CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Meanwhile the Lali, to whom we will now return, had been passing through a crisis no less serious than that of their enemy. After failing to overtake the Ammi, whom they had prepared to overwhelm, as we have related, by amassing against them the fugitives from the north, they returned discouraged to their camp, there to encounter discontent among their allies, and finally division. They were even threatened at one time with extermination by the new-comers, which they averted by inducing the latter to pass on. The allies accordingly began an exodus, and were soon out of sight.
But they devoured, before going, nearly all the means of the Lali, and carried off what they could not eat, so that, with the coming of the snow and cold, the Lali were left in destitution. This was relieved by catching some of the animals that had come from the north, and by gathering those that had perished in the snow. They also learned to eat, as all do in time of war or famine, many new kinds of food, and gathered leaves and sprigs, which till then had not been tasted.
The flight of the Ammi before the allied Apes, which has already been described, proved a serious loss to the Lali. These had hoped, on conquering the Ammi, to take possession of Cocoanut Hill, and the stores amassed there; and, had they succeeded, they would have had enough, both for themselves and their allies, for some time, and could have lived in comfort.
When, accordingly, it was discovered that Sosee was the cause of the flight of the Ammi, and so of the misfortunes of the Lali, they resolved to put her to death.
Several attempts were at once made at this, but singular obstacles arose from the complications of the Apes with her, which secured her protection by starting fights among themselves.
One, Hang-from-the-vines, who had led the combined forces in search of the escaping Ammi, first flew at her, and would have torn her to pieces, but for the intervention of Ilo and Oboo, who had her in charge. Ilo seized him by the throat, while Oboo snatched her away to a place of safety. Hang-from-the-vines now turned in his rage to Ilo, and these two fought together, and both received bites and scratches; but, as Ilo fought for love and Hang-from-the-vines for revenge, Ilo was successful, though the other was the greater warrior.
Ilo marched proudly from his victory over Hang-from-the-vines, expecting to receive the admiration of the people, and especially of Sosee, who had been an indifferent lover.
Great was his disappointment, therefore, when Oboo claimed the girl. “For,” said Oboo, “I rescued herwhen about to be slain by Hang-from-the-vines, capturing her from you both, as you had captured her from the Ammi in the first place. If she was yours then, she is mine now, and I will keep her.”
This was too much for Ilo. Transported by rage he next sprang at Oboo; when a fiercer fight ensued than when they both fought against Hang-from-the-vines. Hair and blood flew; growls and bites came from both mouths; and, as when the Wind and Snow had recently engaged in battle, these mighty chiefs filled the air with confusion and wide-resounding thunders.
But as Ilo fought for his one love, and Oboo for one of many, Ilo was successful, though he had not fought so often, or won so many victories as Oboo. He accordingly took possession of Sosee, and, crowned with two triumphs, hoped to enjoy her forever.
But Oboo, being defeated, next resolved, in his double loss of honor and lover, to effect her destruction. Whom he could not win he would kill. This was more, however, from hatred of Ilo than anger at Sosee. He could not endure that another should take a woman, especially from him; and so he demanded her death as a punishment to Ilo, though ostensibly for treachery to the whole. Joining, therefore, in a conspiracy with one whom he had recently joined in a fight, he proposed to Hang-from-the-vines that they kill her whom he had just rescued from death.
But Hang-from-the-vines was now in a changed mood, being unwilling to gratify his recent enemy even by his own success.
“As you would not let me slay her,” he said, “you shall perpetuate your victory as a defeat, and see her another’s. Preventing her death when she was false to all, you shall not get me to kill her now because she is false only to you.”
Oboo, however, was resolved on her death, at least for the moment, and he easily enlisted others in his design. Oola wanted her to die because she had won from her the affections of Oboo (which many others, however, had since obtained). Other women desired her death because she had been their rival for several lovers, and still others merely because she was pretty and popular; so that, between her charms and her offenses, she was in double peril. All, however, urged as a pretext for her death, not their real reason, but the excuse of her treachery; so that the public welfare had to bear the odium of their private jealously. Only those having no interest in her death—the great masses—wanted it on the ground which all alleged.
Her death, however, was ordered, and she was brought for execution before the assembled Apes. Several were impatient to tear her to pieces. Oola, fearing that others, by dispatching her, would deprive her of a coveted revenge, made a pass at her, but was restrained by a male ape who had begun to feel an attachment for her. A further delay was caused by a priest who insisted on sprinkling the scene with Swamp water, which, like the return of the ship from Delos, required time, during which, like Socrates, she could still live.
SOSEE’S STRATEGY.
SOSEE’S STRATEGY.
Meanwhile she looked around for some means of escape. The chances for this were small, as the last moment had now arrived; but her extremity made action of some kind necessary.
While, accordingly, the Apes awaited the signal for her death, and the silence was solemnly intense, she suddenly sprang to her feet, and, with great animation, pointed to the sky, accompanying her movement with a shout.
Every eye turned from her, and fixed its gaze on the sky. Those who had been most intently looking at her, and expected to make the first rush upon her, were the first to look away, and wildest in casting about their heads to see what was the matter. There was an instant of general panic; never did so many monkey heads move so rapidly, or in so many directions. Nothing was to be seen, which made the search more intense. Many looked more at the sky than they had ever done before, and some actually believed they saw something, and were overcome by fright; for when people see nothing they apprehend a great mystery.
While all eyes were thus fixed on the sky, Sosee, summoning her strength and fleetness, started to run. Swift as the wind, and as noiselessly, she passed away. She went in the direction opposite to that in which they were looking.
For awhile her movements were not observed, but were supposed to be part of the panic caused by the dash of all to see something; and it was some seconds before any understood that their captive had broken away, and was running for her life.