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！
so； till his bones cracked like dry sticks。 Thus I found him； very
sick and groaning upon the ground。 And there was no meat； nor
could I kill aught that the sick man might eat。
〃So I said； 'I will go to Nulato and bring thee food； also strong
men to carry thee to camp。' And Kamo…tah said； 'Go thou to Nulato
and get food； but say no word of what has befallen me。 And when I
have eaten； and am grown well and strong； I will kill this bear。
Then will I return in honor to Nulato； and no man may laugh and say
Kamo…tah was undone by a bear。'
〃So I gave heed to my brother's words； and when I was come to
Nulato； and the Russian； Ivan； laid the lash of his dog…whip upon
me； I knew I must not fight。 For no man knew of Kamo…tah； sick and
groaning and hungry； and did I fight with Ivan； and die； then would
my brother die； too。 So it was； Oona； that thou sawest me beaten
like a dog。
〃Then I heard the talk of the shamans and chiefs that the Russians
had brought strange sicknesses upon the people； and killed our men；
and stolen our women； and that the land must be made clean。 As I
say； I heard the talk； and I knew it for good talk； and I knew that
in the night the Russians were to be killed。 But there was my
brother； Kamo…tah； sick and groaning and with no meat； so I could
not stay and fight with the men and the boys not yet hunters。
〃And I took with me meat and fish； and the lash…marks of Ivan； and
I found Kamo…tah no longer groaning； but dead。 Then I went back to
Nulato； and； behold； there was no Nulato … only ashes where the
great fort had stood； and the bodies of many men。 And I saw the
Russians come up the Yukon in boats； fresh from the sea； many
Russians； and I saw Ivan creep forth from where he lay hid and make
talk with them。 And the next day I saw Ivan lead them upon the
trail of the tribe。 Even now are they upon the trail； and I am
here； Negore； but no coward。〃
〃This is a tale I hear；〃 said Oona； though her voice was gentler
than before。 〃Kamo…tah is dead and cannot speak for thee； and I
know only what I know； and I must know thee of my own eyes for no
coward。〃
Negore made an impatient gesture。
〃There be ways and ways；〃 she added。 〃Art thou willing to do no
less than what Old Kinoos hath done？〃
He nodded his head； and waited。
〃As thou hast said； they seek for us even now； these Russians。
Show them the way； Negore； even as Old Kinoos showed them the way；
so that they come； unprepared； to where we wait for them； in a
passage up the rocks。 Thou knowest the place； where the wall is
broken and high。 Then will we destroy them； even Ivan。 When they
cling like flies to the wall； and top is no less near than bottom；
our men shall fall upon them from above and either side； with
spears； and arrows； and guns。 And the women and children； from
above； shall loosen the great rocks and hurl them down upon them。
It will be a great day； for the Russians will be killed； the land
will be made clean； and Ivan； even Ivan who thrust out my father's
eyes and laid the lash of his dog…whip upon thee； will be killed。
Like a dog gone mad will he die； his breath crushed out of him
beneath the rocks。 And when the fighting begins； it is for thee；
Negore； to crawl secretly away so that thou be not slain。〃
〃Even so；〃 he answered。 〃Negore will show them the way。 And
then？〃
〃And then I shall be thy woman； Negore's woman； the brave man's
woman。 And thou shalt hunt meat for me and Old Kinoos； and I shall
cook thy food； and sew thee warm parkas and strong； and make thee
moccasins after the way of my people； which is a better way than
thy people's way。 And as I say； I shall be thy woman； Negore；
always thy woman。 And I shall make thy life glad for thee； so that
all thy days will be a song and laughter； and thou wilt know the
woman Oona as unlike all other women； for she has journeyed far；
and lived in strange places； and is wise in the ways of men and in
the ways they may be made glad。 And in thine old age will she
still make thee glad； and thy memory of her in the days of thy
strength will be sweet； for thou wilt know always that she was ease
to thee； and peace； and rest； and that beyond all women to other
men has she been woman to thee。〃
〃Even so；〃 said Negore； and the hunger for her ate at his heart；
and his arms went out for her as a hungry man's arms might go out
for food。
〃When thou hast shown the way； Negore；〃 she chided him； but her
eyes were soft； and warm； and he knew she looked upon him as woman
had never looked before。
〃It is well〃； he said； turning resolutely on his heel。 〃I go now
to make talk with the chiefs； so that they may know I am gone to
show the Russians the way。〃
〃Oh； Negore； my man！ my man！〃 she said to herself； as she watched
him go； but she said it so softly that even Old Kinoos did not
hear； and his ears were over keen； what of his blindness。
Three days later； having with craft ill…concealed his hiding…place；
Negore was dragged forth like a rat and brought before Ivan … 〃Ivan
the Terrible〃 he was known by the men who marched at his back。
Negore was armed with a miserable bone…barbed spear； and he kept
his rabbit…skin robe wrapped closely about him； and though the day
was warm he shivered as with an ague。 He shook his head that he
did not understand the speech Ivan put at him； and made that he was
very weary and sick； and wished only to sit down and rest； pointing
the while to his stomach in sign of his sickness； and shivering
fiercely。 But Ivan had with him a man from Pastolik who talked the
speech of Negore； and many and vain were the questions they asked
him concerning his tribe； till the man from Pastolik； who was
called Karduk； said：
〃It is the word of Ivan that thou shalt be lashed till thou diest
if thou dost not speak。 And know； strange brother； when I tell
thee the word of Ivan is the law； that I am thy friend and no
friend of Ivan。 For I come not willingly from my country by the
sea； and I desire greatly to live； wherefore I obey the will of my
master … as thou wilt obey； strange brother； if thou art wise； and
wouldst live。〃
〃Nay； strange brother；〃 Negore answered； 〃I know not the way my
people are gone； for I was sick； and they fled so fast my legs gave
out from under me； and I fell behind。〃
Negore waited while Karduk talked with Ivan。 Then Negore saw the
Russian's face go dark； and he saw the men step to either side of
him； snapping the lashes of their whips。 Whereupon he betrayed a
great fright； and cried aloud that he was a sick man and knew
nothing； but would tell what he knew。 And to such purpose did he
tell； that Ivan gave the word to his men to march； and on either
side of Negore marched the men with the whips； that he might not
run away。 And when he made that he was weak of his sickness； and
stumbled and walked not so fast as they walked； they laid their
lashes upon him till he screamed with pain and discovered new
strength。 And when Karduk told him all would he well with him when
they had overtaken his tribe； he asked； 〃And then may I rest and
move not？〃
Continually he asked； 〃And then may I rest and move not？〃
And while he appeared very sick and looked about him with dull
eyes； he noted the fighting strength of Ivan's men； and noted with
satisfaction that Ivan did not recognize him as the man he had
beaten before the gates of the fort。 It was a strange following
his dull eyes saw。 There were Slavonian hunters； fair…skinned and
mighty…muscled； short； squat Finns； with flat noses and round
faces； Siberian half…breeds； whose noses were more like eagle…
beaks； and lean； slant…eyed men； who bore in their veins the Mongol
and Tartar blood as well as the blood of the Slav。 Wild
adventurers they were； forayers and destroyers from the far lands
beyond the Sea of Bering； who blasted the new and unknown world
with fire and sword and clutched greedily for its wealth of fur and
hide。 Negore looked upon them with satisfaction； and in his mind's
eye he saw them crushed and lifeless at the passage up the rocks。
And ever he saw； waiting for him at the passage up the rocks； the
face and the form of Oona； and ever he heard her voice in his ears
and felt the soft； warm glow of her eyes。 But never did he forget
to shiver； nor to stumble where the footing was rough； nor to cry
aloud at the bite of the lash。 Also； he was afraid of Karduk； for
he knew him for no true man。 His was a false eye； and an easy
tongue … a tongue too easy； he judged； for the awkwardness of
honest speech。
All that day they marched。 And on the next； when Karduk asked him
at command of Ivan； he said he doubted they would meet with his
tribe till the morrow。 But Ivan； who had once been shown the way
by Old K