The Totems of Abydos

CHAPTER 16





One afternoon, as Brenner and Rodriguez were returning to their hut, they noticed, behind the hut, two Pons. These two individuals, seeing Brenner and Rodriguez, suddenly moved away from one another, each hurrying off in a different direction.

“One of those Pons was the fellow who struck at you the first day here, wasn’t it?” asked Rodriguez.

“Yes,” said Brenner.

“I wonder what he was doing there,” said Rodriguez.

“You noticed the distance between the two?” said Brenner.

“Yes,” said Rodriguez. They had been about five feet apart. They were thus farther apart than one would expect for two males together or two females together, but not nearly as far apart as one would have expected between individuals of opposite sexes.

“That is what they were doing there,” smiled Brenner.

“I don’t like it,” said Rodriguez.

“The Pons would not hurt a fly,” said Brenner.

“The members of their own group are not flies,” said Rodriguez.

Brenner looked at him.

“Primitive peoples do not look lightly upon the violation of taboos,” said Rodriguez. “And the Pons are subprimitive. They are even subrational. They are simian, at best.”

“I understand,” said Brenner.

“Say nothing to anyone about what we saw,” said Rodriguez.

“I will not, of course,” said Brenner.