До Адама
Chapter IV
Noboneswerebroken,andinthosedaysthefleshofmanhadfinerhealingqualitiesthanithasto-day.Yetitwasaseverefall,forIlimpedwithmyinjuredhipforfullyaweekafterward.
Next,asIlayinthebushes,therecameuponmeafeelingofdesolation,aconsciousnessthatIwashomeless.ImadeupmymindnevertoreturntomymotherandtheChatterer.Iwouldgofarawaythroughtheterribleforest,andfindsometreeformyselfinwhichtoroost.Asforfood,Iknewwheretofindit.ForthelastyearatleastIhadnotbeenbeholdentomymotherforfood.Allshehadfurnishedmewasprotectionandguidance.
Icrawledsoftlyoutthroughthebushes.OnceIlookedbackandsawtheChattererstillchantingandteetering.Itwasnotapleasantsight.Iknewprettywellhowtobecautious,andIwasexceedinglycarefulonthismyfirstjourneyintheworld.
IgavenothoughtastowhereIwasgoing.Ihadbutonepurpose,andthatwastogoawaybeyondthereachoftheChatterer.Iclimbedintothetreesandwanderedonamongstthemforhours,passingfromtreetotreeandnevertouchingtheground.ButIdidnotgoinanyparticulardirection,nordidItravelsteadily.Itwasmynature,asitwasthenatureofallmyfolk,tobeinconsequential.Besides,Iwasamerechild,andIstoppedagreatdealtoplaybytheway.
Theeventsthatbefellmeonmyleavinghomeareveryvagueinmymind.Mydreamsdonotcoverthem.Muchhasmyother-selfforgotten,andparticularlyatthisveryperiod
