bualileeriwasremindingheragooddeallessofhai

ocuousfuncionforsuddenlyherehadswarmedupfromhoseroundchambersunergroundaghaslyroopofmonsershideouslymaskedorpainedouofallsembnceofhumaniy，heyhadrampedouasrangelimpingdanceroundhesquare；roundandagainround，singingasheywen，roundandround–eachimealilefaser；andhedrumshadchangedandquickenedheirrhyhm，sohaibecamelikehepulsingoffeverinheears；andhecrowdhadbegunosingwihhedancers，louderandlouder；andfirsonewomanhadshrieked，andhenanoherandanoher，ashoughheywerebeingkilled；andhensuddenlyheleaderofhedancersbrokeouofheline，ranoabigwoodencheswhichwassandingaoneendofhesquare，raisedhelidandpulledouapairofbcksnakesagreayellwenupfromhecrowd，andallheoherdancersranowardshimwihousrechedhandsheossedhesnakesohefirscomers，hendippedbackinohechesformoremoreandmore，bcksnakesandbrownandmoledheflunghemouandhenhedancebeganagainonadifferenrhyhmroundandroundheywenwihheirsnakes，snakily，wihasofunduingmovemenahekneesandhipsroundandroundhenheleadergaveasignal，andoneaferanoher，allhesnakeswereflungdowninhemiddleofhesquare；anoldmancameupfromundergroundandsprinkledhemwihcornmeal，andfromheoherhachwaycameawomanandsprinkledhemwihwaerfromabckjarhenheoldmanlifedhishandand，saringly，errifyingly，herewasabsoluesilencehedrumssoppedbeaing，lifeseemedohavecomeoanendheoldmanpoinedowardshewohachwayshagaveenranceohelowerworldandslowly，raisedbyinvisiblehandsfrombelow，hereemergedfromheoneapainedimageofaneagle，fromheoherhaofaman，naked，andnailedoacrossheyhunghere，seeminglyselfsusained，ashoughwachingheoldmancppedhishandsnakedbuforawhiecoonbreechcloh，aboyofaboueigheenseppedouofhecrowdandsoodbeforehim，hishandscrossedoverhisches，hisheadbowedheoldmanmadehesignofhecrossoverhimandurnedawayslowly，heboybeganowalkroundhewrihingheapofsnakeshehadcompleedhefirscircuiandwashalfwayhroughhesecondwhen，fromamonghedancers，aallmanwearinghemaskofacoyoeandholdinginhishandawhipofpiedleaher，advancedowardshimheboymovedonashoughunawareofheoher’sexisencehecoyoemanraisedhiswhip，herewasalongmomenafexpecancy，henaswifmovemen，hewhisleofheshandisloudfsoundingimpaconhefeshheboy’sbodyquivered；buhemadenosound，hewalkedonahesameslow，seadypacehecoyoesruckagain，again；andaeveryblowafirsagasp，andhenadeepgroanwenupfromhecrowdheboywalkedwice，hrice，fourimesroundhewenhebloodwassreamingfiveimesround，siximesroundsuddenlyleninacoveredherfacewihherhandsandbeganosob“oh，sophem，sophem！”sheimploredbuhewhipfellandfellinexorablysevenimesroundhenallaonceheboysaggeredand，sillwihouasound，pichedforwardonohisfacebendingoverhim，heoldmanouchedhisbackwihalongwhiefeaher，heldiupforamomen，crimson，forhepeopleoseehenshookihriceoverhesnakesafewdropsfell，andsuddenlyhedrumsbrokeouagaininoapanicofhurryingnoes；herewasagreashouhedancersrushedforward，pickeduphesnakesandranouofhesquaremen，women，children，allhecrowdranaferhemaminueerhesquarewasempy，onlyheboyremained，pronewherehehadfallen，quiesillhreeoldwomencameouofoneofhehouses，andwihsomedifficulylifedhimandcarriedhiminheeagleandhemanonhecrosskepguardforalilewhileoverheempypueblo；hen，ashoughheyhadseenenough，sankslowlydownhroughheirhachways，ouofsigh，inoheherworld

leninawassillsobbing“ooawful，”shekeprepeaing，andallbernard’sconsoionswereinvain“ooawful！hablood！”sheshuddered“oh，iwishihadmysoma”

herewashesoundoffeeinhei

erroom

leninadidnomove，busawihherfaceinherhands，unseeing，aparonlybernardurnedround

hedressofheyoungmanwhonowseppedouonoheerracewasindian；buhispiedhairwassrawcoloured，hiseyesapaleblue，andhisskinawhieskin，bronzed

“hullogoodmorrow，”saidhesranger，infaullessbupeculiarenglish“you’recivilized，aren’you？youcomefromheoherpce，ousidehereservaion？”

“whoonearh…？”bernardbeganinasonishmen

heyoungmansighedandshookhishead“amosunhappygenleman”and，poiningohebloodsainsinhecenreofhesquare，“doyouseehadamnedspo？”heaskedinavoiceharembledwihemoion

“agrammeisbeerhanadamn，”saidleninamechanicallyfrombehindherhands“iwishihadmysoma！”

“ioughohavebeenhere，”heyoungmanwenon“whywouldn’heylemebehesacrifice？i’dhavegoneroundenimes–welve，fifeenpalowhiwaonlygoasfarassevenheycouldhavehadwiceasmuchbloodfrommehemuliudinousseasincarnadine”heflungouhisarmsinavishgesure；hen，despairingly，lehemfallagain“buheywouldn’lemeheydislikedmeformycomplexioni’salwaysbeenlikehaalways”earssoodinheyoungman’seyes；hewasashamedandurnedaway

asonishmenmadeleninaforgehedeprivaionofsomasheuncoveredherfaceand，forhefirsime，lookedahesranger“doyoumeanosayhayouwanedobehiwihhawhip？”