02-the son of the wolf-第3章

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need　to　guard　his　back。

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

a　folk…chant　out　of　the　forgotten　past。　Full　of　strange；　halting

cadences　and　haunting　recurrences；　it　was　not　beautiful。　'Fearful'　may

inadequately　express　it。　At　the　lower　end；　under　the　eye　of　the

Shaman；　danced　half　a　score　of　women。　Stern　were　his　reproofs　of　those

who　did　not　wholly　abandon　themselves　to　the　ecstasy　of　the　rite。　Half

hidden　in　their　heavy　masses　of　raven　hair；　all　dishevelled　and

falling　to　their　waists；　they　slowly　swayed　to　and　fro；　their　forms

rippling　to　an　ever…changing　rhythm。

　　It　was　a　weird　scene；　an　anachronism。　To　the　south；　the　nineteenth

century　was　reeling　off　the　few　years　of　its　last　decade；　here

flourished　man　primeval；　a　shade　removed　from　the　prehistoric

cave…dweller；　forgotten　fragment　of　the　Elder　World。　The　tawny

wolf…dogs　sat　between　their　skin…clad　masters　or　fought　for　room；

the　firelight　cast　backward　from　their　red　eyes　and　dripping　fangs。

The　woods；　in　ghostly　shroud；　slept　on　unheeding。　The　White　Silence；

for　the　moment　driven　to　the　rimming　forest；　seemed　ever　crushing

inward；　the　stars　danced　with　great　leaps；　as　is　their　wont　in　the

time　of　the　Great　Cold；　while　the　Spirits　of　the　Pole　trailed　their

robes　of　glory　athwart　the　heavens。

　　'Scruff'　Mackenzie　dimly　realized　the　wild　grandeur　of　the　setting

as　his　eyes　ranged　down　the　fur…fringed　sides　in　quest　of　missing

faces。　They　rested　for　a　moment　on　a　newborn　babe；　suckling　at　its

mother's　naked　breast。　It　was　forty　below；…　seven　and　odd　degrees　of

frost。　He　thought　of　the　tender　women　of　his　own　race　and　smiled

grimly。　Yet　from　the　loins　of　some　such　tender　woman　had　he　sprung

with　a　kingly　inheritance；…　an　inheritance　which　gave　to　him　and　his

dominance　over　the　land　and　sea；　over　the　animals　and　the　peoples　of

all　the　zones。　Single…handed　against　fivescore；　girt　by　the　Arctic

winter；　far　from　his　own；　he　felt　the　prompting　of　his　heritage；　the

desire　to　possess；　the　wild　danger…　love；　the　thrill　of　battle；　the

power　to　conquer　or　to　die。

　　The　singing　and　the　dancing　ceased；　and　the　Shaman　flared　up　in　rude

eloquence。　Through　the　sinuosities　of　their　vast　mythology；　he

worked　cunningly　upon　the　credulity　of　his　people。　The　case　was

strong。　Opposing　the　creative　principles　as　embodied　in　the　Crow　and

the　Raven；　he　stigmatized　Mackenzie　as　the　Wolf；　the　fighting　and

the　destructive　principle。　Not　only　was　the　combat　of　these　forces

spiritual；　but　men　fought；　each　to　his　totem。　They　were　the　children

of　Jelchs；　the　Raven；　the　Promethean　fire…bringer；　Mackenzie　was　the

child　of　the　Wolf；　or　in　other　words；　the　Devil。　For　them　to　bring　a

truce　to　this　perpetual　warfare；　to　marry　their　daughters　to　the

arch…enemy；　were　treason　and　blasphemy　of　the　highest　order。　No　phrase

was　harsh　nor　figure　vile　enough　in　branding　Mackenzie　as　a　sneaking

interloper　and　emissary　of　Satan。　There　was　a　subdued；　savage　roar

in　the　deep　chests　of　his　listeners　as　he　took　the　swing　of　his

peroration。

　　'Aye；　my　brothers；　Jelchs　is　all…powerful！　Did　he　not　bring

heaven…borne　fire　that　we　might　be　warm？　Did　he　not　draw　the　sun；

moon；　and　stars；　from　their　holes　that　we　might　see？　Did　he　not

teach　us　that　we　might　fight　the　Spirits　of　Famine　and　of　Frost？　But

now　Jelchs　is　angry　with　his　children；　and　they　are　grown　to　a

handful；　and　he　will　not　help。　For　they　have　forgotten　him；　and　done

evil　things；　and　trod　bad　trails；　and　taken　his　enemies　into　their

lodges　to　sit　by　their　fires。　And　the　Raven　is　sorrowful　at　the

wickedness　of　his　children；　but　when　they　shall　rise　up　and　show

they　have　come　back；　he　will　come　out　of　the　darkness　to　aid　them。　O

brothers！　the　Fire…Bringer　has　whispered　messages　to　thy　Shaman；　the

same　shall　ye　hear。　Let　the　young　men　take　the　young　women　to　their

lodges；　let　them　fly　at　the　throat　of　the　Wolf；　let　them　be　undying　in

their　enmity！　Then　shall　their　women　become　fruitful　and　they　shall

multiply　into　a　mighty　people！　And　the　Raven　shall　lead　great　tribes

of　their　fathers　and　their　fathers'　fathers　from　out　of　the　North；　and

they　shall　beat　back　the　Wolves　till　they　are　as　last　year's

campfires；　and　they　shall　again　come　to　rule　over　all　the　land！　'Tis

the　message　of　Jelchs；　the　Raven。'

　　This　foreshadowing　of　the　Messiah's　coming　brought　a　hoarse　howl

from　the　Sticks　as　they　leaped　to　their　feet。　Mackenzie　slipped　the

thumbs　of　his　mittens　and　waited。　There　was　a　clamor　for　the　'Fox；'

not　to　be　stilled　till　one　of　the　young　men　stepped　forward　to　speak。

　　'Brothers！　The　Shaman　has　spoken　wisely。　The　Wolves　have　taken　our

women；　and　our　men　are　childless。　We　are　grown　to　a　handful。　The

Wolves　have　taken　our　warm　furs　and　given　for　them　evil　spirits

which　dwell　in　bottles；　and　clothes　which　come　not　from　the　beaver

or　the　lynx；　but　are　made　from　the　grass。　And　they　are　not　warm；　and

our　men　die　of　strange　sicknesses。　I；　the　Fox；　have　taken　no　woman

to　wife；　and　why？　Twice　have　the　maidens　which　pleased　me　gone　to

the　camps　of　the　Wolf。　Even　now　have　I　laid　by　skins　of　the　beaver；　of

the　moose；　of　the　cariboo；　that　I　might　win　favor　in　the　eyes　of

Thling…Tinneh；　that　I　might　marry　Zarinska；　his　daughter。　Even　now　are

her　snow…shoes　bound　to　her　feet；　ready　to　break　trail　for　the　dogs　of

the　Wolf。　Nor　do　I　speak　for　myself　alone。　As　I　have　done；　so　has

the　Bear。　He；　too；　had　fain　been　the　father　of　her　children；　and

many　skins　has　he　cured　thereto。　I　speak　for　all　the　young　men　who

know　not　wives。　The　Wolves　are　ever　hungry。　Always　do　they　take　the

choice　meat　at　the　killing。　To　the　Ravens　are　left　the　leavings。

　　'There　is　Gugkla；'　he　cried；　brutally　pointing　out　one　of　the　women；

who　was　a　cripple。　'Her　legs　are　bent　like　the　ribs　of　a　birch

canoe。　She　cannot　gather　wood　nor　carry　the　meat　of　the　hunters。　Did

the　Wolves　choose　her？'

　　'Ai！　ai！'　vociferated　his　tribesmen。

　　'There　is　Moyri；　whose　eyes　are　crossed　by　the　Evil　Spirit。　Even　the

babes　are　affrighted　when　they　gaze　upon　her；　and　it　is　said　the

bald…face　gives　her　the　trail。　Was　she　chosen？'

　　Again　the　cruel　applause　rang　out。

　　'And　there　sits　Pischet。　She　does　not　hearken　to　my　words。　Never　has

she　heard　the　cry　of　the　chit…chat；　the　voice　of　her　husband；　the

babble　of　her　child。　She　lives　in　the　White　Silence。　Cared　the

Wolves　aught　for　her？　No！　Theirs　is　the　choice　of　the　kill；　ours　is

the　leavings。

　　'Brothers；　it　shall　not　be！　No　more　shall　the　Wolves　slink　among　our

campfires。　The　time　is　come。'

　　A　great　streamer　of　fire；　the　aurora　borealis；　purple；　green；　and

yellow；　shot　across　the　zenith；　bridging　horizon　to　horizon。　With　head

thrown　back　and　arms　extended；　he　swayed　to　his　climax。

　　'Behold！　The　spirits　of　our　fathers　have　arisen　and　great　deeds

are　afoot　this　night！'

　　He　stepped　back；　and　another　young　man　somewhat　diffidently　came

forward；　pushed　on　by　his　comrades。　He　towered　a　full　head　above　them；

his　broad　chest　defiantly　bared　to　the　frost。　He　swung　tentatively

from　one　foot　to　the　other。　Words　halted　upon　his　tongue；　and　he　was

ill　at　ease。　His　face　was　horrible　to　look　upon；　for　it　had　at　one

time　been　half　torn　away　by　some　terrific　blow。　At　last　he　struck

his　breast　with　his　clenched　fist；　drawing　sound　as　from　a　drum；　and

his　voice　rumbled　forth　as　does　the　surf　from　an　ocean　cavern。

　　'I　am　the　Bear；…　the　Silver…Tip　and　the　Son　of　the　Silver…Tip！

When　my　voice　was　yet　as　a　girl's；　I　slew　the　lynx；　the　moose；　and　the

cariboo；　when　it　whistled　like　the　wolverines　from　under　a　cache；　I

crossed　the　Mountains　of　the　South　and　slew　three　of　the　White　Rivers；

when　it　became　as　the　roar　of　the　Chinook；　I　met　the　bald…faced

grizzly；　but　gave　no　trail。'

　　At　this　he　paused；　his　hand　significantly　sweeping　across　his

hideous　scars。

　　'I　am　not　as　the　Fox。　My　tongue　is　frozen　like　the　river。　I　cannot

make　great　talk。　My　words　are　few。　The　Fox　says　great　deeds　are

afoot　this　night。　Go