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… Page 14…
THE RED ONE
with your Baby Thunder； the quicker will your head turn in the smoke。〃
And Bassett knew he was beaten in the discussion。
What was the Red One？ … Bassett asked himself a thousand times in
the succeeding week； while he seemed to grow stronger。 What was the
source of the wonderful sound？ What was this Sun Singer； this Star…Born
One； this mysterious deity； as bestial…conducted as the black and kinky…
headed and monkey…like human beasts who worshipped it； and whose
silver…sweet； bull…mouthed singing and commanding he had heard at the
taboo distance for so long？
Ngurn had he failed to bribe with the inevitable curing of his head
when he was dead。 Vngngn； imbecile and chief that he was； was too
imbecilic； too much under the sway of Ngurn； to be considered。 Remained
Balatta； who； from the time she found him and poked his blue eyes open to
recrudescence of her grotesque female hideousness； had continued his
adorer。 Woman she was； and he had long known that the only way to win
from her treason of her tribe was through the woman's heart of her。
Bassett was a fastidious man。 He had never recovered from the
initial horror caused by Balatta's female awfulness。 Back in England；
even at best the charm of woman； to him； had never been robust。 Yet
now； resolutely； as only a man can do who is capable of martyring himself
for the cause of science； he proceeded to violate all the fineness and
delicacy of his nature by making love to the unthinkably disgusting
bushwoman。
He shuddered； but with averted face hid his grimaces and swallowed
his gorge as he put his arm around her dirt…crusted shoulders and felt the
contact of her rancidoily and kinky hair with his neck and chin。 But he
nearly screamed when she succumbed to that caress so at the very first of
the courtship and mowed and gibbered and squealed little； queer； pig…like
gurgly noises of delight。 It was too much。 And the next he did in the
singular courtship was to take her down to the stream and give her a
vigorous scrubbing。
From then on he devoted himself to her like a true swain as frequently
and for as long at a time as his will could override his repugnance。 But
marriage； which she ardently suggested； with due observance of tribal
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THE RED ONE
custom； he balked at。 Fortunately； taboo rule was strong in the tribe。
Thus； Ngurn could never touch bone； or flesh； or hide of crocodile。 This
had been ordained at his birth。 Vngngn was denied ever the touch of
woman。 Such pollution； did it chance to occur； could be purged only by
the death of the offending female。 It had happened once； since Bassett's
arrival； when a girl of nine； running in play； stumbled and fell against the
sacred chief。 And the girl…child was seen no more。 In whispers； Balatta
told Bassett that she had been three days and nights in dying before the
Red One。 As for Balatta； the breadfruit was taboo to her。 For which
Bassett was thankful。 The taboo might have been water。
For himself； he fabricated a special taboo。 Only could he marry； he
explained； when the Southern Cross rode highest in the sky。 Knowing his
astronomy； he thus gained a reprieve of nearly nine months； and he was
confident that within that time he would either be dead or escaped to the
coast with full knowledge of the Red One and of the source of the Red
One's wonderful voice。 At first he had fancied the Red One to be some
colossal statue； like Memnon； rendered vocal under certain temperature
conditions of sunlight。 But when； after a war raid； a batch of prisoners was
brought in and the sacrifice made at night； in the midst of rain； when the
sun could play no part； the Red One had been more vocal than usual；
Bassett discarded that hypothesis。
In company with Balatta； sometimes with men and parties of women；
the freedom of the jungle was his for three quadrants of the compass。
But the fourth quadrant； which contained the Red One's abiding place； was
taboo。 He made more thorough love to Balatta … also saw to it that she
scrubbed herself more frequently。 Eternal female she was； capable of
any treason for the sake of love。 And； though the sight of her was
provocative of nausea and the contact of her provocative of despair；
although he could not escape her awfulness in his dream…haunted
nightmares of her； he nevertheless was aware of the cosmic verity of sex
that animated her and that made her own life of less value than the
happiness of her lover with whom she hoped to mate。 Juliet or Balatta？
Where was the intrinsic difference？ The soft and tender product of ultra…
civilization； or her bestial prototype of a hundred thousand years before
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THE RED ONE
her？ … there was no difference。
Bassett was a scientist first； a humanist afterward。 In the jungle…heart
of Guadalcanal he put the affair to the test； as in the laboratory he would
have put to the test any chemical reaction。 He increased his feigned ardour
for the bushwoman； at the same time increasing the imperiousness of his
will of desire over her to be led to look upon the Red One face to face。 It
was the old story； he recognized； that the woman must pay； and it occurred
when the two of them； one day； were catching the unclassified and
unnamed little black fish； an inch long； half…eel and half…scaled； rotund
with salmon…golden roe； that frequented the fresh water； and that were
esteemed； raw and whole； fresh or putrid； a perfect delicacy。 Prone in the
muck of the decaying jungle…floor； Balatta threw herself； clutching his
ankles with her hands kissing his feet and making slubbery noises that
chilled his backbone up and down again。 She begged him to kill her rather
than exact this ultimate love… payment。 She told