02-the son of the wolf-第2章

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exclamation　brought　him　back　to　the　girl's　side。　She　brought　herself

to　her　knees　on　the　bearskin　mat；　her　face　aglow　with　true

Eve…light；　and　shyly　unbuckled　his　heavy　belt。　He　looked　down；

perplexed；　suspicious；　his　ears　alert　for　the　slightest　sound　without。

But　her　next　move　disarmed　his　doubt；　and　he　smiled　with　pleasure。　She

took　from　her　sewing　bag　a　moosehide　sheath；　brave　with　bright

beadwork；　fantastically　designed。　She　drew　his　great　hunting…knife；

gazed　reverently　along　the　keen　edge；　half　tempted　to　try　it　with

her　thumb；　and　shot　it　into　place　in　its　new　home。　Then　she　slipped

the　sheath　along　the　belt　to　its　customary　resting…place；　just　above

the　hip。

　　For　all　the　world；　it　was　like　a　scene　of　olden　time；…　a　lady　and

her　knight。　Mackenzie　drew　her　up　full　height　and　swept　her　red　lips

with　his　moustache；…　the；　to　her；　foreign　caress　of　the　Wolf。　It　was　a

meeting　of　the　stone　age　and　the　steel；　but　she　was　none　the　less　a

woman；　as　her　crimson　cheeks　and　the　luminous　softness　of　her　eyes

attested。

　　There　was　a　thrill　of　excitement　in　the　air　as　'Scruff'　Mackenzie；　a

bulky　bundle　under　his　arm；　threw　open　the　flap　of　Thling…Tinneh's

tent。　Children　were　running　about　in　the　open；　dragging　dry　wood　to

the　scene　of　the　potlach；　a　babble　of　women's　voices　was　growing　in

intensity；　the　young　men　were　consulting　in　sullen　groups；　while

from　the　Shaman's　lodge　rose　the　eerie　sounds　of　an　incantation。

　　The　chief　was　alone　with　his　blear…eyed　wife；　but　a　glance

sufficed　to　tell　Mackenzie　that　the　news　was　already　told。　So　he

plunged　at　once　into　the　business；　shifting　the　beaded　sheath

prominently　to　the　fore　as　advertisement　of　the　betrothal。

　　'O　Thling…Tinneh；　mighty　chief　of　the　Sticks　And　the　land　of　the

Tanana；　ruler　of　the　salmon　and　the　bear；　the　moose　and　the　cariboo！

The　White　Man　is　before　thee　with　a　great　purpose。　Many　moons　has

his　lodge　been　empty；　and　he　is　lonely。　And　his　heart　has　eaten　itself

in　silence；　and　grown　hungry　for　a　woman　to　sit　beside　him　in　his

lodge；　to　meet　him　from　the　hunt　with　warm　fire　and　good　food。　He

has　heard　strange　things；　the　patter　of　baby　moccasins　and　the　sound

of　children's　voices。　And　one　night　a　vision　came　upon　him；　and　he

beheld　the　Raven；　who　is　thy　father；　the　great　Raven；　who　is　the

father　of　all　the　Sticks。　And　the　Raven　spake　to　the　lonely　White　Man；

saying：　〃Bind　thou　thy　moccasins　upon　thee；　and　gird　thy　snow…shoes

on；　and　lash　thy　sled　with　food　for　many　sleeps　and　fine　tokens　for

the　Chief　Thling…Tinneh。　For　thou　shalt　turn　thy　face　to　where　the

midspring　sun　is　wont　to　sink　below　the　land　and　journey　to　this　great

chief's　hunting…grounds。　There　thou　shalt　make　big　presents；　and

Thling…Tinneh；　who　is　my　son；　shall　become　to　thee　as　a　father。　In　his

lodge　there　is　a　maiden　into　whom　I　breathed　the　breath　of　life　for

thee。　This　maiden　shalt　thou　take　to　wife。〃

　　'O　Chief；　thus　spake　the　great　Raven；　thus　do　I　lay　many　presents　at

thy　feet；　thus　am　I　come　to　take　thy　daughter！'

　　The　old　man　drew　his　furs　about　him　with　crude　consciousness　of

royalty；　but　delayed　reply　while　a　youngster　crept　in；　delivered　a

quick　message　to　appear　before　the　council；　and　was　gone。

　　'O　White　Man；　whom　we　have　named　Moose…Killer；　also　known　as　the

Wolf；　and　the　Son　of　the　Wolf！　We　know　thou　comest　of　a　mighty　race；

we　are　proud　to　have　thee　our　potlach…guest；　but　the　king…salmon

does　not　mate　with　the　dog…salmon；　nor　the　Raven　with　the　Wolf。'

　　'Not　so！'　cried　Mackenzie。　'The　daughters　of　the　Raven　have　I　met　in

the　camps　of　the　Wolf；…　the　squaw　of　Mortimer；　the　squaw　of

Tregidgo；　the　squaw　of　Barnaby；　who　came　two　ice…runs　back；　and　I　have

heard　of　other　squaws；　though　my　eyes　beheld　them　not。'

　　'Son；　your　words　are　true；　but　it　were　evil　mating；　like　the　water

with　the　sand；　like　the　snow…flake　with　the　sun。　But　met　you　one　Mason

and　his　squaw'　No？　He　came　ten　ice…runs　ago；…　the　first　of　all　the

Wolves。　And　with　him　there　was　a　mighty　man；　straight　as　a

willow…shoot；　and　tall；　strong　as　the　bald…faced　grizzly；　with　a　heart

like　the　full　summer　moon；　his…'

　　'Oh！'　interrupted　Mackenzie；　recognizing　the　well…known　Northland

figure；　'Malemute　Kid！'

　　'The　same；…　a　mighty　man。　But　saw　you　aught　of　the　squaw？　She　was

full　sister　to　Zarinska。'

　　'Nay；　Chief；　but　I　have　heard。　Mason…　far；　far　to　the　north；　a

spruce…tree；　heavy　with　years；　crushed　out　his　life　beneath。　But　his

love　was　great；　and　he　had　much　gold。　With　this；　and　her　boy；　she

journeyed　countless　sleeps　toward　the　winter's　noonday　sun；　and

there　she　yet　lives；…　no　biting　frost；　no　snow；　no　summer's　midnight

sun；　no　winter's　noonday　night。'

　　A　second　messenger　interrupted　with　imperative　summons　from　the

council。　As　Mackenzie　threw　him　into　the　snow；　he　caught　a　glimpse

of　the　swaying　forms　before　the　council…fire；　heard　the　deep　basses　of

the　men　in　rhythmic　chant；　and　knew　the　Shaman　was　fanning　the　anger

of　his　people。　Time　pressed。　He　turned　upon　the　chief。

　　'Come！　I　wish　thy　child。　And　now；　see！　Here　are　tobacco；　tea；　many

cups　of　sugar；　warm　blankets；　handkerchiefs；　both　good　and　large；

and　here；　a　true　rifle；　with　many　bullets　and　much　powder。'

　　'Nay；'　replied　the　old　man；　struggling　against　the　great　wealth

spread　before　him。　'Even　now　are　my　people　come　together。　They　will

not　have　this　marriage。'

　　'But　thou　art　chief。'

　　'Yet　do　my　young　men　rage　because　the　Wolves　have　taken　their

maidens　so　that　they　may　not　marry。'

　　'Listen；　O　Thling…Tinneh！　Ere　the　night　has　passed　into　the　day；　the

Wolf　shall　face　his　dogs　to　the　Mountains　of　the　East　and　fare　forth

to　the　Country　of　the　Yukon。　And　Zarinska　shall　break　trail　for　his

dogs。'

　　'And　ere　the　night　has　gained　its　middle；　my　young　men　may　fling

to　the　dogs　the　flesh　of　the　Wolf；　and　his　bones　be　scattered　in　the

snow　till　the　springtime　lay　them　bare。'

　　It　was　threat　and　counter…threat。　Mackenzie's　bronzed　face　flushed

darkly。　He　raised　his　voice。　The　old　squaw；　who　till　now　had　sat　an

impassive　spectator；　made　to　creep　by　him　for　the　door。　The　song　of

the　men　broke　suddenly　and　there　was　a　hubbub　of　many　voices　as　he

whirled　the　old　woman　roughly　to　her　couch　of　skins。

　　'Again　I　cry…　listen；　O　Thling…Tinneh！　The　Wolf　dies　with　teeth

fast…locked；　and　with　him　there　shall　sleep　ten　of　thy　strongest　men；…

men　who　are　needed；　for　the　hunting　is　not　begun；　and　the　fishing　is

not　many　moons　away。　And　again；　of　what　profit　should　I　die？　I　know

the　custom　of　thy　people；　thy　share　of　my　wealth　shall　be　very

small。　Grant　me　thy　child；　and　it　shall　all　be　thine。　And　yet　again；

my　brothers　will　come；　and　they　are　many；　and　their　maws　are　never

filled；　and　the　daughters　of　the　Raven　shall　bear　children　in　the

lodges　of　the　Wolf。　My　people　are　greater　than　thy　people。　It　is

destiny。　Grant；　and　all　this　wealth　is　thine。'

　　Moccasins　were　crunching　the　snow　without。　Mackenzie　threw　his　rifle

to　cock；　and　loosened　the　twin　Colts　in　his　belt。

　　'Grant；　O　Chief！'

　　'And　yet　will　my　people　say　no。'

　　'Grant；　and　the　wealth　is　thine。　Then　shall　I　deal　with　thy　people

after。'

　　'The　Wolf　will　have　it　so。　I　will　take　his　tokens；…　but　I　would　warn

him。'

　　Mackenzie　passed　over　the　goods；　taking　care　to　clog　the　rifle's

ejector；　and　capping　the　bargain　with　a　kaleidoscopic　silk　kerchief。

The　Shaman　and　half　a　dozen　young　braves　entered；　but　he　shouldered

boldly　among　them　and　passed　out。

　　'Pack！'　was　his　laconic　greeting　to　Zarinska　as　he　passed　her

lodge　and　hurried　to　harness　his　dogs。　A　few　minutes　later　he　swept

into　the　council　at　the　head　of　the　team；　the　woman　by　his　side。　He

took　his　place　at　the　upper　end　of　the　oblong；　by　the　side　of　the

chief。　To　his　left；　a　step　to　the　rear；　he　stationed　Zarinska；…　her

proper　place。　Besides；　the　time　was　ripe　for　mischief；　and　there　was

need　to　guard　his　back。

　　On　either　side；　the　men　crouched　to　the　fire；　their　voices　lifted　in

a　folk…chant　out　of　the