it was the moving of rocks , the bubbling of strata , all the pressures of the crust amassing , the man a volcano as he disgorged lava and flame , the serpent rising in him as the winter condensed into turbulent clouds and the elements were free again to pull at themselves and each other , wreaking havoc and soothing brows as they created waves and converted gases , a sibling rivalry whose consequences extended into every peculiar niche of humanity , populated night and day , joined men and women together and pole-axed trees , reduced mountains to rubble even as stone was laid on stone and new ranges forced up ...