lost face(丢失的脸)-第26节
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traditions of hospitality and revelry。
All this was unusual for a Yukon Indian； but Klakee…Nah was an
unusual Indian。 Not alone did he like to render inordinate hospitality； but；
what of being a chief and of acquiring much money； he was able to do it。
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In the primitive trading days he had been a power over his people； and he
had dealt profitably with the white trading companies。 Later on； with
Porportuk； he had made a gold… strike on the Koyokuk River。 Klakee…
Nah was by training and nature an aristocrat。 Porportuk was bourgeois；
and Porportuk bought him out of the gold…mine。 Porportuk was content
to plod and accumulate。 Klakee…Nah went back to his large house and
proceeded to spend。 Porportuk was known as the richest Indian in Alaska。
Klakee…Nah was known as the whitest。 Porportuk was a money…lender
and a usurer。 Klakee…Nah was an anachronisma mediaeval ruin； a fighter
and a feaster； happy with wine and song。
El…Soo adapted herself to the large house and its ways as readily as she
had adapted herself to Holy Cross Mission and its ways。 She did not try
to reform her father and direct his footsteps toward God。 It is true； she
reproved him when he drank overmuch and profoundly； but that was for
the sake of his health and the direction of his footsteps on solid earth。
The latchstring to the large house was always out。 What with the
coming and the going； it was never still。 The rafters of the great living…
room shook with the roar of wassail and of song。 At table sat men from
all the world and chiefs from distant tribesEnglishmen and Colonials；
lean Yankee traders and rotund officials of the great companies； cowboys
from the Western ranges； sailors from the sea； hunters and dog…mushers of
a score of nationalities。
El…Soo drew breath in a cosmopolitan atmosphere。 She could speak
English as well as she could her native tongue； and she sang English songs
and ballads。 The passing Indian ceremonials she knew； and the perishing
traditions。 The tribal dress of the daughter of a chief she knew how to
wear upon occasion。 But for the most part she dressed as white women
dress。 Not for nothing was her needlework at the Mission and her innate
artistry。 She carried her clothes like a white woman； and she made
clothes that could be so carried。
In her way she was as unusual as her father； and the position she
occupied was as unique as his。 She was the one Indian woman who was
the social equal with the several white women at Tana…naw Station。 She
was the one Indian woman to whom white men honourably made
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proposals of marriage。 And she was the one Indian woman whom no
white man ever insulted。
For El…Soo was beautifulnot as white women are beautiful； not as
Indian women are beautiful。 It was the flame of her； that did not depend
upon feature； that was her beauty。 So far as mere line and feature went；
she was the classic Indian type。 The black hair and the fine bronze were
hers； and the black eyes； brilliant and bold； keen as sword…light； proud；
and hers the delicate eagle nose with the thin； quivering nostrils； the high
cheek…bones that were not broad apart； and the thin lips that were not too
thin。 But over all and through all poured the flame of herthe
unanalysable something that was fire and that was the soul of her； that lay
mellow…warm or blazed in her eyes； that sprayed the cheeks of her； that
distended the nostrils； that curled the lips； or； when the lip was in repose；
that was still there in the lip； the lip palpitant with its presence。
And El…Soo had witrarely sharp to hurt； yet quick to search out
forgivable weakness。 The laughter of her mind played like lambent
flame over all about her； and from all about her arose answering laughter。
Yet she was never the centre of things。 This she would not permit。 The
large house； and all of which it was significant； was her father's； and
through it； to the last； moved his heroic figurehost； master of the revels；
and giver of the law。 It is true； as the strength oozed from him； that she
caught up responsibilities from his failing hands。 But in appearance he
still ruled； dozing； ofttimes at the board； a bacchanalian ruin； yet in all
seeming the ruler of the feast。
And through the large house moved the figure of Porportuk； ominous；
with shaking head； coldly disapproving； paying for it all。 Not that he
really paid； for he compounded interest in weird ways； and year by year
absorbed the properties of Klakee…Nah。 Porportuk once took it upon
himself to chide El…Soo upon the wasteful way of life in the large houseit
was when he had about absorbed the last of Klakee… Nah's wealthbut he
never ventured so to chide again。 El…Soo； like her father； was an
aristocrat； as disdainful of money as he； and with an equal sense of honour
as finely strung。
Porportuk continued grudgingly to advance money； and ever the
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money flowed in golden foam away。 Upon one thing El…Soo was
resolvedher father should die as he had lived。 There should be for him
no passing from high to low； no diminution of the revels； no lessening of
the lavish hospitality。 When there was famine； as of old； the Indians
came groaning to the large house and went away content。 When there
was famine and no money； money was borrowed from Porportuk； and the
Indians still went away content。 El…Soo might well have repeated； after
the aristocrats of another time and place； that after her came the deluge。
In her case the deluge was old Porportuk。 With every advance of money；
he looked upon her with a more possessive eye； and felt bourgeoning
within him ancient fires。
But El…Soo had no eyes for him。 Nor had she eyes for the white men
who wanted to marry her at the Mission with ring and priest and book。 For
at Tana…naw Station was a young man； Akoon； of her own blood； and tribe；
and village。 He was strong and beautiful to her eyes； a great hunter； and；
in that he had wandered far and much； very poor； he had been to all the
unknown wastes and places； he had journeyed to Sitka and to the United
States； he had crossed the continent to Hudson Bay and back again； and as
seal…hunter on a ship he had sailed to Siberia and for Japan。
When he returned from the gold…strike in Klondike he came； as was
his wont； to the large house to make report to old Klakee…Nah of all the
world that he had seen； and there he first saw El…Soo； three years back
from the Mission。 Thereat； Akoon wandered no more。 He refused a
wage of twenty dollars a day as pilot on the big steamboats。 He hunted
some and fished some； but never far from Tana…naw Station； and he was at
the large house often and long。 And El…Soo measured him against many
men and found him good。 He sang songs to her； and was ardent and
glowed until all Tana…naw Station knew he loved her。 And Porportuk but
grinned and advanced more money for the upkeep of the large house。
Then came the death table of Klakee…Nah。
He sat at feast； with death in his throat； that he could not drown with
wine。 And laughter and joke and song went around； and Akoon told a
story that made the rafters echo。 There were no tears or sighs at that
table。 It was no more than fit that Klakee…Nah should die as he had lived；
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and none knew this better than El…Soo； with her artist sympathy。 Th
