the faith of men-第19节

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native　wife；　and；　by　reason　of　the　connubial　bliss　that　followed；

he　escaped　the　unrest　and　vain　longings　that　curse　the　days　of　more

fastidious　men；　spoil　their　work；　and　conquer　them　in　the　end。　　He

lived　contentedly；　was　at　single　purposes　with　the　business　he　was

set　there　to　do；　and　achieved　a　brilliant　record　in　the　service　of

the　Company。　　About　this　time　his　wife　died；　was　claimed　by　her

people；　and　buried　with　savage　circumstance　in　a　tin　trunk　in　the

top　of　a　tree。



Two　sons　she　had　borne　him；　and　when　the　Company　promoted　him；　he

journeyed　with　them　still　deeper　into　the　vastness　of　the　North…

West　Territory　to　a　place　called　Sin　Rock；　where　he　took　charge　of

a　new　post　in　a　more　important　fur　field。　　Here　he　spent　several

lonely　and　depressing　months；　eminently　disgusted　with　the

unprepossessing　appearance　of　the　Indian　maidens；　and　greatly

worried　by　his　growing　sons　who　stood　in　need　of　a　mother's　care。

Then　his　eyes　chanced　upon　Lit…lit。



〃Lit…litwell；　she　is　Lit…lit；〃　was　the　fashion　in　which　he

despairingly　described　her　to　his　chief　clerk；　Alexander　McLean。



McLean　was　too　fresh　from　his　Scottish　upbringing〃not　dry　behind

the　ears　yet；〃　John　Fox　put　itto　take　to　the　marriage　customs　of

the　country。　　Nevertheless　he　was　not　averse　to　the　Factor's

imperilling　his　own　immortal　soul；　and；　especially；　feeling　an

ominous　attraction　himself　for　Lit…lit；　he　was　sombrely　content　to

clinch　his　own　soul's　safety　by　seeing　her　married　to　the　Factor。



Nor　is　it　to　be　wondered　that　McLean's　austere　Scotch　soul　stood　in

danger　of　being　thawed　in　the　sunshine　of　Lit…lit's　eyes。　　She　was

pretty；　and　slender；　and　willowy；　without　the　massive　face　and

temperamental　stolidity　of　the　average　squaw。　　〃Lit…lit；〃　so　called

from　her　fashion；　even　as　a　child；　of　being　fluttery；　of　darting

about　from　place　to　place　like　a　butterfly；　of　being　inconsequent

and　merry；　and　of　laughing　as　lightly　as　she　darted　and　danced

about。



Lit…lit　was　the　daughter　of　Snettishane；　a　prominent　chief　in　the

tribe；　by　a　half…breed　mother；　and　to　him　the　Factor　fared　casually

one　summer　day　to　open　negotiations　of　marriage。　　He　sat　with　the

chief　in　the　smoke　of　a　mosquito　smudge　before　his　lodge；　and

together　they　talked　about　everything　under　the　sun；　or；　at　least；

everything　that　in　the　Northland　is　under　the　sun；　with　the　sole

exception　of　marriage。　　John　Fox　had　come　particularly　to　talk　of

marriage；　Snettishane　knew　it；　and　John　Fox　knew　he　knew　it；

wherefore　the　subject　was　religiously　avoided。　　This　is　alleged　to

be　Indian　subtlety。　　In　reality　it　is　transparent　simplicity。



The　hours　slipped　by；　and　Fox　and　Snettishane　smoked　interminable

pipes；　looking　each　other　in　the　eyes　with　a　guilelessness　superbly

histrionic。　　In　the　mid…afternoon　McLean　and　his　brother　clerk；

McTavish；　strolled　past；　innocently　uninterested；　on　their　way　to

the　river。　　When　they　strolled　back　again　an　hour　later；　Fox　and

Snettishane　had　attained　to　a　ceremonious　discussion　of　the

condition　and　quality　of　the　gunpowder　and　bacon　which　the　Company

was　offering　in　trade。　　Meanwhile　Lit…lit；　divining　the　Factor's

errand；　had　crept　in　under　the　rear　wall　of　the　lodge；　and　through

the　front　flap　was　peeping　out　at　the　two　logomachists　by　the

mosquito　smudge。　　She　was　flushed　and　happy…eyed；　proud　that　no

less　a　man　than　the　Factor　（who　stood　next　to　God　in　the　Northland

hierarchy）　had　singled　her　out；　femininely　curious　to　see　at　close

range　what　manner　of　man　he　was。　　Sunglare　on　the　ice；　camp　smoke；

and　weather　beat　had　burned　his　face　to　a　copper…brown；　so　that　her

father　was　as　fair　as　he；　while　she　was　fairer。　　She　was　remotely

glad　of　this；　and　more　immediately　glad　that　he　was　large　and

strong；　though　his　great　black　beard　half　frightened　her；　it　was　so

strange。



Being　very　young；　she　was　unversed　in　the　ways　of　men。　　Seventeen

times　she　had　seen　the　sun　travel　south　and　lose　itself　beyond　the

sky…line；　and　seventeen　times　she　had　seen　it　travel　back　again　and

ride　the　sky　day　and　night　till　there　was　no　night　at　all。　　And

through　these　years　she　had　been　cherished　jealously　by

Snettishane；　who　stood　between　her　and　all　suitors；　listening

disdainfully　to　the　young　hunters　as　they　bid　for　her　hand；　and

turning　them　away　as　though　she　were　beyond　price。　　Snettishane　was

mercenary。　　Lit…lit　was　to　him　an　investment。　　She　represented　so

much　capital；　from　which　he　expected　to　receive；　not　a　certain

definite　interest；　but　an　incalculable　interest。



And　having　thus　been　reared　in　a　manner　as　near　to　that　of　the

nunnery　as　tribal　conditions　would　permit；　it　was　with　a　great　and

maidenly　anxiety　that　she　peeped　out　at　the　man　who　had　surely　come

for　her；　at　the　husband　who　was　to　teach　her　all　that　was　yet

unlearned　of　life；　at　the　masterful　being　whose　word　was　to　be　her

law；　and　who　was　to　mete　and　bound　her　actions　and　comportment　for

the　rest　of　her　days。



But；　peeping　through　the　front　flap　of　the　lodge；　flushed　and

thrilling　at　the　strange　destiny　reaching　out　for　her；　she　grew

disappointed　as　the　day　wore　along；　and　the　Factor　and　her　father

still　talked　pompously　of　matters　concerning　other　things　and　not

pertaining　to　marriage　things　at　all。　　As　the　sun　sank　lower　and

lower　toward　the　north　and　midnight　approached；　the　Factor　began

making　unmistakable　preparations　for　departure。　　As　he　turned　to

stride　away　Lit…lit's　heart　sank；　but　it　rose　again　as　he　halted；

half　turning　on　one　heel。



〃Oh；　by　the　way；　Snettishane；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　a　squaw　to　wash　for

me　and　mend　my　clothes。〃



Snettishane　grunted　and　suggested　Wanidani；　who　was　an　old　woman

and　toothless。



〃No；　no；〃　interposed　the　Factor。　　〃What　I　want　is　a　wife。　　I've

been　kind　of　thinking　about　it；　and　the　thought　just　struck　me　that

you　might　know　of　some　one　that　would　suit。〃



Snettishane　looked　interested；　whereupon　the　Factor　retraced　his

steps；　casually　and　carelessly　to　linger　and　discuss　this　new　and

incidental　topic。



〃Kattou？〃　suggested　Snettishane。



〃She　has　but　one　eye；〃　objected　the　Factor。



〃Laska？〃



〃Her　knees　be　wide　apart　when　she　stands　upright。　　Kips；　your

biggest　dog；　can　leap　between　her　knees　when　she　stands　upright。〃



〃Senatee？〃　went　on　the　imperturbable　Snettishane。



But　John　Fox　feigned　anger；　crying：　　〃What　foolishness　is　this？　　Am

I　old；　that　thou　shouldst　mate　me　with　old　women？　　Am　I　toothless？

lame　of　leg？　blind　of　eye？　　Or　am　I　poor　that　no　bright…eyed　maiden

may　look　with　favour　upon　me？　　Behold！　　I　am　the　Factor；　both　rich

and　great；　a　power　in　the　land；　whose　speech　makes　men　tremble　and

is　obeyed！〃



Snettishane　was　inwardly　pleased；　though　his　sphinx…like　visage

never　relaxed。　　He　was　drawing　the　Factor；　and　making　him　break

ground。　　Being　a　creature　so　elemental　as　to　have　room　for　but　one

idea　at　a　time；　Snettishane　could　pursue　that　one　idea　a　greater

distance　than　could　John　Fox。　　For　John　Fox；　elemental　as　he　was；

was　still　complex　enough　to　entertain　several　glimmering　ideas　at　a

time；　which　debarred　him　from　pursuing　the　one　as　single…heartedly

or　as　far　as　did　the　chief。



Snettishane　calmly　continued　calling　the　roster　of　eligible

maidens；　which；　name　by　name；　as　fast　as　uttered；　were　stamped

ineligible　by　John　Fox；　with　specified　objections　appended。　　Again

he　gave　it　up　and　started　to　return　to　the　Fort。　　Snettishane

watched　him　go；　making　no　effort　to　stop　him；　but　seeing　him；　in

the　end；　stop　himself。



〃Come　to　think　of　it；〃　the　Factor　remarked；　〃we　both　of　us　forgot

Lit…lit。　　Now　I　wonder　if　she'll　suit　me？〃



Snettishane　met　the　suggestion　with　a　mirthless　face；　behind　the

mask　of　which　his　soul　grinned　wide。　　It　was　a　distinct　victory。

Had　the　Factor　gone　but　one　step　farther；　perforce　Snettishane

would　himself　have　mentioned　the　name　of　Lit…lit；　butthe　Factor

had　not　gone　that　one　step　farther。



The　chief　was　non…committal　concerning　Lit…lit's　suitability；　till

he　drove　the　white　man　into　taking　the　next　step　in　order　of

procedure。



〃Well；〃　the　Factor　meditated　aloud；　〃the　only　way　to　find　out　is　to

make　a　try　of　it。〃　　He　raised　his　voice。　　〃So　I　will　give　for　Lit…

lit　ten　blankets　and　three　pounds　of　tobacco　which　is　good

tobacco。〃



Snettishane　replied　with　a　gesture　which　seemed　to　say　that　all　the

blankets　and　tobacco　in　all　the　world　could　not　compensate　him　for

the　loss　of　Lit…lit　and　her　manifold　virtues。　　When　pressed　by　the

Factor　to　set　a　price；　he　coolly　placed　it　at　five　hundred

blankets；　ten　guns；　fifty　pounds　of　tobacco；　twenty　scarlet　cloths；

ten　bottles　of　rum；　a　music…box；　and　lastly　the　good…will　and　best

offices　of　the　Factor；　with　a　place　by　his　fire。



The　Factor　apparently　suffered　a　stroke　of　apoplexy；　which　stroke

was　successful　in　reducing　the　blankets　to　two　hundred　and　in

cutting　out　the　place　by　the　firean　unheard…of　condition　in　the

mar