按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
followed the circle of his whirl so that her feet left the floor；
and she swung through the air fastened to his throat by her hands。
The whirl culminated in a collision with a chair； and the man and
woman crashed to the floor in a wild struggling fall that extended
itself across half the length of the room。
Hans Nelson was half a second behind his wife in rising to the
unexpected。 His nerve processed and mental processes were slower
than hers。 His was the grosser organism； and it had taken him half
a second longer to perceive； and determine； and proceed to do。 She
had already flown at Dennin and gripped his throat； when Hans
sprang to his feet。 But her coolness was not his。 He was in a
blind fury； a Berserker rage。 At the instant he sprang from his
chair his mouth opened and there issued forth a sound that was half
roar； half bellow。 The whirl of the two bodies had already
started； and still roaring； or bellowing； he pursued this whirl
down the room； overtaking it when it fell to the floor。
Hans hurled himself upon the prostrate man； striking madly with his
fists。 They were sledge…like blows； and when Edith felt Dennin's
body relax she loosed her grip and rolled clear。 She lay on the
floor； panting and watching。 The fury of blows continued to rain
down。 Dennin did not seem to mind the blows。 He did not even
move。 Then it dawned upon her that he was unconscious。 She cried
out to Hans to stop。 She cried out again。 But he paid no heed to
her voice。 She caught him by the arm； but her clinging to it
merely impeded his effort。
It was no reasoned impulse that stirred her to do what she then
did。 Nor was it a sense of pity； nor obedience to the 〃Thou shalt
not〃 of religion。 Rather was it some sense of law； an ethic of her
race and early environment； that compelled her to interpose her
body between her husband and the helpless murderer。 It was not
until Hans knew he was striking his wife that he ceased。 He
allowed himself to be shoved away by her in much the same way that
a ferocious but obedient dog allows itself to be shoved away by its
master。 The analogy went even farther。 Deep in his throat； in an
animal…like way； Hans's rage still rumbled； and several times he
made as though to spring back upon his prey and was only prevented
by the woman's swiftly interposed body。
Back and farther back Edith shoved her husband。 She had never seen
him in such a condition； and she was more frightened of him than
she had been of Dennin in the thick of the struggle。 She could not
believe that this raging beast was her Hans； and with a shock she
became suddenly aware of a shrinking； instinctive fear that he
might snap her hand in his teeth like any wild animal。 For some
seconds； unwilling to hurt her； yet dogged in his desire to return
to the attack； Hans dodged back and forth。 But she resolutely
dodged with him； until the first glimmerings of reason returned and
he gave over。
Both crawled to their feet。 Hans staggered back against the wall；
where he leaned； his face working； in his throat the deep and
continuous rumble that died away with the seconds and at last
ceased。 The time for the reaction had come。 Edith stood in the
middle of the floor； wringing her hands； panting and gasping； her
whole body trembling violently。
Hans looked at nothing； but Edith's eyes wandered wildly from
detail to detail of what had taken place。 Dennin lay without
movement。 The overturned chair； hurled onward in the mad whirl；
lay near him。 Partly under him lay the shot…gun； still broken open
at the breech。 Spilling out of his right hand were the two
cartridges which he had failed to put into the gun and which he had
clutched until consciousness left him。 Harkey lay on the floor；
face downward； where he had fallen； while Dutchy rested forward on
the table； his yellow mop of hair buried in his mush…plate； the
plate itself still tilted at an angle of forty…five degrees。 This
tilted plate fascinated her。 Why did it not fall down？ It was
ridiculous。 It was not in the nature of things for a mush…plate to
up…end itself on the table； even if a man or so had been killed。
She glanced back at Dennin； but her eyes returned to the tilted
plate。 It was so ridiculous！ She felt a hysterical impulse to
laugh。 Then she noticed the silence； and forgot the plate in a
desire for something to happen。 The monotonous drip of the coffee
from the table to the floor merely emphasized the silence。 Why did
not Hans do something？ say something？ She looked at him and was
about to speak； when she discovered that her tongue refused its
wonted duty。 There was a peculiar ache in her throat； and her
mouth was dry and furry。 She could only look at Hans； who； in
turn； looked at her。
Suddenly the silence was broken by a sharp； metallic clang。 She
screamed； jerking her eyes back to the table。 The plate had fallen
down。 Hans sighed as though awakening from sleep。 The clang of
the plate had aroused them to life in a new world。 The cabin
epitomized the new world in which they must thenceforth live and
move。 The old cabin was gone forever。 The horizon of life was
totally new and unfamiliar。 The unexpected had swept its wizardry
over the face of things； changing the perspective； juggling values；
and shuffling the real and the unreal into perplexing confusion。
〃My God； Hans！〃 was Edith's first speech。
He did not answer； but stared at her with horror。 Slowly his eyes
wandered over the room； for the first time taking in its details。
Then he put on his cap and started for the door。
〃Where are you going？〃 Edith demanded； in an agony of
apprehension。
His hand was on the door…knob； and he half turned as he answered；
〃To dig some graves。〃
〃Don't leave me； Hans； with … 〃 her eyes swept the room … 〃with
this。〃
〃The graves must be dug sometime；〃 he said。
〃But you do not know how many；〃 she objected desperately。 She
noted his indecision； and added； 〃Besides； I'll go with you and
help。〃
Hans stepped back to the table and mechanically snuffed the candle。
Then between them they made the examination。 Both Harkey and
Dutchy were dead … frightfully dead； because of the close range of
the shot…gun。 Hans refused to go near Dennin； and Edith was forced
to conduct this portion of the investigation by herself。
〃He isn't dead；〃 she called to Hans。
He walked over and looked down at the murderer。
〃What did you say？〃 Edith demanded； having caught the rumble of
inarticulate speech in her husband's throat。
〃I said it was a damn shame that he isn't dead；〃 came the reply。
Edith was bending over the body。
〃Leave him alone；〃 Hans commanded harshly； in a strange voice。
She looked at him in sudden alarm。 He had picked up the shot…gun
dropped by Dennin and was thrusting in the shells