Return to Eden by Harry Harrison

you. Do you have any slightest doubt that I will do that?"
    If Far< had any doubts her companions certainly did not. They gave her no time to answer but seized her up as gently as they could and carried her, protesting feebly, back down the path and out of sight.
    "This is turning out to be a very good day after all," Ambalasei said happily, holding out her hands so that the admiring Setessei could clean them with a large nefmakel.
    The boat was a bit more obedient when they returned to the city so Setessei fed it some fish as a reward.
    As before, Enge was awaiting their arrival.
    "Far< has returned and has spoken to me of your threat of violence. Would you really have killed her?"
    Enge was upset by the incident and Ambalasei mistook her concern.
    "You put survival of your dismal Daughters ahead of racial survival of the Sorogetso?"
    "That is not my concern, neither they nor Far<. I am just concerned that a scientist of note, a Yilanè of great accomplishments, should consider murder of an inferior."
    "My anger was so great I might very well have bitten her head off. But as anger wanes good sense returns.
    Science instead of violence. Perhaps I would not have injured any of them. But prospect of death was very close. Now permit me to forget that Daughter of Destruction and listen now to item of importance and happiness you were to tell me."
    "Mine is the pleasure to disclose. You must first understand Ugunenapsa's Eight Principles…"
    "Must I?"
    "Of course. You would not attempt to understand the science of the body before you had understanding of the science of the cells?"
    "Reprimand accepted," Ambalasei sighed, settling back onto her tail and sniffing the breeze from the river. "I listen/learn."
    "The first principle derives from Ugunenapsa's insight and understanding of a truth that has always existed. This truth is that we exist between the thumbs of the spirit of life, Efeneleiaa."
    "Ugunenapsa's eyes must have been superior to mine. In all my biological research I have never seen this Efeneleiaa."
    "That is because you searched in the wrong places," Enge said with great enthusiasm. "The spirit of life is within you, for you are alive. Within all Yilanè as well. Most creatures do not have the capacity to comprehend the reality of their own existence. But once the truth of Efeneleiaa has been grasped all else follows. Thus the second principle…"
    "Just stay with the first one now. I still have no idea of what you are talking about. Definition required of new concept introduced, new term never heard before. Spirit?"
    "Ugunenapsa created the term spirit to describe something inherent to Yilanè, describable yet unseen. She gives the example of twenty fargi, ten yiliebe and unable to speak, ten yilanè. If they do not attempt to communicate they are indistinguishable. If they were all dead no amount of physical dissection could tell one group from the other. Therefore all-understanding Ugunenapsa used the new term spirit to describe the difference, in this case the spirit gf communication. In the case of life she used Efeneleiaa, life-eternity-in-dwelling. Is this clear now?"
    "Yes and no. Yes, I hear what you are saying and follow your arguments. And no, I reject the concept of spirit as being artificial, nonexistent and deleterious to clear thinking. But I put that aside for the moment and go back to the yes. Though rejecting the basic concept I will now allow it for discussion's sake in order to see what follows from the concept."
    "Your reservations are noted and perhaps some other time I might attempt to clarify the concept of spirit.
    I admit that it is difficult…"
    "Not difficult. Wrong and unacceptable. But, yes, to finish this tiresome discussion before darkness descends. For the moment I will not grasp the truth that your Efeneleiaa exists, but will entertain it as a theory. Continue. You were about to discuss the second principle."
    Enge signed acceptance of terms-of-discussion. "It shall be as you have