the faith of men(人们的信任)-第21章
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croaking had ceased； but he stretched out in the long grass and waited。
The air seemed a chilly balm； and the earth； after the heat of the day； now
and again breathed soothingly against him。 The Factor； gathered into the
rhythm of it all； dozed off； with his head upon his arm； and slept。
Fifty yards away； head resting on knees； and with his back to John Fox；
Snettishane likewise slept； gently conquered by the quietude of the night。
An hour slipped by and then he awoke； and； without lifting his head； set
the night vibrating with the hoarse gutturals of the raven call。
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The Factor roused； not with the abrupt start of civilized man； but with
the swift and comprehensive glide from sleep to waking of the savage。
In the night…light he made out a dark object in the midst of the grass and
brought his gun to bear upon it。 A second croak began to rise； and he
pulled the trigger。 The crickets ceased from their sing…song chant； the
wildfowl from their squabbling； and the raven croak broke midmost and
died away in gasping silence。
John Fox ran to the spot and reached for the thing he had killed； but
his fingers closed on a coarse mop of hair and he turned Snettishane's face
upward to the starlight。 He knew how a shotgun scattered at fifty yards；
and he knew that he had peppered Snettishane across the shoulders and in
the small of the back。 And Snettishane knew that he knew； but neither
referred to it
〃What dost thou here？〃 the Factor demanded。 〃It were time old
bones should be in bed。〃
But Snettishane was stately in spite of the bird…shot burning under his
skin。
〃Old bones will not sleep；〃 he said solemnly。 〃I weep for my
daughter； for my daughter Lit…lit； who liveth and who yet is dead； and who
goeth without doubt to the white man's hell。〃
〃Weep henceforth on the far bank； beyond ear…shot of the Fort；〃 said
John Fox； turning on his heel； 〃for the noise of thy weeping is exceeding
great and will not let one sleep of nights。〃
〃My heart is sore；〃 Snettishane answered； 〃and my days and nights be
black with sorrow。〃
〃As the raven is black；〃 said John Fox。
〃As the raven is black；〃 Snettishane said。
Never again was the voice of the raven heard by the river bank。 Lit…lit
grows matronly day by day and is very happy。 Also； there are sisters to
the sons of John Fox's first wife who lies buried in a tree。 Old
Snettishane is no longer a visitor at the Fort； and spends long hours raising
a thin； aged voice against the filial ingratitude of children in general and of
his daughter Lit…lit in particular。 His declining years are embittered by
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the knowledge that he was cheated； and even John Fox has withdrawn the
assertion that the price for Lit…lit was too much by ten blankets and a gun。
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The Faith of Men
BATARD
Batard was a devil。 This was recognized throughout the Northland。
〃Hell's Spawn〃 he was called by many men； but his master； Black Leclere；
chose for him the shameful name 〃Batard。〃 Now Black Leclere was also
a devil； and the twain were well matched。 There is a saying that when
two devils come together； hell is to pay。 This is to be expected； and this
certainly was to be expected when Batard and Black Leclere came
together。 The first time they met； Batard was a part…grown puppy； lean
and hungry； with bitter eyes； and they met with snap and snarl； and wicked
looks； for Leclere's upper lip had a wolfish way of lifting and showing the
white； cruel teeth。 And it lifted then； and his eyes glinted viciously； as he
reached for Batard and dragged him out from the squirming litter。 It was
certain that they divined each other； for on the instant Batard had buried
his puppy fangs in Leclere's hand； and Leclere； thumb and finger； was
coolly choking his young life out of him。
〃SACREDAM；〃 the Frenchman said softly； flirting the quick blood
from his bitten hand and gazing down on the little puppy choking and
gasping in the snow。
Leclere turned to John Hamlin； storekeeper of the Sixty Mile Post。
〃Dat fo' w'at Ah lak heem。 'Ow moch； eh； you； M'sieu'？ 'Ow moch？ Ah
buy heem； now； Ah buy heem queek。〃
And because he hated him with an exceeding bitter hate； Leclere
bought Batard and gave him his shameful name。 And for five years the
twain adventured across the Northland； from St。 Michael's and the Yukon
delta to the head…reaches of the Pelly and even so far as the Peace River；
Athabasca； and the Great Slave。 And they acquired a reputation for
uncompromising wickedness； the like of which never before attached itself
to man and dog。
Batard did not know his fatherhence his namebut； as John Hamlin
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knew； his father was a great grey timber wolf。 But the mother of Batard；
as he dimly remembered her； was snarling； bickering； obscene； husky； full…
fronted and heavy…chested； with a malign eye； a cat…like grip on life； and a
genius for trickery and evil。 There was neither faith nor trust in her。
Her treachery alone could be relied upon； and her wild…wood amours
attested her general depravity。 Much of evil and much of strength were
there in these； Batard's progenitors； and； bone and flesh of their bone and
flesh； he had inherited it all。 And then came Black Leclere； to lay his
heavy hand on the bit of pulsating puppy life； to press and prod and mould
till it became a big bristling beast； acute in knavery； overspilling with hate；
sinister； malignant； diabolical。 With a proper master Batard might have
made an ordinary； fairly efficient sled…dog。 He never got the chance：
Leclere but confirmed him in his congenital iniquity。
The history of Batard and Leclere is a history of warof five cruel；
relentless years； of which their first meeting is fit summary。 To begin
with； it was Leclere's fault； for he hated with understanding and
intelligence； while the long…legged； ungainly puppy hated only blindly；
instinctively； without reason or method。 At first there were no refinements
of cruelty （these were to come later）； but simple beatings and crude
brutalities。 In one of these Batard had an ear injured。 He never
regained control of the riven muscles； and ever after the ear drooped
limply down to keep keen the memory of his tormentor。 And he never
forgot。
His puppyhood was a period of foolish rebellion。 He was always
worsted； but he fought back because it was his nature to fight back。 And
he was unconquerable。 Yelping shrilly from the pain of lash and club； he
none the less contrived always to throw in the defiant snarl； the bitter
vindictive menace of his soul which fetched without fail more blows and
beatings。 But his was his mother's tenacious grip on life。 Nothing
could kill him。 He flourished under misfortune； grew fat with famine；
and out of his terrible struggle for life developed a preternatural
intelligence。 His were the stealth and cunning of the husky； his mother；
and the fierceness and valour of the wolf； his father。
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Possibly it was because of his father that he never wailed。 His puppy
yelps passed with his lanky legs； so that he became grim and taciturn；
quick to strike； slow to warn。 He answered curse with snarl； and blow
with snap； grinning the while his implacable hatred； but never again； under
the extremest agony； did Leclere bring from him the cry of fear nor of pain。
This unconquerableness but fanned Leclere's wrath and stirred him to
greater deviltries。
Did Leclere give Batard half a fish and to his mates whole ones；
Batard went forth to rob other dogs of their fish。 Also he robbed caches
and expressed himself in a thousand rogueries； till he became a terror to all
dogs and masters of dogs。 Did Leclere beat Batard and fondle Babette
Babette who was not half the worker he waswhy； Batard threw her down
in the snow and broke her hind leg in his heavy jaws； so that Leclere was
forced to shoot her。 Likewise； in bloody battles； Batard mastered all his
team…mates； set them the law of trail and forage； and made them live to the
law he set。
In five years he heard but one kind word； received but one soft stroke
of a hand； and then he did not know what manner of things they were。
He leaped like the untamed thing he was； and his jaws were together in a
flash。 It was the missionary at Sunrise； a newcomer in the country； who
spoke the kind word and gave the soft stroke of the hand。 And for six
months after； he wrote no letters home to the States； and the surgeon at
McQuestion travelled two hundred miles on the ice to save him from
blood…poisoning。
Men and dogs looked askance at Batard when he drifted into their
camps and posts。 The men greeted him with feet threateningly lifted for
the kick； the dogs with bristling manes and bared fangs。 Once a man did
kick Batard； and Batard； with quick wolf snap； closed his jaws like a steel
trap on the man's calf and crunched down to the bone。 Whereat the man
was determined to have his life； only Black Leclere； w
