02-the son of the wolf-第4章

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

afoot　this　night。　Good！　Talk　flows　from　his　tongue　like　the　freshets

of　the　spring；　but　he　is　chary　of　deeds。　This　night　shall　I　do

battle　with　the　Wolf。　I　shall　slay　him；　and　Zarinska　shall　sit　by　my

fire。　The　Bear　has　spoken。'

　　Though　pandemonium　raged　about　him；　'Scruff'　Mackenzie　held　his

ground。　Aware　how　useless　was　the　rifle　at　close　quarters；　he

slipped　both　holsters　to　the　fore；　ready　for　action；　and　drew　his

mittens　till　his　hands　were　barely　shielded　by　the　elbow　gauntlets。　He

knew　there　was　no　hope　in　attack　en　masse；　but　true　to　his　boast；

was　prepared　to　die　with　teeth　fast…locked。　But　the　Bear　restrained

his　comrades；　beating　back　the　more　impetuous　with　his　terrible

fist。　As　the　tumult　began　to　die　away；　Mackenzie　shot　a　glance　in

the　direction　of　Zarinska。　It　was　a　superb　picture。　She　was　leaning

forward　on　her　snow…shoes；　lips　apart　and　nostrils　quivering；　like　a

tigress　about　to　spring。　Her　great　black　eyes　were　fixed　upon　her

tribesmen；　in　fear　and　defiance。　So　extreme　the　tension；　she　had

forgotten　to　breathe。　With　one　hand　pressed　spasmodically　against

her　breast　and　the　other　as　tightly　gripped　about　the　dog…whip；　she

was　as　turned　to　stone。　Even　as　he　looked；　relief　came　to　her。　Her

muscles　loosened；　with　a　heavy　sigh　she　settled　back；　giving　him　a

look　of　more　than　love…　of　worship。

　　Thling…Tinneh　was　trying　to　speak；　but　his　people　drowned　his　voice。

Then　Mackenzie　strode　forward。　The　Fox　opened　his　mouth　to　a

piercing　yell；　but　so　savagely　did　Mackenzie　whirl　upon　him　that　he

shrank　back；　his　larynx　all　agurgle　with　suppressed　sound。　His

discomfiture　was　greeted　with　roars　of　laughter；　and　served　to

soothe　his　fellows　to　a　listening　mood。

　　'Brothers！　The　White　Man；　whom　ye　have　chosen　to　call　the　Wolf；　came

among　you　with　fair　words。　He　was　not　like　the　Innuit；　he　spoke　not

lies。　He　came　as　a　friend；　as　one　who　would　be　a　brother。　But　your　men

have　had　their　say；　and　the　time　for　soft　words　is　past。　First；　I　will

tell　you　that　the　Shaman　has　an　evil　tongue　and　is　a　false　prophet；

that　the　messages　he　spake　are　not　those　of　the　Fire…Bringer。　His　ears

are　locked　to　the　voice　of　the　Raven；　and　out　of　his　own　head　he

weaves　cunning　fancies；　and　he　has　made　fools　of　you。　He　has　no　power。

When　the　dogs　were　killed　and　eaten；　and　your　stomachs　were　heavy　with

untanned　hide　and　strips　of　moccasins；　when　the　old　men　died；　and

the　old　women　died；　and　the　babes　at　the　dry　dugs　of　the　mothers　died；

when　the　land　was　dark；　and　ye　perished　as　do　the　salmon　in　the

fall；　aye；　when　the　famine　was　upon　you；　did　the　Shaman　bring　reward

to　your　hunters？　did　the　Shaman　put　meat　in　your　bellies？　Again　I　say；

the　Shaman　is　without　power。　Thus　I　spit　upon　his　face！'

　　Though　taken　aback　by　the　sacrilege；　there　was　no　uproar。　Some　of

the　women　were　even　frightened；　but　among　the　men　there　was　an

uplifting；　as　though　in　preparation　or　anticipation　of　the　miracle。

All　eyes　were　turned　upon　the　two　central　figures。　The　priest　realized

the　crucial　moment；　felt　his　power　tottering；　opened　his　mouth　in

denunciation；　but　fled　backward　before　the　truculent　advance；　upraised

fist；　and　flashing　eyes；　of　Mackenzie。　He　sneered　and　resumed。

　　Was　I　stricken　dead？　Did　the　lightning　burn　me？　Did　the　stars　fall

from　the　sky　and　crush　me？　Pish！　I　have　done　with　the　dog。　Now　will

I　tell　you　of　my　people；　who　are　the　mightiest　of　all　the　peoples；　who

rule　in　all　the　lands。　At　first　we　hunt　as　I　hunt；　alone。　After　that

we　hunt　in　packs；　and　at　last；　like　the　cariboo…run；　we　sweep　across

all　the　land。　Those　whom　we　take　into　our　lodges　live；　those　who

will　not　come　die。　Zarinska　is　a　comely　maiden；　full　and　strong；　fit

to　become　the　mother　of　Wolves。　Though　I　die；　such　shall　she　become；

for　my　brothers　are　many；　and　they　will　follow　the　scent　of　my　dogs。

Listen　to　the　Law　of　the　Wolf：　Whoso　taketh　the　life　of　one　Wolf；

the　forfeit　shall　ten　of　his　people　pay。　In　many　lands　has　the　price

been　paid；　in　many　lands　shall　it　yet　be　paid。

　　'Now　will　I　deal　with　the　Fox　and　the　Bear。　It　seems　they　have

cast　eyes　upon　the　maiden。　So？　Behold；　I　have　bought　her！

Thling…Tinneh　leans　upon　the　rifle；　the　goods　of　purchase　are　by　his

fire。　Yet　will　I　be　fair　to　the　young　men。　To　the　Fox；　whose　tongue　is

dry　with　many　words；　will　I　give　of　tobacco　five　long　plugs。　Thus　will

his　mouth　be　wetted　that　he　may　make　much　noise　in　the　council。　But　to

the　Bear；　of　whom　I　am　well　proud；　will　I　give　of　blankets　two；　of

flour；　twenty　cups；　of　tobacco；　double　that　of　the　Fox；　and　if　he　fare

with　me　over　the　Mountains　of　the　East；　then　will　I　give　him　a

rifle；　mate　to　Thling…Tinneh's。　If　not？　Good！　The　Wolf　is　weary　of

speech。　Yet　once　again　will　he　say　the　Law：　Whoso　taketh　the　life　of

one　Wolf；　the　forfeit　shall　ten　of　his　people　pay。'

　　Mackenzie　smiled　as　he　stepped　back　to　his　old　position；　but　at

heart　he　was　full　of　trouble。　The　night　was　yet　dark。　The　girl　came　to

his　side；　and　he　listened　closely　as　she　told　of　the　Bear's

battle…tricks　with　the　knife。

　　The　decision　was　for　war。　In　a　trice；　scores　of　moccasins　were

widening　the　space　of　beaten　snow　by　the　fire。　There　was　much

chatter　about　the　seeming　defeat　of　the　Shaman；　some　averred　he　had

but　withheld　his　power；　while　others　conned　past　events　and　agreed

with　the　Wolf。　The　Bear　came　to　the　center　of　the　battle…ground；　a

long　naked　hunting…knife　of　Russian　make　in　his　hand。　The　Fox　called

attention　to　Mackenzie's　revolvers；　so　he　stripped　his　belt；

buckling　it　about　Zarinska；　into　whose　hands　he　also　entrusted　his

rifle。　She　shook　her　head　that　she　could　not　shoot；…　small　chance

had　a　woman　to　handle　such　precious　things。

　　'Then；　if　danger　come　by　my　back；　cry　aloud；　〃My　husband！〃　No；　thus；

〃My　husband！〃'

　　He　laughed　as　she　repeated　it；　pinched　her　cheek；　and　reentered

the　circle。　Not　only　in　reach　and　stature　had　the　Bear　the　advantage

of　him；　but　his　blade　was　longer　by　a　good　two　inches。　'Scruff'

Mackenzie　had　looked　into　the　eyes　of　men　before；　and　he　knew　it　was　a

man　who　stood　against　him；　yet　he　quickened　to　the　glint　of　light　on

the　steel；　to　the　dominant　pulse　of　his　race。

　　Time　and　again　he　was　forced　to　the　edge　of　the　fire　or　the　deep

snow；　and　time　and　again；　with　the　foot　tactics　of　the　pugilist；　he

worked　back　to　the　center。　Not　a　voice　was　lifted　in　encouragement；

while　his　antagonist　was　heartened　with　applause；　suggestions；　and

warnings。　But　his　teeth　only　shut　the　tighter　as　the　knives　clashed

together；　and　he　thrust　or　eluded　with　a　coolness　born　of　conscious

strength。　At　first　he　felt　compassion　for　his　enemy；　but　this　fled

before　the　primal　instinct　of　life；　which　in　turn　gave　way　to　the　lust

of　slaughter。　The　ten　thousand　years　of　culture　fell　from　him；　and

he　was　a　cave…dweller；　doing　battle　for　his　female。

　　Twice　he　pricked　the　Bear；　getting　away　unscathed；　but　the　third

time　caught；　and　to　save　himself；　free　hands　closed　on　fighting　hands；

and　they　came　together。　Then　did　he　realize　the　tremendous　strength　of

his　opponent。　His　muscles　were　knotted　in　painful　lumps；　and　cords　and

tendons　threatened　to　snap　with　the　strain；　yet　nearer　and　nearer　came

the　Russian　steel。　He　tried　to　break　away；　but　only　weakened

himself。　The　fur…clad　circle　closed　in；　certain　of　and　anxious　to

see　the　final　stroke。　But　with　wrestler's　trick；　swinging　partly　to

the　side；　he　struck　at　his　adversary　with　his　head。　Involuntarily

the　Bear　leaned　back；　disturbing　his　center　of　gravity。　Simultaneous

with　this；　Mackenzie　tripped　properly　and　threw　his　whole　weight

forward；　hurling　him　clear　through　the　circle　into　the　deep　snow。

The　Bear　floundered　out　and　came　back　full　tilt。

　　'O　my　husband！'　Zarinska's　voice　rang　out；　vibrant　with　danger。

　　To　the　twang　of　a　bow…string；　Mackenzie　swept　low　to　the　ground；　and

a　bone…barbed　arrow　passed　over　him　into　the　breast　of　the　Bear；　whose

momentum