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！
tribe till the morrow。 But Ivan； who had once been shown the way
by Old Kinoos； and had found that way to lead through the white
water and a deadly fight； believed no more in anything。 So when
they came to a passage up the rocks； he halted his forty men； and
through Karduk demanded if the way were clear。
Negore looked at it shortly and carelessly。 It was a vast slide
that broke the straight wall of a cliff； and was overrun with brush
and creeping plants； where a score of tribes could have lain well
hidden。
He shook his head。 〃Nay； there be nothing there；〃 he said。 〃The
way is clear。〃
Again Ivan spoke to Karduk； and Karduk said：
〃Know； strange brother； if thy talk be not straight； and if thy
people block the way and fall upon Ivan and his men； that thou
shalt die； and at once。〃
〃My talk is straight；〃 Negore said。 〃The way is clear。〃
Still Ivan doubted； and ordered two of his Slavonian hunters to go
up alone。 Two other men he ordered to the side of Negore。 They
placed their guns against his breast and waited。 All waited。 And
Negore knew； should one arrow fly； or one spear be flung； that his
death would come upon him。 The two Slavonian hunters toiled upward
till they grew small and smaller； and when they reached the top and
waved their hats that all was well； they were like black specks
against the sky。
The guns were lowered from Negore's breast and Ivan gave the order
for his men to go forward。 Ivan was silent； lost in thought。 For
an hour he marched； as though puzzled； and then； through Karduk's
mouth； he said to Negore：
〃How didst thou know the way was clear when thou didst look so
briefly upon it？〃
Negore thought of the little birds he had seen perched among the
rocks and upon the bushes； and smiled； it was so simple； but he
shrugged his shoulders and made no answer。 For he was thinking；
likewise； of another passage up the rocks； to which they would soon
come； and where the little birds would all be gone。 And he was
glad that Karduk came from the Great Fog Sea； where there were no
trees or bushes； and where men learned water…craft instead of land…
craft and wood…craft。
Three hours later； when the sun rode overhead； they came to another
passage up the rocks； and Karduk said：
〃Look with all thine eyes； strange brother； and see if the way be
clear； for Ivan is not minded this time to wait while men go up
before。〃
Negore looked； and he looked with two men by his side； their guns
resting against his breast。 He saw that the little birds were all
gone； and once he saw the glint of sunlight on a rifle…barrel。 And
he thought of Oona； and of her words： 〃And when the fighting
begins； it is for thee； Negore； to crawl secretly away so that thou
be not slain。〃
He felt the two guns pressing on his breast。 This was not the way
she had planned。 There would be no crawling secretly away。 He
would be the first to die when the fighting began。 But he said；
and his voice was steady； and he still feigned to see with dull
eyes and to shiver from his sickness：
〃The way is clear。〃
And they started up； Ivan and his forty men from the far lands
beyond the Sea of Bering。 And there was Karduk； the man from
Pastolik； and Negore； with the two guns always upon him。 It was a
long climb； and they could not go fast； but very fast to Negore
they seemed to approach the midway point where top was no less near
than bottom。
A gun cracked among the rocks to the right； and Negore heard the
war…yell of all his tribe； and for an instant saw the rocks and
bushes bristle alive with his kinfolk。 Then he felt torn asunder
by a burst of flame hot through his being； and as he fell he knew
the sharp pangs of life as it wrenches at the flesh to be free。
But he gripped his life with a miser's clutch and would not let it
go。 He still breathed the air； which bit his lungs with a painful
sweetness； and dimly he saw and heard； with passing spells of
blindness and deafness； the flashes of sight and sound again
wherein he saw the hunters of Ivan falling to their deaths； and his
own brothers fringing the carnage and filling the air with the
tumult of their cries and weapons； and； far above； the women and
children loosing the great rocks that leaped like things alive and
thundered down。
The sun danced above him in the sky； the huge walls reeled and
swung； and still he heard and saw dimly。 And when the great Ivan
fell across his legs； hurled there lifeless and crushed by a down…
rushing rock； he remembered the blind eyes of Old Kinoos and was
glad。
Then the sounds died down； and the rocks no longer thundered past；
and he saw his tribespeople creeping close and closer； spearing the
wounded as they came。 And near to him he heard the scuffle of a
mighty Slavonian hunter； loath to die； and； half uprisen； borne
back and down by the thirsty spears。
Then he saw above him the face of Oona； and felt about him the arms
of Oona； and for a moment the sun steadied and stood still； and the
great walls were upright and moved not。
〃Thou art a brave man； Negore；〃 he heard her say in his ear； 〃thou
art my man； Negore。〃
And in that moment he lived all the life of gladness of which she
had told him； and the laughter and the song； and as the sun went
out of the sky above him； as in his old age； he knew the memory of
her was sweet。 And as even the memories dimmed and died in the
darkness that fell upon him； he knew in her arms the fulfilment of
all the ease and rest she had promised him。 And as black night
wrapped around him； his head upon her breast； he felt a great peace
steal about him； and he was aware of the hush of many twilights and
the mystery of silence。
End