the faith of men(人们的信任)-第26章
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besprinkled with towns and villages。 But it is a vain imagining。 Twenty
Mile； which is very like the rest of the posts； is a log building the size of a
corner grocery with rooms to let up…stairs。 A long… legged cache on stilts
may be found in the back yard； also a couple of outhouses。 The back
yard is unfenced； and extends to the skyline and an unascertainable bit
beyond。 There are no other houses in sight； though the Toyaats
sometimes pitch a winter camp a mile or two down the Yukon。 And this
is Twenty Mile； one tentacle of the many…tentacled P。 C。 Company。 Here
the agent； with an assistant； barters with the Indians for their furs； and does
an erratic trade on a gold…dust basis with the wandering miners。 Here； also；
the agent and his assistant yearn all winter for the spring； and when the
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spring comes； camp blasphemously on the roof while the Yukon washes
out the establishment。 And here； also； in the fourth year of his sojourn in
the land； came Neil Bonner to take charge。
He had displaced no agent； for the man that previously ran the post
had made away with himself； 〃because of the rigours of the place；〃 said
the assistant； who still remained； though the Toyaats； by their fires； had
another version。 The assistant was a shrunken… shouldered； hollow…
chested man； with a cadaverous face and cavernous cheeks that his sparse
black beard could not hide。 He coughed much； as though consumption
gripped his lungs； while his eyes had that mad； fevered light common to
consumptives in the last stage。 Pentley was his nameAmos Pentley
and Bonner did not like him； though he felt a pity for the forlorn and
hopeless devil。 They did not get along together； these two men who； of all
men； should have been on good terms in the face of the cold and silence
and darkness of the long winter。
In the end； Bonner concluded that Amos was partly demented； and left
him alone； doing all the work himself except the cooking。 Even then；
Amos had nothing but bitter looks and an undisguised hatred for him。
This was a great loss to Bonner； for the smiling face of one of his own
kind； the cheery word； the sympathy of comradeship shared with
misfortunethese things meant much； and the winter was yet young when
he began to realize the added reasons； with such an assistant； that the
previous agent had found to impel his own hand against his life。
It was very lonely at Twenty Mile。 The bleak vastness stretched
away on every side to the horizon。 The snow； which was really frost；
flung its mantle over the land and buried everything in the silence of death。
For days it was clear and cold； the thermometer steadily recording forty to
fifty degrees below zero。 Then a change came over the face of things。
What little moisture had oozed into the atmosphere gathered into dull grey；
formless clouds； it became quite warm； the thermometer rising to twenty
below； and the moisture fell out of the sky in hard frost…granules that
hissed like dry sugar or driving sand when kicked underfoot。 After that it
became clear and cold again； until enough moisture had gathered to
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blanket the earth from the cold of outer space。 That was all。 Nothing
happened。 No storms； no churning waters and threshing forests； nothing
but the machine…like precipitation of accumulated moisture。 Possibly the
most notable thing that occurred through the weary weeks was the gliding
of the temperature up to the unprecedented height of fifteen below。 To
atone for this； outer space smote the earth with its cold till the mercury
froze and the spirit thermometer remained more than seventy below for a
fortnight； when it burst。 There was no telling how much colder it was
after that。 Another occurrence； monotonous in its regularity； was the
lengthening of the nights； till day became a mere blink of light between
the darkness。
Neil Bonner was a social animal。 The very follies for which he was
doing penance had been bred of his excessive sociability。 And here； in
the fourth year of his exile； he found himself in company… …which were to
travesty the wordwith a morose and speechless creature in whose sombre
eyes smouldered a hatred as bitter as it was unwarranted。 And Bonner； to
whom speech and fellowship were as the breath of life； went about as a
ghost might go； tantalized by the gregarious revelries of some former life。
In the day his lips were compressed； his face stern； but in the night he
clenched his hands； rolled about in his blankets； and cried aloud like a
little child。 And he would remember a certain man in authority and curse
him through the long hours。 Also； he cursed God。 But God understands。
He cannot find it in his heart to blame weak mortals who blaspheme in
Alaska。
And here； to the post of Twenty Mile； came Jees Uck； to trade for flour
and bacon； and beads； and bright scarlet cloths for her fancy work。 And
further； and unwittingly； she came to the post of Twenty Mile to make a
lonely man more lonely； make him reach out empty arms in his sleep。
For Neil Bonner was only a man。 When she first came into the store； he
looked at her long； as a thirsty man may look at a flowing well。 And she；
with the heritage bequeathed her by Spike O'Brien； imagined daringly and
smiled up into his eyes； not as the swart…skinned peoples should smile at
the royal races； but as a woman smiles at a man。 The thing was
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inevitable； only； he did not see it； and fought against her as fiercely and
passionately as he was drawn towards her。 And she？ She was Jees Uck；
by upbringing wholly and utterly a Toyaat Indian woman。
She came often to the post to trade。 And often she sat by the big
wood stove and chatted in broken English with Neil Bonner。 And he
came to look for her coming； and on the days she did not come he was
worried and restless。 Sometimes he stopped to think； and then she was
met coldly； with a resolve that perplexed and piqued her； and which； she
was convinced； was not sincere。 But more often he did not dare to think；
and then all went well and there were smiles and laughter。 And Amos
Pentley； gasping like a stranded catfish； his hollow cough a…reek with the
grave； looked upon it all and grinned。 He； who loved life； could not live；
and it rankled his soul that others should be able to live。 Wherefore he
hated Bonner； who was so very much alive and into whose eyes sprang joy
at the sight of Jees Uck。 As for Amos； the very thought of the girl was
sufficient to send his blood pounding up into a hemorrhage。
Jees Uck； whose mind was simple； who thought elementally and was
unused to weighing life in its subtler quantities； read Amos Pentley like a
book。 She warned Bonner； openly and bluntly； in few words； but the
complexities of higher existence confused the situation to him； and he
laughed at her evident anxiety。 To him； Amos was a poor； miserable
devil； tottering desperately into the grave。 And Bonner； who had suffered
much； found it easy to forgive greatly。
But one morning； during a bitter snap； he got up from the breakfast…
table and went into the store。 Jees Uck was already there； rosy from the
trail； to buy a sack of flour。 A few minutes later； he was out in the snow
lashing the flour on her sled。 As he bent over he noticed a stiffness in his
neck and felt a premonition of impending physical misfortune。 And as he
put the last half… hitch into the lashing and attempted to straighten up； a
quick spasm seized him and he sank into the snow。 Tense and quivering；
head jerked back； limbs extended； back arched and mouth twisted and
distorted； he appeared as though being racked limb from limb。 Without cry
or sound； Jees Uck was in the snow beside him； but he clutched both her
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wrists spasmodically； and as long as the convulsion endured she was
helpless。 In a few moments the spasm relaxed and he was left weak and
fainting； his forehead beaded with sweat； and his lips flecked with foam。
〃Quick！〃 he muttered； in a strange； hoarse voice。 〃Quick！ Inside！〃
He started to crawl on hands and knees； but she raised him up； and；
supported by her young arm； he made faster progress。 As he entered the
store the spasm seized him again； and his body writhed irresistibly away
from her and rolled and curled on the floor。 Amos Pentley came and
looked on with curious eyes。
〃Oh； Amos！〃 she cried in an agony of apprehension and helplessness；
〃him die； you think？〃 But Amos shrugged his shoulders and continued to
look on。
Bonner's body went slack； the tense muscles easing down and an
expression of relief coming into his face。 〃Quick！〃 he gritted between
his teeth； his mouth twisting with the on…coming of the next spasm and
with his effort to control it。 〃Quick； Jees Uck！ The medicine！ Never
mind！ Drag me！〃
She knew where the medicine…chest stood； at the rear of the room
beyond the stove； and thither； by the legs； she dragged the struggling man。
As the spasm p
