“Are you now in the hut?”
Kazz, staring straight ahead, his eyes seemingly turned inward upon the past, said, “I am in the doorway.”
“Go on in, Kazz.”
The fellow shook with effort.
“I can’t, Burton-naq.”
“Why not?”
“I do not know.”
“Is there something you fear in the hut?”
“I don’t know.”
“Has anyone told you that there is something bad in the hut?”
“No.”
“Then you have nothing to fear. Kazz, you are a brave man, aren’t you?”
“You know I am, Burton-naq.”
“Why can’t you go on in then?”
Kazz shook his head. “I don’t know. Something . . .”
“Something what?”
“Something . . . tells me … tells me … can’t remember.”
Burton bit his lower lip. The flaming wood cracked and hissed.
“Who tells you? Monat? Frigate?”
“Don’t know.”
“Think!”
Kazz’s forehead wrinkled. Sweat poured down it.
The firewood crackled again. Hearing it, Burton smiled.
“Kazz!”
“Yes.”
“Kazz! Besst is in the hut, and she’s screaming! Can you hear her screaming?”
Kazz straightened up and looked from side to side, his eyes wide open, his nostrils distended, his lips drawn back.
“I hear her! What is the matter?”
“Kazz! There’s a bear in the hut, and it’s going to attack Besst! Take your spear and go in there and kill the bear, Kazz! Save Besst!”
Kazz stood up, and, his hand grasping the imaginary spear, sprang forward. Burton had to move swiftly to get out of his way. Kazz stumbled over the chair and fell upon his face.
Burton grimaced. Would the shock bring Kazz out of his trance? No, Kazz was up on his feet and about to run forward again.
“Kazz! You’re in the hut! There’s the bear! Kill it, Kazz! Kill it!”
Snarling, Kazz grabbed the phantom spear with both hands and thrust it.
” Ayee! Ayee!” And a gabble of harsh sounds followed. Burton, having learned his native language, understood them.
“I am the Man-Who-Slew-The-White-Tooth! Die, Hairy-One-Who-Sleeps-All-Winter! Die, but forgive me! I must, I must! Die! Die!”
Burton spoke loudly. “Kazz! It’s run away! The bear has run out of the hut! Besst is safe now!”
Kazz stopped thrusting the spear. He stood upright now, looking from side to side.
“Kazz! It’s a few minutes later. Kazz! Besst has left. You’re in the hut now! Inside it. You’ve nothing to fear! You’ve entered the hut, and there is nothing to be afraid of! But who else is in there with you?
“Kazz! You’re in the hut a few minutes after you saw that Spruce had no mark on his forehead. Who else is in the hut with you?”
The Neanderthal had lost his fierce expression. Now he looked dully at Burton.
“Who? Why, Monat and Pete.”
“Very good, Kazz. Now . . . who first spoke to you there?”
“Monat did.”
“Tell me what he said to you. Tell me what Frigate said, too.”
“Frigate never said anything. Just Monat.”
“Tell me what he said …. what he is saying.”
“Monat says, ‘Now, Kazz, you will remember nothing that took place in this hut. We will talk a minute and then we will leave. After you leave you will not remember going into the hut or leaving it. Everything between that time will be a blank. If anyone should ask you about this time, you will say that you don’t remember. And you will not be lying because you will have forgotten everything. Isn’t that right, Kazz?’ ”
The Neanderthal nodded.
‘ “Also, Kazz, just to make sure, you will not remember the first time I told you to forget that you had mentioned to me and Frigate that we had no marks. Do you remember that time, Kazz?’ ”
Kazz shook his head. ” ‘No, Monat.’ ”
He gave a drawnout sigh.
“Who sighed?” Burton said.
“Frigate.”
It was evidently an expiration of relief.
“What else is Monat saying? Tell me what you are saying, too.”
” ‘Kazz, when I talked to you that first time, the time just after you had told Frigate and me that we had no signs, I also told you to tell me whatever Burton said about meeting a mysterious person. By that I mean someone who might call himself an Ethical.’ “