　calf　or　fawn　to　a

belligerent　lion；　but　he　was　not　prepared　for　what　he　saw。　In

that　instant　his　tiny　searchlight；　sharp　and　white；　had　shown

him　what　a　thousand　years　would　not　en。　able　him　to　forgeta

man；　huge　and　blond；　yellow…haired　and　yellow…bearded；　naked

except　for　soft…tanned　moccasins　and　what　seemed　a　goat…skin

about　his　middle。　Arms　and　legs　were　bare；　as　were　his

shoulders　and　most　of　his　chest。　The　skin　was　smooth　and

hairless；　but　browned　by　sun　and　wind；　while　under　it　heavy

muscles　were　knotted　like　fat　snakes。　Still；　this　alone；

unexpected　as　it　well　was；　was　not　what　had　made　the　man　scream

out。　What　had　caused　his　terror　was　the　unspeakable　ferocity　of

the　face；　the　wild…animal　glare　of　the　blue　eyes　scarcely

dazzled　by　the　light；　the　pine…needles　matted　and　clinging　in

the　beard　and　hair；　and　the　whole　formidable　body　crouched　and

in　the　act　of　springing　at　him。　Practically　in　the　instant　he

saw　all　this；　and　while　his　scream　still　rang；　the　thing

leaped；　he　flung　his　night…stick　full　at　it；　and　threw　himself

to　the　ground。　He　felt　its　feet　and　shins　strike　against　his

ribs；　and　he　bounded　up　and　away　while　the　thing　itself　hurled

onward　in　a　heavy　crashing　fall　into　the　underbrush。



As　the　noise　of　the　fall　ceased；　the　man　stopped　and　on　hands

and　knees　waited。　He　could　hear　the　thing　moving　about；

searching　for　him；　and　he　was　afraid　to　advertise　his　location

by　attempting　further　flight。　He　knew　that　inevitably　he　would

crackle　the　underbrush　and　be　pursued。　Once　he　drew　out　his

revolver；　then　changed　his　mind。　He　had　recovered　his　composure

and　hoped　to　get　away　without　noise。　Several　times　he　heard　the

thing　beating　up　the　thickets　for　him；　and　there　were　moments

when　it；　too；　remained　still　and　listened。　This　gave　an　idea　to

the　man。　One　of　his　hands　was　resting　on　a　chunk　of　dead　wood。

Carefully；　first　feeling　about　him　in　the　darkness　to　know　that

the　full　swing　of　his　arm　was　clear；　he　raised　the　chunk　of

wood　and　threw　it。　It　was　not　a　large　piece；　and　it　went　far；

landing　noisily　in　a　bush。　He　heard　the　thing　bound　into　the

bush；　and　at　the　same　time　himself　crawled　steadily　away。　And

on　hands　and　knees；　slowly　and　cautiously；　he　crawled　on；　till

his　knees　were　wet　on　the　soggy　mold；　When　he　listened　he　heard

naught　but　the　moaning　wind　and　the　drip…drip　of　the　fog　from

the　branches。　Never　abating　his　caution；　he　stood　erect　and

went　on　to　the　stone　wall；　over　which　he　climbed　and　dropped

down　to　the　road　outside。



Feeling　his　way　in　a　clump　of　bushes；　he　drew　out　a　bicycle　and

prepared　to　mount。　He　was　in　the　act　of　driving　the　gear　around

with　his　foot　for　the　purpose　of　getting　the　opposite　pedal　in

position；　when　he　heard　the　thud　of　a　heavy　body　that　landed

lightly　and　evidently　on　its　feet。　He　did　not　wait　for　more；

but　ran；　with　hands　on　the　handles　of　his　bicycle；　until　he　was

able　to　vault　astride　the　saddle；　catch　the　pedals；　and　start　a

spurt。　Behind　he　could　hear　the　quick　thud…thud　of　feet　on　the

dust　of　the　road；　but　he　drew　away　from　it　and　lost　it。

Unfortunately；　he　had　started　away　from　the　direction　of　town

and　was　heading　higher　up　into　the　hills。　He　knew　that　on　this

particular　road　there　were　no　cross　roads。　The　only　way　back

was　past　that　terror；　and　he　could　not　steel　himself　to　face

it。　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour；　finding　himself　on　an　ever

increasing　grade；　he　dismounted。　For　still　greater　safety；

leaving　the　wheel　by　the　roadside；　he　climbed　through　a　fence

into　what　he　decided　was　a　hillside　pasture；　spread　a　newspaper

on　the　ground；　and　sat　down。



〃Gosh！〃　he　said　aloud；　mopping　the　sweat　and　fog　from　his　face。



And　〃Gosh！〃　he　said　once　again；　whil