08-an odyssey of the north-第7部分

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as　though　each　step　might　be　my　last。　And　we　gathered　strength　from

our　moccasins。

　　'He　was　a　great　man。　His　soul　lifted　his　body　to　the　last；　nor　did

he　cry　aloud；　save　for　the　sake　of　Unga。　On　the　second　day　I

followed　him；　that　I　might　not　miss　the　end。　And　he　lay　down　to　rest

often。　That　night　he　was　near　gone；　but　in　the　morning　he　swore　weakly

and　went　forth　again。　He　was　like　a　drunken　man；　and　I　looked　many

times　for　him　to　give　up；　but　his　was　the　strength　of　the　strong；

and　his　soul　the　soul　of　a　giant；　for　he　lifted　his　body　through　all

the　weary　day。　And　he　shot　two　ptarmigan；　but　would　not　eat　them。　He

needed　no　fire；　they　meant　life；　but　his　thought　was　for　Unga；　and

he　turned　toward　camp。　He　no　longer　walked；　but　crawled　on　hand　and

knee　through　the　snow。　I　came　to　him；　and　read　death　in　his　eyes。　Even

then　it　was　not　too　late　to　eat　of　the　ptarmigan。　He　cast　away　his

rifle　and　carried　the　birds　in　his　mouth　like　a　dog。　I　walked　by　his

side；　upright。　And　he　looked　at　me　during　the　moments　he　rested；　and

wondered　that　I　was　so　strong。　I　could　see　it；　though　he　no　longer

spoke；　and　when　his　lips　moved；　they　moved　without　sound。　As　I　say；　he

was　a　great　man；　and　my　heart　spoke　for　softness；　but　I　read　back　in

my　life；　and　remembered　the　cold　and　hunger　of　the　endless　forest　by

the　Russian　seas。　Besides；　Unga　was　mine；　and　I　had　paid　for　her　an

untold　price　of　skin　and　boat　and　bead。

　　'And　in　this　manner　we　came　through　the　white　forest；　with　the

silence　heavy　upon　us　like　a　damp　sea　mist。　And　the　ghosts　of　the　past

were　in　the　air　and　all　about　us；　and　I　saw　the　yellow　beach　of

Akatan；　and　the　kayaks　racing　home　from　the　fishing；　and　the　houses　on

the　rim　of　the　forest。　And　the　men　who　had　made　themselves　chiefs　were

there；　the　lawgivers　whose　blood　I　bore　and　whose　blood　I　had　wedded

in　Unga。　Aye；　and　Yash…Noosh　walked　with　me；　the　wet　sand　in　his　hair；

and　his　war　spear；　broken　as　he　fell　upon　it；　still　in　his　hand。　And　I

knew　the　time　was　meet；　and　saw　in　the　eyes　of　Unga　the　promise。

　　'As　I　say；　we　came　thus　through　the　forest；　till　the　smell　of　the

camp　smoke　was　in　our　nostrils。　And　I　bent　above　him；　and　tore　the

ptarmigan　from　his　teeth。　He　turned　on　his　side　and　rested；　the　wonder

mounting　in　his　eyes；　and　the　hand　which　was　under　slipping　slow

toward　the　knife　at　his　hip。　But　I　took　it　from　him；　smiling　close

in　his　face。　Even　then　he　did　not　understand。　So　I　made　to　drink

from　black　bottles；　and　to　build　high　upon　the　snow　a　pile…　of

goods；　and　to　live　again　the　things　which　had　happened　on　the　night　of

my　marriage。　I　spoke　no　word；　but　he　understood。　Yet　was　he

unafraid。　There　was　a　sneer　to　his　lips；　and　cold　anger；　and　he

gathered　new　strength　with　the　knowledge。　It　was　not　far；　but　the　snow

was　deep；　and　he　dragged　himself　very　slow。　Once　he　lay　so　long　I

turned　him　over　and　gazed　into　his　eyes。　And　sometimes　he　looked

forth；　and　sometimes　death。　And　when　I　loosed　him　he　struggled　on

again。　In　this　way　we　came　to　the　fire。　Unga　was　at　his　side　on　the

instant。　His　lips　moved　without　sound；　then　he　pointed　at　me；　that

Unga　might　understand。　And　after　that　he　lay　in　the　snow；　very

still；　for　a　long　while。　Even　now　is　he　there　in　the　snow。

　　'I　said　no　word　till　I　had　cooked　the　ptarmigan。　Then　I　spoke　to

her；　in　her　own　tongue；　which　she　had　not　heard　in　many　years。　She

straightened　herself；　so；　and　her　eyes　were　wonder…wide；　and　she　asked

who　I　was；　and　where　I　had　learned　that　speech。

　　'〃I　am　Naass；〃　I　said。

　　'〃You？〃　she　said。　〃You？〃　And　she　crept　close　that　she　might　look

upon　me。

　　'〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃I　am　Naass；　head　man　of　Akatan；　the　last　of　the

blood；　as　you　are　the　last　of　the　blood。〃

　　'And　she　laughed。　By　all　the　things　I　have　seen　and　the　deeds　I　have

done　may　I　never　hear　such　a　laugh　again。　It　put　the　chill　to　my　soul；

sitting　there　in　the　White　Silence；　alone　with　death　and　this　woman

who　laughed。

　　'〃Come！〃　I　said；　for　I　thought　she　wandered。　〃Eat　of　the　food　and

let　us　be　gone。　It　is　a　far　fetch　from　here　to　Akatan。〃

　　'But　she　shoved　her　face　in　his　yellow　mane；　and　laughed　till　it

seemed　the　heavens　must　fall　about　our　ears。　I　had　thought　she　would

be　overjoyed　at　the　sight　of　me；　and　eager　to　go　back　to　the　memory　of

old　times；　but　this　seemed　a　strange　form　to　take。

　　'〃Come！'　I　cried；　taking　her　strong　by　the　hand。　〃The　way　is　long

and　dark。　Let　us　hurry！'

　　'〃Where？〃　she　asked；　sitting　up；　and　ceasing　from　her　strange　mirth。

　　'〃To　Akatan；〃　I　answered；　intent　on　the　light　to　grow　on　her　face　at

the　thought。　But　it　became　like　his；　with　a　sneer　to　the　lips；　and

cold　anger。

　　'〃Yes；'　she　said；　〃we　will　go；　hand　in　hand；　to　Akatan；　you　and　I。

And　we　will　live　in　the　dirty　huts；　and　eat　of　the　fish　and　oil；　and

bring　forth　a　spawn…　a　spawn　to　be　proud　of　all　the　days　of　our

life。　We　will　forget　the　world　and　be　happy；　very　happy。　It　is　good；

most　good。　Come！　Let　us　hurry。　Let　us　go　back　to　Akatan。〃

　　'And　she　ran　her　hand　through　his　yellow　hair；　and　smiled　in　a　way

which　was　not　good。　And　there　was　no　promise　in　her　eyes。

　　'I　sat　silent；　and　marveled　at　the　strangeness　of　woman。　I　went　back

to　the　night　when　he　dragged　her　from　me　and　she　screamed　and　tore

at　his　hair…　at　his　hair　which　now　she　played　with　and　would　not

leave。　Then　I　remembered　the　price　and　the　long　years　of　waiting；

and　I　gripped　her　close；　and　dragged　her　away　as　he　had　done。　And

she　held　back；　even　as　on　that　night；　and　fought　like　a　she…cat　for

its　whelp。　And　when　the　fire　was　between　us　and　the　man。　I　loosed　her；

and　she　sat　and　listened。　And　I　told　her　of　all　that　lay　between；　of

all　that　had　happened　to　me　on　strange　seas；　of　all　that　I　had　done　in

strange　lands；　of　my　weary　quest；　and　the　hungry　years；　and　the

promise　which　had　been　mine　from　the　first。　Aye；　I　told　all；　even　to

what　had　passed　that　day　between　the　man　and　me；　and　in　the　days　yet

young。　And　as　I　spoke　I　saw　the　promise　grow　in　her　eyes；　full　and

large　like　the　break　of　dawn。　And　I　read　pity　there；　the　tenderness　of

woman；　the　love；　the　heart　and　the　soul　of　Unga。　And　I　was　a　stripling

again；　for　the　look　was　the　look　of　Unga　as　she　ran　up　the　beach；

laughing；　to　the　home　of　her　mother。　The　stern　unrest　was　gone；　and

the　hunger；　and　the　weary　waiting。　The　time　was　met。　I　felt　the　call

of　her　breast；　and　it　seemed　there　I　must　pillow　my　head　and　forget。

She　opened　her　arms　to　me；　and　I　came　against　her。　Then；　sudden；　the

hate　flamed　in　her　eye；　her　hand　was　at　my　hip。　And　once；　twice；　she

passed　the　knife。

　　'〃Dog！〃　she　sneered；　as　she　flung　me　into　the　snow。　〃Swine！〃　And

then　she　laughed　till　the　silence　cracked；　and　went　back　to　her　dead。

　　'As　I　say；　once　she　passed　the　knife；　and　twice；　but　she　was　weak

with　hunger；　and　it　was　not　meant　that　I　should　die。　Yet　was　I

minded　to　stay　in　that　place；　and　to　close　my　eyes　in　the　last　long

sleep　with　those　whose　lives　had　crossed　with　mine　and　led　my　feet

on　unknown　trails。　But　there　lay　a　debt　upon　me　which　would　not　let　me

rest。

　　'And　the　way　was　long；　the　cold　bitter；　and　there　was　little　grub。

The　Pellys　had　found　no　moose；　and　had　robbed　my　cache。　And　so　had　the

three　white　men；　but　they　lay　thin　and　dead　in　their　cabins　as　I

passed。　After　that　I　do　not　remember；　till　I　came　here；　and　found　food

and　fire…　much　fire。'

　　As　he　finished；　he　crouched　closely；　even　jealously；　over　the　stove。

For　a　long　while　the　slush…lamp　shadows　played　tragedies　upon　the

wall。

　　'But　Unga！'　cried　Prince；　the　vision　still　strong　upon　him。

　　'Unga？　She　would　not　eat　of　the　ptarmigan。　She　lay　with　her　arms

about　his　neck；　her　face　deep　in　his　yellow　hair。　I　drew　the　fire

close；　that　she　might　not　feel　the　frost；　but　she　crept　to　the　other

side。　And　I　built　a　fire　there；　yet　it　was　little　good；　for　she

would　not　eat。　And　in　this　manner　they　still　lie　up　there　in　the

snow。'

　　'And　you？'　asked　Malemute　Kid。

　　'I　do　not　know；　but　Akatan　is　small；　and　I　have　little　wish　to　go

back　and　live　on　the　edge　of　the　world。　Yet　is　there　small　use　in

life。　I　can　go　to　Constantine；　and　he　will　put　irons　upon　me；　and

one　day　they　will　tie　a　piece　of　rope；　so；　and　I　will　sleep　good。　Yet…

no；　I　do　not　know。'

　　'But；　Kid；'　protested　Prince；　'this　is　murder！'

　　'Hush！'　commanded　Malemute　Kid。　'There　be　things　greater　than　our

wisdom；　beyond　our　justice。　The　right　and　the　wrong　of　this　we

cannot　say；　and　it　is　not　for　us　to　judge。'

　　Naass　drew　yet　closer　to　the　fire。　There　was　a　great　silence；　and　in

each　man's　eyes　many　pictures　came　and　went。



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