the faith of men-第6节

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out　of　his　garbled　Scripture　created　new　gods　and　made　incantation

before　strange　altars。



〃And　I　was　well　pleased；　for　I　thought　it　good　that　church　and

state　go　hand　in　hand；　and　I　had　certain　plans　of　my　own　concerning

the　state。　　Events　were　shaping　as　I　had　foreseen。　　Good　temper　and

smiling　faces　had　vanished　from　the　village。　　The　people　were

morose　and　sullen。　　There　were　quarrels　and　fighting；　and　things

were　in　an　uproar　night　and　day。　　Moosu's　cards　were　duplicated　and

the　hunters　fell　to　gambling　among　themselves。　　Tummasook　beat　his

wife　horribly；　and　his　mother's　brother　objected　and　smote　him　with

a　tusk　of　walrus　till　he　cried　aloud　in　the　night　and　was　shamed

before　the　people。　　Also；　amid　such　diversions　no　hunting　was　done；

and　famine　fell　upon　the　land。　　The　nights　were　long　and　dark；　and

without　meat　no　hooch　could　be　bought；　so　they　murmured　against　the

chief。　　This　I　had　played　for；　and　when　they　were　well　and　hungry；

I　summoned　the　whole　village；　made　a　great　harangue；　posed　as

patriarch；　and　fed　the　famishing。　　Moosu　made　harangue　likewise；

and　because　of　this　and　the　thing　I　had　done　I　was　made　chief。

Moosu；　who　had　the　ear　of　God　and　decreed　his　judgments；　anointed

me　with　whale　blubber；　and　right　blubberly　he　did　it；　not

understanding　the　ceremony。　　And　between　us　we　interpreted　to　the

people　the　new　theory　of　the　divine　right　of　kings。　　There　was

hooch　galore；　and　meat　and　feastings；　and　they　took　kindly　to　the

new　order。



〃So　you　see；　O　man；　I　have　sat　in　the　high　places；　and　worn　the

purple；　and　ruled　populations。　　And　I　might　yet　be　a　king　had　the

tobacco　held　out；　or　had　Moosu　been　more　fool　and　less　knave。　　For

he　cast　eyes　upon　Esanetuk；　eldest　daughter　to　Tummasook；　and　I

objected。



〃'O　brother；'　he　explained；　'thou　hast　seen　fit　to　speak　of

introducing　new　institutions　amongst　this　people；　and　I　have

listened　to　thy　words　and　gained　wisdom　thereby。　　Thou　rulest　by

the　God…given　right；　and　by　the　God…given　right　I　marry。'



〃I　noted　that　he　'brothered'　me；　and　was　angry　and　put　my　foot

down。　　But　he　fell　back　upon　the　people　and　made　incantations　for

three　days；　in　which　all　hands　joined；　and　then；　speaking　with　the

voice　of　God；　he　decreed　polygamy　by　divine　fiat。　　But　he　was

shrewd；　for　he　limited　the　number　of　wives　by　a　property

qualification；　and　because　of　which　he；　above　all　men；　was　favoured

by　his　wealth。　　Nor　could　I　fail　to　admire；　though　it　was　plain

that　power　had　turned　his　head；　and　he　would　not　be　satisfied　till

all　the　power　and　all　the　wealth　rested　in　his　own　hands。　　So　he

became　swollen　with　pride；　forgot　it　was　I　that　had　placed　him

there；　and　made　preparations　to　destroy　me。



〃But　it　was　interesting；　for　the　beggar　was　working　out　in　his　own

way　an　evolution　of　primitive　society。　　Now　I；　by　virtue　of　the

hooch　monopoly；　drew　a　revenue　in　which　I　no　longer　permitted　him

to　share。　　So　he　meditated　for　a　while　and　evolved　a　system　of

ecclesiastical　taxation。　　He　laid　tithes　upon　the　people；　harangued

about　fat　firstlings　and　such　things；　and　twisted　whatever　twisted

texts　he　had　ever　heard　to　serve　his　purpose。　　Even　this　I　bore　in

silence；　but　when　he　instituted　what　may　be　likened　to　a　graduated

income…tax；　I　rebelled；　and　blindly；　for　this　was　what　he　worked

for。　　Thereat；　he　appealed　to　the　people；　and　they；　envious　of　my

great　wealth　and　well　taxed　themselves；　upheld　him。　　'Why　should　we

pay；'　they　asked；　'and　not　you？　　Does　not　the　voice　of　God　speak

through　the　lips　of　Moosu；　the　shaman？'　　So　I　yielded。　　But　at　the

same　time　I　raised　the　price　of　hooch；　and　lo；　he　was　not　a　whit

behind　me　in　raising　my　taxes。



〃Then　there　was　open　war。　　I　made　a　play　for　Neewak　and　Tummasook；

because　of　the　traditionary　rights　they　possessed；　but　Moosu　won

out　by　creating　a　priesthood　and　giving　them　both　high　office。　　The

problem　of　authority　presented　itself　to　him；　and　he　worked　it　out

as　it　has　often　been　worked　before。　　There　was　my　mistake。　　I

should　have　been　made　shaman；　and　he　chief；　but　I　saw　it　too　late；

and　in　the　clash　of　spiritual　and　temporal　power　I　was　bound　to　be

worsted。　　A　great　controversy　waged；　but　it　quickly　became　one…

sided。　　The　people　remembered　that　he　had　anointed　me；　and　it　was

clear　to　them　that　the　source　of　my　authority　lay；　not　in　me；　but

in　Moosu。　　Only　a　few　faithful　ones　clung　to　me；　chief　among　whom

Angeit　was；　while　he　headed　the　popular　party　and　set　whispers

afloat　that　I　had　it　in　mind　to　overthrow　him　and　set　up　my　own

gods；　which　were　most　unrighteous　gods。　　And　in　this　the　clever

rascal　had　anticipated　me；　for　it　was　just　what　I　had　intended

forsake　my　kingship；　you　see；　and　fight　spiritual　with　spiritual。

So　he　frightened　the　people　with　the　iniquities　of　my　peculiar

godsespecially　the　one　he　named　'Biz…e…Nass'and　nipped　the

scheme　in　the　bud。



〃Now；　it　happened　that　Kluktu；　youngest　daughter　to　Tummasook；　had

caught　my　fancy；　and　I　likewise　hers。　　So　I　made　overtures；　but　the

ex…chief　refused　bluntlyafter　I　had　paid　the　purchase　priceand

informed　me　that　she　was　set　aside　for　Moosu。　　This　was　too　much；

and　I　was　half　of　a　mind　to　go　to　his　igloo　and　slay　him　with　my

naked　hands；　but　I　recollected　that　the　tobacco　was　near　gone；　and

went　home　laughing。　　The　next　day　he　made　incantation；　and

distorted　the　miracle　of　the　loaves　and　fishes　till　it　became

prophecy；　and　I；　reading　between　the　lines；　saw　that　it　was　aimed

at　the　wealth　of　meat　stored　in　my　caches。　　The　people　also　read

between　the　lines；　and；　as　he　did　not　urge　them　to　go　on　the　hunt；

they　remained　at　home；　and　few　caribou　or　bear　were　brought　in。



〃But　I　had　plans　of　my　own；　seeing　that　not　only　the　tobacco　but

the　flour　and　molasses　were　near　gone。　　And　further；　I　felt　it　my

duty　to　prove　the　white　man's　wisdom　and　bring　sore　distress　to

Moosu；　who　had　waxed　high…stomached；　what　of　the　power　I　had　given

him。　　So　that　night　I　went　to　my　meat　caches　and　toiled　mightily；

and　it　was　noted　next　day　that　all　the　dogs　of　the　village　were

lazy。　　No　one　suspected；　and　I　toiled　thus　every　night；　and　the

dogs　grew　fat　and　fatter；　and　the　people　lean　and　leaner。　　They

grumbled　and　demanded　the　fulfilment　of　prophecy；　but　Moosu

restrained　them；　waiting　for　their　hunger　to　grow　yet　greater。　　Nor

did　he　dream；　to　the　very　last；　of　the　trick　I　had　been　playing　on

the　empty　caches。



〃When　all　was　ready；　I　sent　Angeit；　and　the　faithful　ones　whom　I

had　fed　privily；　through　the　village　to　call　assembly。　　And　the

tribe　gathered　on　a　great　space　of　beaten　snow　before　my　door；　with

the　meat　caches　towering　stilt…legged　in　the　rear。　　Moosu　came

also；　standing　on　the　inner　edge　of　the　circle　opposite　me；

confident　that　I　had　some　scheme　afoot；　and　prepared　at　the　first

break　to　down　me。　　But　I　arose；　giving　him　salutation　before　all

men。



〃'O　Moosu；　thou　blessed　of　God；'　I　began；　'doubtless　thou　hast

wondered　in　that　I　have　called　this　convocation　together；　and

doubtless；　because　of　my　many　foolishnesses；　art　thou　prepared　for

rash　sayings　and　rash　doings。　　Not　so。　　It　has　been　said；　that

those　the　gods　would　destroy　they　first　make　mad。　　And　I　have　been

indeed　mad。　　I　have　crossed　thy　will；　and　scoffed　at　thy　authority；

and　done　divers　evil　and　wanton　things。　　Wherefore；　last　night　a

vision　was　vouchsafed　me；　and　I　have　seen　the　wickedness　of　my

ways。　　And　thou　stoodst　forth　like　a　shining　star；　with　brows

aflame；　and　I　knew　in　mine　own　heart　thy　greatness。　　I　saw　all

things　clearly。　　I　knew　that　thou　didst　command　the　ear　of　God；　and

that　when　you　spoke　he　listened。　　And　I　remembered　that　whatever　of

the　good　deeds　that　I　had　done；　I　had　done　through　the　grace　of

God；　and　the　grace　of　Moosu。



〃'Yes；　my　children；'　I　cried；　turning　to　the　people；　'whatever

right　I　have　done；　and　whatever　good　I　have　done；　have　been　because

of　the　counsel　of　Moosu。　　When　I　listened　to　him；　affairs

prospered；　when　I　closed　my　ears；　and　acted　according　to　my　folly；

things　came　to　folly。　　By　his　advice　it　was　that　I　laid　my　store　of

meat；　and　in　time　of　darkness　fed　the　famishing。　　By　his　grace　it

was　that　I　was　made　chief。　　And　what　have　I　done　with　my　chiefship？

Let　me　tell　you。　　I　have　done　nothing。　　My　head　was　turned　with

power；　and　I　deemed　myself　greater　than　Moosu；　and；　behold　I　have

come　to　grief。　　My　rule　has　been　unwise；　and　the　gods　are　angered。

Lo；　ye　are　pinched　with　famine；　and　the　mothers　are　dry…breasted；

and　the　little　babies　cry　through　the　long　nights。　　Nor　do　I；　who

have　hardened　my　heart　against　Moosu；　know　what　shall　be　done；　nor

in　what　manner　of　way　grub　shall　be　had。'



〃At　this　there　was　nodding　and　laughing；　and　the　people　put　their

heads　together；　and　I　knew　they　whispered　of　the　loaves　and　fishes。

I　went　on　hastily。　　'So　I　was　made　aware　of　my　foolishness　and　of

Moosu's　wisdom；　of　my　own　unfitness　and　of　Moosu's　fitness。　　And

because　of　this；　being