До Адама
Chapter XIV
HishandshotoutandclutchedCrooked-Legbytheneck.ThelattersankhisteethintoRed-Eye’sarm;butthenextmoment,withabrokenneck,Crooked-Legwasflounderingandsquirmingontheground.TheSingingOnescreechedandgibbered.Red-Eyeseizedherbythehairofherheadanddraggedhertowardhiscave.Hehandledherroughlywhentheclimbbegan,andhedraggedandhauledherupintothecave.
Wewereveryangry,insanely,vociferouslyangry.Beatingourchests,bristling,andgnashingourteeth,wegatheredtogetherinourrage.Wefelttheprodofgregariousinstinct,thedrawingtogetherasthoughforunitedaction,theimpulsetowardcooperation.Indimwaysthisneedforunitedactionwasimpresseduponus.Buttherewasnowaytoachieveitbecausetherewasnowaytoexpressit.Wedidnotturnto,allofus,anddestroyRed-Eye,becausewelackedavocabulary.Wewerevaguelythinkingthoughtsforwhichtherewerenothought-symbols.Thesethought-symbolswereyettobeslowlyandpainfullyinvented.
Wetriedtofreightsoundwiththevaguethoughtsthatflittedlikeshadowsthroughourconsciousness.TheHairlessOnebegantochatterloudly.ByhisnoisesheexpressedangeragainstRed-EyeanddesiretohurtRed-Eye.Thusfarhegot,andthusfarweunderstood.Butwhenhetriedtoexpressthecooperativeimpulsethatstirredwithinhim,hisnoisesbecamegibberish.ThenBig-Face,withbrow-bristlingandchest-pounding,begantochatter.Oneafteranotherofusjoinedintheorgyofrage,untilevenoldMarrow-Bonewasmumblingandsplutteringwithhiscrackedvoiceandwitheredlips.