02-the son of the wolf-第4节

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uplifting；　as　though　in　preparation　or　anticipation　of　the　miracle。

All　eyes　were　turned　upon　the　two　central　figures。　The　priest　realized

the　crucial　moment；　felt　his　power　tottering；　opened　his　mouth　in

denunciation；　but　fled　backward　before　the　truculent　advance；　upraised

fist；　and　flashing　eyes；　of　Mackenzie。　He　sneered　and　resumed。

　　Was　I　stricken　dead？　Did　the　lightning　burn　me？　Did　the　stars　fall

from　the　sky　and　crush　me？　Pish！　I　have　done　with　the　dog。　Now　will

I　tell　you　of　my　people；　who　are　the　mightiest　of　all　the　peoples；　who

rule　in　all　the　lands。　At　first　we　hunt　as　I　hunt；　alone。　After　that

we　hunt　in　packs；　and　at　last；　like　the　cariboo…run；　we　sweep　across

all　the　land。　Those　whom　we　take　into　our　lodges　live；　those　who

will　not　come　die。　Zarinska　is　a　comely　maiden；　full　and　strong；　fit

to　become　the　mother　of　Wolves。　Though　I　die；　such　shall　she　become；

for　my　brothers　are　many；　and　they　will　follow　the　scent　of　my　dogs。

Listen　to　the　Law　of　the　Wolf：　Whoso　taketh　the　life　of　one　Wolf；

the　forfeit　shall　ten　of　his　people　pay。　In　many　lands　has　the　price

been　paid；　in　many　lands　shall　it　yet　be　paid。

　　'Now　will　I　deal　with　the　Fox　and　the　Bear。　It　seems　they　have

cast　eyes　upon　the　maiden。　So？　Behold；　I　have　bought　her！

Thling…Tinneh　leans　upon　the　rifle；　the　goods　of　purchase　are　by　his

fire。　Yet　will　I　be　fair　to　the　young　men。　To　the　Fox；　whose　tongue　is

dry　with　many　words；　will　I　give　of　tobacco　five　long　plugs。　Thus　will

his　mouth　be　wetted　that　he　may　make　much　noise　in　the　council。　But　to

the　Bear；　of　whom　I　am　well　proud；　will　I　give　of　blankets　two；　of

flour；　twenty　cups；　of　tobacco；　double　that　of　the　Fox；　and　if　he　fare

with　me　over　the　Mountains　of　the　East；　then　will　I　give　him　a

rifle；　mate　to　Thling…Tinneh's。　If　not？　Good！　The　Wolf　is　weary　of

speech。　Yet　once　again　will　he　say　the　Law：　Whoso　taketh　the　life　of

one　Wolf；　the　forfeit　shall　ten　of　his　people　pay。'

　　Mackenzie　smiled　as　he　stepped　back　to　his　old　position；　but　at

heart　he　was　full　of　trouble。　The　night　was　yet　dark。　The　girl　came　to

his　side；　and　he　listened　closely　as　she　told　of　the　Bear's

battle…tricks　with　the　knife。

　　The　decision　was　for　war。　In　a　trice；　scores　of　moccasins　were

widening　the　space　of　beaten　snow　by　the　fire。　There　was　much

chatter　about　the　seeming　defeat　of　the　Shaman；　some　averred　he　had

but　withheld　his　power；　while　others　conned　past　events　and　agreed

with　the　Wolf。　The　Bear　came　to　the　center　of　the　battle…ground；　a

long　naked　hunting…knife　of　Russian　make　in　his　hand。　The　Fox　called

attention　to　Mackenzie's　revolvers；　so　he　stripped　his　belt；

buckling　it　about　Zarinska；　into　whose　hands　he　also　entrusted　his

rifle。　She　shook　her　head　that　she　could　not　shoot；…　small　chance

had　a　woman　to　handle　such　precious　things。

　　'Then；　if　danger　come　by　my　back；　cry　aloud；　〃My　husband！〃　No；　thus；

〃My　husband！〃'

　　He　laughed　as　she　repeated　it；　pinched　her　cheek；　and　reentered

the　circle。　Not　only　in　reach　and　stature　had　the　Bear　the　advantage

of　him；　but　his　blade　was　longer　by　a　good　two　inches。　'Scruff'

Mackenzie　had　looked　into　the　eyes　of　men　before；　and　he　knew　it　was　a

man　who　stood　against　him；　yet　he　quickened　to　the　glint　of　light　on

the　steel；　to　the　dominant　pulse　of　his　race。

　　Time　and　again　he　was　forced　to　the　edge　of　the　fire　or　the　deep

snow；　and　time　and　again；　with　the　foot　tactics　of　the　pugilist；　he

worked　back　to　the　center。　Not　a　voice　was　lifted　in　encouragement；

while　his　antagonist　was　heartened　with　applause；　suggestions；　and

warnings。　But　his　teeth　only　shut　the　tighter　as　the　knives　clashed

together；　and　he　thrust　or　eluded　with　a　coolness　born　of　conscious

strength。　At　first　he　felt　compassion　for　his　enemy；　but　this　fled

before　the　primal　instinct　of　life；　which　in　turn　gave　way　to　the　lust

of　slaughter。　The　ten　thousand　years　of　culture　fell　from　him；　and

he　was　a　cave…dweller；　doing　battle　for　his　female。

　　Twice　he　pricked　the　Bear；　getting　away　unscathed；　but　the　third

time　caught；　and　to　save　himself；　free　hands　closed　on　fighting　hands；

and　they　came　together。　Then　did　he　realize　the　tremendous　strength　of

his　opponent。　His　muscles　were　knotted　in　painful　lumps；　and　cords　and

tendons　threatened　to　snap　with　the　strain；　yet　nearer　and　nearer　came

the　Russian　steel。　He　tried　to　break　away；　but　only　weakened

himself。　The　fur…clad　circle　closed　in；　certain　of　and　anxious　to

see　the　final　stroke。　But　with　wrestler's　trick；　swinging　partly　to

the　side；　he　struck　at　his　adversary　with　his　head。　Involuntarily

the　Bear　leaned　back；　disturbing　his　center　of　gravity。　Simultaneous

with　this；　Mackenzie　tripped　properly　and　threw　his　whole　weight

forward；　hurling　him　clear　through　the　circle　into　the　deep　snow。

The　Bear　floundered　out　and　came　back　full　tilt。

　　'O　my　husband！'　Zarinska's　voice　rang　out；　vibrant　with　danger。

　　To　the　twang　of　a　bow…string；　Mackenzie　swept　low　to　the　ground；　and

a　bone…barbed　arrow　passed　over　him　into　the　breast　of　the　Bear；　whose

momentum　carried　him　over　his　crouching　foe。　The　next　instant

Mackenzie　was　up　and　about。　The　bear　lay　motionless；　but　across　the

fire　was　the　Shaman；　drawing　a　second　arrow。

　　Mackenzie's　knife　leaped　short　in　the　air。　He　caught　the　heavy　blade

by　the　point。　There　was　a　flash　of　light　as　it　spanned　the　fire。

Then　the　Shaman；　the　hilt　alone　appearing　without　his　throat；　swayed

and　pitched　forward　into　the　glowing　embers。

　　Click！　Click！…　the　Fox　had　possessed　himself　of　Thling…Tinneh's

rifle　and　was　vainly　trying　to　throw　a　shell　into　place。　But　he

dropped　it　at　the　sound　of　Mackenzie's　laughter。

　　'So　the　Fox　has　not　learned　the　way　of　the　plaything？　He　is　yet　a

woman。　Come！　Bring　it；　that　I　may　show　thee！'

　　The　Fox　hesitated。

　　'Come；　I　say！'

　　He　slouched　forward　like　a　beaten　cur。

　　'Thus；　and　thus；　so　the　thing　is　done。'　A　shell　flew　into　place

and　the　trigger　was　at　cock　as　Mackenzie　brought　it　to　shoulder。

　　'The　Fox　has　said　great　deeds　were　afoot　this　night；　and　he　spoke

true。　There　have　been　great　deeds；　yet　least　among　them　were　those

of　the　Fox。　Is　he　still　intent　to　take　Zarinska　to　his　lodge？　Is　he

minded　to　tread　the　trail　already　broken　by　the　Shaman　and　the　Bear？

No？　Good！'

　　Mackenzie　turned　contemptuously　and　drew　his　knife　from　the　priest's

throat。

　　'Are　any　of　the　young　men　so　minded？　If　so；　the　Wolf　will　take

them　by　two　and　three　till　none　are　left。　No？　Good！　Thling…Tinneh；　I

now　give　thee　this　rifle　a　second　time。　If；　in　the　days　to　come；

thou　shouldst　journey　to　the　Country　of　the　Yukon；　know　thou　that

there　shall　always　be　a　place　and　much　food　by　the　fire　of　the　Wolf。

The　night　is　now　passing　into　the　day。　I　go；　but　I　may　come　again。　And

for　the　last　time；　remember　the　Law　of　the　Wolf！'

　　He　was　supernatural　in　their　sight　as　he　rejoined　Zarinska。　She　took

her　place　at　the　head　of　the　team；　and　the　dogs　swung　into　motion。　A

few　moments　later　they　were　swallowed　up　by　the　ghostly　forest。　Till

now　Mackenzie　had　waited；　he　slipped　into　his　snow…shoes　to　follow。

　　'Has　the　Wolf　forgotten　the　five　long　plugs？'

　　Mackenzie　turned　upon　the　Fox　angrily；　then　the　humor　of　it　struck

him。

　　'I　will　give　thee　one　short　plug。'

　　'As　the　Wolf　sees　fit；'　meekly　responded　the　Fox；　stretching　out　his

hand。