按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 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 whic