the night-born-第7部分

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The　bull　charged；　and　of　course　the　horse　knew　nothing　till　the

picador　failed　and　the　horse　found　himself　impaled　on　the

bull's　horns　from　beneath。　The　bull　was　magnificently　strong。

The　sight　of　its　strength　was　splendid　to　see。　It　lifted　the

horse　clear　into　the　air；　and　as　the　horse　fell　to　its　side　on

on　the　ground　the　picador　landed　on　his　feet　and　escaped；　while

the　capadors　lured　the　bull　away。　The　horse　was　emptied　of　its

essential　organs。　Yet　did　it　rise　to　its　feet　screaming。　It　was

the　scream　of　the　horse　that　did　it；　that　made　John　Harned

completely　mad；　for　he；　too；　started　to　rise　to　his　feet；　I

heard　him　curse　low　and　deep。　He　never　took　his　eyes　from　the

horse；　which；　screaming；　strove　to　run；　but　fell　down　instead

and　rolled　on　its　back　so　that　all　its　four　legs　were　kicking

in　the　air。　Then　the　bull　charged　it　and　gored　it　again　and

again　until　it　was　dead。



John　Harned　was　now　on　his　feet。　His　eyes　were　no　longer　cold

like　steel。　They　were　blue　flames。　He　looked　at　Maria

Valenzuela；　and　she　looked　at　him；　and　in　his　face　was　a　great

loathing。　The　moment　of　his　madness　was　upon　him。　Everybody　was

looking；　now　that　the　horse　was　dead；　and　John　Harned　was　a

large　man　and　easy　to　be　seen。



〃Sit　down；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos；　〃or　you　will　make　a　fool　of

yourself。〃



John　Harned　replied　nothing。　He　struck　out　his　fist。　He　smote

Luis　Cervallos　in　the　face　so　that　he　fell　like　a　dead　man

across　the　chairs　and　did　not　rise　again。　He　saw　nothing　of

what　followed。　But　I　saw　much。　Urcisino　Castillo；　leaning

forward　from　the　next　box；　with　his　cane　struck　John　Harned

full　across　the　face。　And　John　Harned　smote　him　with　his　fist

so　that　in　falling　he　overthrew　General　Salazar。　John　Harned

was　now　in　what…you…call　Berserker　rageno？　The　beast

primitive　in　him　was　loose　and　roaringthe　beast　primitive　of

the　holes　and　caves　of　the　long　ago。



〃You　came　for　a　bull…fight；〃　I　heard　him　say；　〃And　by　God　I'll

show　you　a　man…fight！〃



It　was　a　fight。　The　soldiers　guarding　the　Presidente's　box

leaped　across；　but　from　one　of　them　he　took　a　rifle　and　beat

them　on　their　heads　with　it。　From　the　other　box　Colonel　Jacinto

Fierro　was　shooting　at　him　with　a　revolver。　The　first　shot

killed　a　soldier。　This　I　know　for　a　fact。　I　saw　it。　But　the

second　shot　struck　John　Harned　in　the　side。　Whereupon　he　swore；

and　with　a　lunge　drove　the　bayonet　of　his　rifle　into　Colonel

Jacinto　Fierro's　body。　It　was　horrible　to　behold。　The　Americans

and　the　English　are　a　brutal　race。　They　sneer　at　our

bull…fighting；　yet　do　they　delight　in　the　shedding　of　blood。

More　men　were　killed　that　day　because　of　John　Harned　than　were

ever　killed　in　all　the　history　of　the　bull…ring　of　Quito；　yes；

and　of　Guayaquil　and　all　Ecuador。



It　was　the　scream　of　the　horse　that　did　it；　yet　why　did　not

John　Harned　go　mad　when　the　bull　was　killed？　A　beast　is　a

beast；　be　it　bull　or　horse。　John　Harned　was　mad。　There　is　no

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