До Адама
Chapter XVI
Ididnotknowwhathadhappened,thoughIsmelledtigerandcaughtaglimpseofstripedfurasIsprangforatree.
ItwasoldSaber-Tooth.Arousedinhislairbythenoisewehadmade,hehadcreptuponusunnoticed.TheSwiftOnegainedthenexttreetomine,andIimmediatelyjoinedher.Iputmyarmsaroundherandheldherclosetomewhileshewhimperedandcriedsoftly.Fromthegroundcameasnarling,andcrunchingofbones.ItwasSaber-ToothmakinghissupperoffofwhathadbeenBig-Face.Frombeyond,withinflamedrimsandeyes,Red-Eyepeereddown.Herewasamonstermightierthanhe.TheSwiftOneandIturnedandwentawayquietlythroughthetreestowardthecave,whiletheFolkgatheredoverheadandshowereddownabuseandtwigsandbranchesupontheirancientenemy.Helashedhistailandsnarled,butwentoneating.
Andinsuchfashionwerewesaved.Itwasamereaccident—thesheerestaccident.ElsewouldIhavedied,thereinRed-Eye’sclutch,andtherewouldhavebeennobridgingoftimetothetuneofathousandcenturiesdowntoaprogenythatreadsnewspapersandridesonelectriccars—ay,andthatwritesnarrativesofbygonehappeningsevenasthisiswritten.
