[Illustration]
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 her when 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.
[Illustration: 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.