До Адама

           Wecameoutupontheriver,butwedidnotknowitforourriver.Wehadbeenlostsolongthatwehadcometoaccepttheconditionofbeinglostashabitual.AsIlookbackIseeclearlyhowourlivesanddestiniesareshapedbythemerestchance.Wedidnotknowitwasourriver—therewasnowayoftelling;andifwehadnevercrosseditwewouldmostprobablyhaveneverreturnedtothehorde;andI,themodern,thethousandcenturiesyettobeborn,wouldneverhavebeenborn.

           AndyetLop-EarandIwantedgreatlytoreturn.Wehadexperiencedhomesicknessonourjourney,theyearningforourownkindandland;andoftenhadIhadrecollectionsoftheSwiftOne,theyoungfemalewhomadesoftsounds,whomitwasgoodtobewith,andwholivedbyherselfnobodyknewwhere.Myrecollectionsofherwereaccompaniedbysensationsofhunger,andtheseIfeltwhenIwasnothungryandwhenIhadjusteaten.

           Buttocomebacktotheriver.Foodwasplentiful,principallyberriesandsucculentroots,andontheriverbankweplayedandlingeredfordays.AndthentheideacametoLop-Ear.Itwasavisibleprocess,thecomingoftheidea.Isawit.Theexpressioninhiseyesbecameplaintiveandquerulous,andhewasgreatlyperturbed.Thenhiseyeswentmuddy,asifhehadlosthisgripontheinchoatethought.Thiswasfollowedbytheplaintive,querulousexpressionastheideapersistedandheclutcheditanew.Helookedatme,andattheriverandthefarshore.Hetriedtospeak,buthadnosoundswithwhichtoexpresstheidea.Theresultwasagibberishthatmademelaugh.