the faith of men-第5章

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belly；　and　hard。　　And　let　the　meat　and　good　grub　of　the　days　to

come　put　strength　into　thine　arm。　　There　will　be　uproar　and　outcry；

and　the　village　will　come　hot　afoot。　　But　be　thou　unafraid。　　Veil

thy　movements　and　lose　thy　form　in　the　obscurity　of　the　night　and

the　confusion　of　men。　　And　when　the　woman　Ipsukuk　is　anigh　thee；

she　who　smeareth　her　face　with　molasses；do　thou　smite　her

likewise；　and　whosoever　else　that　possesseth　flour　and　cometh　to

thy　hand。　　Then　do　thou　lift　thy　voice　in　pain　and　double　up　with

clasped　hands；　and　make　outcry　in　token　that　thou；　too；　hast　felt

the　visitation　of　the　night。　　And　in　this　way　shall　we　achieve

honour　and　great　possessions；　and　the　caddy　of　〃Star〃　and　the　prime

smoking；　and　thy　Tukeliketa；　who　is　a　likely　maiden。'



〃When　he　had　departed　on　this　errand；　I　bided　patiently　in　the

shack；　and　the　tobacco　seemed　very　near。　　Then　there　was　a　cry　of

affright　in　the　night；　that　became　an　uproar　and　assailed　the　sky。

I　seized　the　'pain…killer'　and　ran　forth。　　There　was　much　noise；

and　a　wailing　among　the　women；　and　fear　sat　heavily　on　all。

Tummasook　and　the　woman　Ipsukuk　rolled　on　the　ground　in　pain；　and

with　them　there　were　divers　others；　also　Moosu。　　I　thrust　aside

those　that　cluttered　the　way　of　my　feet；　and　put　the　mouth　of　the

bottle　to　Moosu's　lips。　　And　straightway　he　became　well　and　ceased

his　howling。　　Whereat　there　was　a　great　clamour　for　the　bottle　from

the　others　so　stricken。　　But　I　made　harangue；　and　ere　they　tasted

and　were　made　well　I　had　mulcted　Tummasook　of　his　copper　kettle　and

kerosene　can；　and　the　woman　Ipsukuk　of　her　sugar　and　molasses；　and

the　other　sick　ones　of　goodly　measures　of　flour。　　The　shaman

glowered　wickedly　at　the　people　around　my　knees；　though　he　poorly

concealed　the　wonder　that　lay　beneath。　　But　I　held　my　head　high；

and　Moosu　groaned　beneath　the　loot　as　he　followed　my　heels　to　the

shack。



〃There　I　set　to　work。　　In　Tummasook's　copper　kettle　I　mixed　three

quarts　of　wheat　flour　with　five　of　molasses；　and　to　this　I　added　of

water　twenty　quarts。　　Then　I　placed　the　kettle　near　the　lamp；　that

it　might　sour　in　the　warmth　and　grow　strong。　　Moosu　understood；　and

said　my　wisdom　passed　understanding　and　was　greater　than　Solomon's；

who　he　had　heard　was　a　wise　man　of　old　time。　　The　kerosene　can　I

set　over　the　lamp；　and　to　its　nose　I　affixed　a　snout；　and　into　the

snout　the　bone　that　was　like　a　gooseneck。　　I　sent　Moosu　without　to

pound　ice；　while　I　connected　the　barrel　of　his　gun　with　the

gooseneck；　and　midway　on　the　barrel　I　piled　the　ice　he　had　pounded。

And　at　the　far　end　of　the　gun…barrel；　beyond　the　pan　of　ice；　I

placed　a　small　iron　pot。　　When　the　brew　was　strong　enough　（and　it

was　two　days　ere　it　could　stand　on　its　own　legs）；　I　filled　the

kerosene　can　with　it；　and　lighted　the　wicks　I　had　braided。



〃Now　that　all　was　ready；　I　spoke　to　Moosu。　　'Go　forth；'　I　said；　'to

the　chief　men　of　the　village；　and　give　them　greeting；　and　bid　them

come　into　my　igloo　and　sleep　the　night　away　with　me　and　the　gods。'



〃The　brew　was　singing　merrily　when　they　began　shoving　aside　the

skin　flap　and　crawling　in；　and　I　was　heaping　cracked　ice　on　the

gun…barrel。　　Out　of　the　priming　hole　at　the　far　end；　drip；　drip；

drip　into　the　iron　pot　fell　the　liquorHOOCH；　you　know。　　But

they'd　never　seen　the　like；　and　giggled　nervously　when　I　made

harangue　about　its　virtues。　　As　I　talked　I　noted　the　jealousy　in

the　shaman's　eye；　so　when　I　had　done；　I　placed　him　side　by　side

with　Tummasook　and　the　woman　Ipsukuk。　　Then　I　gave　them　to　drink；

and　their　eyes　watered　and　their　stomachs　warmed；　till　from　being

afraid　they　reached　greedily　for　more；　and　when　I　had　them　well

started；　I　turned　to　the　others。　　Tummasook　made　a　brag　about　how

he　had　once　killed　a　polar　bear；　and　in　the　vigour　of　his　pantomime

nearly　slew　his　mother's　brother。　　But　nobody　heeded。　　The　woman

Ipsukuk　fell　to　weeping　for　a　son　lost　long　years　agone　in　the　ice；

and　the　shaman　made　incantation　and　prophecy。　　So　it　went；　and

before　morning　they　were　all　on　the　floor；　sleeping　soundly　with

the　gods。



〃The　story　tells　itself；　does　it　not？　　The　news　of　the　magic　potion

spread。　　It　was　too　marvellous　for　utterance。　　Tongues　could　tell

but　a　tithe　of　the　miracles　it　performed。　　It　eased　pain；　gave

surcease　to　sorrow；　brought　back　old　memories；　dead　faces；　and

forgotten　dreams。　　It　was　a　fire　that　ate　through　all　the　blood；

and；　burning；　burned　not。　　It　stoutened　the　heart；　stiffened　the

back；　and　made　men　more　than　men。　　It　revealed　the　future；　and　gave

visions　and　prophecy。　　It　brimmed　with　wisdom　and　unfolded　secrets。

There　was　no　end　of　the　things　it　could　do；　and　soon　there　was　a

clamouring　on　all　hands　to　sleep　with　the　gods。　　They　brought　their

warmest　furs；　their　strongest　dogs；　their　best　meats；　but　I　sold

the　hooch　with　discretion；　and　only　those　were　favoured　that

brought　flour　and　molasses　and　sugar。　　And　such　stores　poured　in

that　I　set　Moosu　to　build　a　cache　to　hold　them；　for　there　was　soon

no　space　in　the　igloo。　　Ere　three　days　had　passed　Tummasook　had

gone　bankrupt。　　The　shaman；　who　was　never　more　than　half　drunk

after　the　first　night；　watched　me　closely　and　hung　on　for　the

better　part　of　the　week。　　But　before　ten　days　were　gone；　even　the


woman　Ipsukuk　exhausted　her　provisions；　and　went　home　weak　and

tottery。



〃But　Moosu　complained。　　'O　master；'　he　said；　'we　have　laid　by　great

wealth　in　molasses　and　sugar　and　flour；　but　our　shack　is　yet　mean；

our　clothes　thin；　and　our　sleeping　furs　mangy。　　There　is　a　call　of

the　belly　for　meat　the　stench　of　which　offends　not　the　stars；　and

for　tea　such　as　Tummasook　guzzles；　and　there　is　a　great　yearning

for　the　tobacco　of　Neewak；　who　is　shaman　and　who　plans　to　destroy

us。　　I　have　flour　until　I　am　sick；　and　sugar　and　molasses　without

stint；　yet　is　the　heart　of　Moosu　sore　and　his　bed　empty。'



〃'Peace！'　I　answered；　'thou　art　weak　of　understanding　and　a　fool。

Walk　softly　and　wait；　and　we　will　grasp　it　all。　　But　grasp　now；　and

we　grasp　little；　and　in　the　end　it　will　be　nothing。　　Thou　art　a

child　in　the　way　of　the　white　man's　wisdom。　　Hold　thy　tongue　and

watch；　and　I　will　show　you　the　way　my　brothers　do　overseas；　and；　so

doing；　gather　to　themselves　the　riches　of　the　earth。　　It　is　what　is

called　〃business；〃　and　what　dost　thou　know　about　business？'



〃But　the　next　day　he　came　in　breathless。　　'O　master；　a　strange

thing　happeneth　in　the　igloo　of　Neewak；　the　shaman；　wherefore　we

are　lost；　and　we　have　neither　worn　the　warm　furs　nor　tasted　the

good　tobacco；　what　of　your　madness　for　the　molasses　and　flour。　　Go

thou　and　witness　whilst　I　watch　by　the　brew。'



〃So　I　went　to　the　igloo　of　Neewak。　　And　behold；　he　had　made　his　own

still；　fashioned　cunningly　after　mine。　　And　as　he　beheld　me　he

could　ill　conceal　his　triumph。　　For　he　was　a　man　of　parts；　and　his

sleep　with　the　gods　when　in　my　igloo　had　not　been　sound。



〃But　I　was　not　disturbed；　for　I　knew　what　I　knew；　and　when　I

returned　to　my　own　igloo；　I　descanted　to　Moosu；　and　said：　　'Happily

the　property　right　obtains　amongst　this　people；　who　otherwise　have

been　blessed　with　but　few　of　the　institutions　of　men。　　And　because

of　this　respect　for　property　shall　you　and　I　wax　fat；　and；　further；

we　shall　introduce　amongst　them　new　institutions　that　other　peoples

have　worked　out　through　great　travail　and　suffering。'



〃But　Moosu　understood　dimly；　till　the　shaman　came　forth；　with　eyes

flashing　and　a　threatening　note　in　his　voice；　and　demanded　to　trade

with　me。　　'For　look　you；'　he　cried；　'there　be　of　flour　and　molasses

none　in　all　the　village。　　The　like　have　you　gathered　with　a　shrewd

hand　from　my　people；　who　have　slept　with　your　gods　and　who　now　have

nothing　save　large　heads；　and　weak　knees；　and　a　thirst　for　cold

water　that　they　cannot　quench。　　This　is　not　good；　and　my　voice　has

power　among　them；　so　it　were　well　that　we　trade；　you　and　I；　even　as

you　have　traded　with　them；　for　molasses　and　flour。