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Even； among the others； did he recognize the sun…shrivelled remnant
of the nine…years girl who had accidentally broken Chief Vngngn's
personality taboo。 And； among what was left of these that had
passed； he encountered what was left of one who had not yet passed。
Truly had the bush…folk named themselves into the name of the Red
One； seeing in him their own image which they strove to placate and
please with such red offerings。
Farther around； always treading the bones and images of humans and
gods that constituted the floor of this ancient charnel…house of
sacrifice； he came upon the device by which the Red One was made to
send his call singing thunderingly across the jungle…belts and
grass…lands to the far beach of Ringmanu。 Simple and primitive was
it as was the Red One's consummate artifice。 A great king…post；
half a hundred feet in length； seasoned by centuries of
superstitious care； carven into dynasties of gods； each
superimposed； each helmeted； each seated in the open mouth of a
crocodile； was slung by ropes； twisted of climbing vegetable
parasites； from the apex of a tripod of three great forest trunks；
themselves carved into grinning and grotesque adumbrations of man's
modern concepts of art and god。 From the striker king…post； were
suspended ropes of climbers to which men could apply their strength
and direction。 Like a battering ram； this king…post could be
driven end…onward against the mighty red…iridescent sphere。
Here was where Ngurn officiated and functioned religiously for
himself and the twelve tribes under him。 Bassett laughed aloud；
almost with madness； at the thought of this wonderful messenger；
winged with intelligence across space； to fall into a bushman
stronghold and be worshipped by ape…like； man…eating and head…
hunting savages。 It was as if God's World had fallen into the muck
mire of the abyss underlying the bottom of hell； as if Jehovah's
Commandments had been presented on carved stone to the monkeys of
the monkey cage at the Zoo； as if the Sermon on the Mount had been
preached in a roaring bedlam of lunatics。
The slow weeks passed。 The nights； by election； Bassett spent on
the ashen floor of the devil…devil house； beneath the ever…
swinging； slow…curing heads。 His reason for this was that it was
taboo to the lesser sex of woman； and therefore； a refuge for him
from Balatta； who grew more persecutingly and perilously loverly as
the Southern Cross rode higher in the sky and marked the imminence
of her nuptials。 His days Bassett spent in a hammock swung under
the shade of the great breadfruit tree before the devil…devil
house。 There were breaks in this programme； when； in the comas of
his devastating fever…attacks； he lay for days and nights in the
house of heads。 Ever he struggled to combat the fever； to live； to
continue to live； to grow strong and stronger against the day when
he would be strong enough to dare the grass…lands and the belted
jungle beyond； and win to the beach； and to some labour…recruiting；
black…birding ketch or schooner； and on to civilization and the men
of civilization； to whom he could give news of the message from
other worlds that lay； darkly worshipped by beastmen； in the black
heart of Guadalcanal's midmost centre。
On the other nights； lying late under the breadfruit tree； Bassett
spent long hours watching the slow setting of the western stars
beyond the black wall of jungle where it had been thrust back by
the clearing for the village。 Possessed of more than a cursory
knowledge of astronomy； he took a sick man's pleasure in
speculating as to the dwellers on the unseen worlds of those
incredibly remote suns； to haunt whose houses of light； life came
forth； a shy visitant； from the rayless crypts of matter。 He could
no more apprehend limits to time than bounds to space。 No
subversive radium speculations had shaken his steady scientific
faith in the conservation of energy and the indestructibility of
matter。 Always and forever must there have been stars。 And
surely； in that cosmic ferment； all must be comparatively alike；
comparatively of the same substance； or substances； save for the
freaks of the ferment。 All must obey； or compose； the same laws
that ran without infraction through the entire experience of man。
Therefore； he argued and agreed； must worlds and life be appanages
to all the suns as they were appanages to the particular of his own
solar system。
Even as he lay here； under the breadfruit tree； an intelligence
that stared across the starry gulfs； so must all the universe be
exposed to the ceaseless scrutiny of innumerable eyes； like his；
though grantedly different； with behind them； by the same token；
intelligences that questioned and sought the meaning and the
construction of the whole。 So reasoning； he felt his soul go forth
in kinship with that august company； that multitude whose gaze was
forever upon the arras of infinity。
Who were they； what were they； those far distant and superior ones
who had bridged the sky with their gigantic； red…iridescent；
heaven…singing message？ Surely； and long since； had they； too；
trod the path on which man had so recently； by the calendar of the
cosmos； set his feet。 And to be able to send a message across the
pit of space； surely they had reached those heights to which man；
in tears and travail and bloody sweat； in darkness and confusion of
many counsels； was so slowly struggling。 And what were they on
their heights？ Had they won Brotherhood？ Or had they learned that
the law of love imposed the penalty of weakness and decay？ Was
strife； life？ Was the rule of all the universe the pitiless rule
of natural selection？ And； and most immediately and poignantly；
were their far conclusions； their long…won wisdoms； shut even then
in the huge； metallic heart of the Red One； waiting for the first
earth…man to read？ Of one thing he was certain： No drop of red
dew shaken from the lion…mane of some sun in torment； was the
sounding sphere。 It was of design； not chance； and it contained
the speech and wisdom of the stars。
What engines and elements and mastered forces； what lore and
mysteries and destiny…controls； might be there！ Undoubtedly； since
so much could be enclosed in so little a thing as the foundation
stone of a public building； this enormous sphere should contain
vast histories； profounds of research achieved beyond man's wildest
guesses； laws and formulae that； easily mastered； would make man's
life on earth； individual and collective； spring up from its
present mire to inconceivable heights of purity and power。 It was
Time's greatest gift to blindfold； insatiable； and sky…aspiring
man。 And to him； Bassett； had been vouchsafed the lordly fortune
to be the first to receive this message from man's interstellar
kin！
No white man； much less no outland man of the other bush…tribes；
had gazed upon the Red One and lived。 Such the law expounded by