the jacket (the star-rover)-第51章

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fathers　had　betrayed　such　a　madness。　　Horse　meat　was　good　to　eat；

young　colts　were　tender　to　old　teeth；　and　only　a　fool　would　come　to

close　grapples　with　any　wild　horse　save　when　an　arrow　had　pierced

it；　or　when　it　struggled　on　the　stake　in　the　midst　of　the　pit。



And　Selpa　scolded　me　to　sleep；　and　in　the　morning　woke　me　with　her

chatter；　ever　declaiming　against　my　madness；　ever　pronouncing　her

claim　upon　me　and　the　claims　of　our　children；　till　in　the　end　I　grew

weary；　and　forsook　my　far　vision；　and　said　never　again　would　I　dream

of　bestriding　the　wild　horse　to　fly　swift　as　its　feet　and　the　wind

across　the　sands　and　the　grass　lands。



And　through　the　years　the　tale　of　my　madness　never　ceased　from　being

told　over　the　camp…fire。　　Yet　was　the　very　telling　the　source　of　my

vengeance；　for　the　dream　did　not　die；　and　the　young　ones；　listening

to　the　laugh　and　the　sneer；　redreamed　it；　so　that　in　the　end　it　was

Othar；　my　eldest…born；　himself　a　sheer　stripling；　that　walked　down　a

wild　stallion；　leapt　on　its　back；　and　flew　before　all　of　us　with　the

speed　of　the　wind。　　Thereafter；　that　they　might　keep　up　with　him；

all　men　were　trapping　and　breaking　wild　horses。　　Many　horses　were

broken；　and　some　men；　but　I　lived　at　the　last　to　the　day　when；　at

the　changing　of　camp…sites　in　the　pursuit　of　the　meat　in　its

seasons；　our　very　babes；　in　baskets　of　willow…withes；　were　slung

side　and　side　on　the　backs　of　our　horses　that　carried　our　camp…

trappage　and　dunnage。



I；　a　young　man；　had　seen　my　vision；　dreamed　my　dream；　Selpa；　the

woman；　had　held　me　from　that　far　desire；　but　Othar；　the　seed　of　us

to　live　after；　glimpsed　my　vision　and　won　to　it；　so　that　our　tribe

became　wealthy　in　the　gains　of　the　chase。



There　was　a　womanon　the　great　drift　down　out　of　Europe；　a　weary

drift　of　many　generations；　when　we　brought　into　India　the　shorthorn

cattle　and　the　planting　of　barley。　　But　this　woman　was　long　before

we　reached　India。　　We　were　still　in　the　mid…most　of　that　centuries…

long　drift；　and　no　shrewdness　of　geography　can　now　place　for　me　that

ancient　valley。



The　woman　was　Nuhila。　　The　valley　was　narrow；　not　long；　and　the

swift　slope　of　its　floor　and　the　steep　walls　of　its　rim　were

terraced　for　the　growing　of　rice　and　of　milletthe　first　rice　and

millet　we　Sons　of　the　Mountain　had　known。　　They　were　a　meek　people

in　that　valley。　　They　had　become　soft　with　the　farming　of　fat　land

made　fatter　by　water。　　Theirs　was　the　first　irrigation　we　had　seen；

although　we　had　little　time　to　mark　their　ditches　and　channels　by

which　all　the　hill　waters　flowed　to　the　fields　they　had　builded。　　We

had　little　time　to　mark；　for　we　Sons　of　the　Mountain；　who　were　few；

were　in　flight　before　the　Sons　of　the　Snub…Nose；　who　were　many。　　We

called　them　the　Noseless；　and　they　called　themselves　the　Sons　of　the

Eagle。　　But　they　were　many；　and　we　fled　before　them　with　our

shorthorn　cattle；　our　goats；　and　our　barleyseed；　our　women　and

children。



While　the　Snub…Noses　slew　our　youths　at　the　rear；　we　slew　at　our

fore　the　folk　of　the　valley　who　opposed　us　and　were　weak。　　The

village　was　mud…built　and　grass…thatched；　the　encircling　wall　was　of

mud；　but　quite　tall。　　And　when　we　had　slain　the　people　who　had　built

the　wall；　and　sheltered　within　it　our　herds　and　our　women　and

children；　we　stood　on　the　wall　and　shouted　insult　to　the　Snub…Noses。

For　we　had　found　the　mud　granaries　filled　with　rice　and　millet。　　Our

cattle　could　eat　the　thatches。　　And　the　time　of　the　rains　was　at

hand；　so　that　we　should　not　want　for　water。



It　was　a　long　siege。　　Near　to　the　beginning；　we　gathered　together

the　women；　and　elders；　and　children　we　had　not　slain；　and　forced

them　out　through　the　wall　they　had　builded。　　But　the　Snub…Noses　slew

them　to　the　last　one；　so　that　there　was　more　food　in　the　village　for

us；　more　food　in　the　valley　for　the　Snub…Noses。



It　was　a　weary　long　siege。　　Sickness　smote　us；　and　we　died　of　the

plague　that　arose　from　our　buried　ones。　　We　emptied　the　mud…

granaries　of　their　rice　and　millet。　　Our　goats　and　shorthorns　ate

the　thatch　of　the　houses；　and　we；　ere　the　end；　ate　the　goats　and　the

shorthorns。



Where　there　had　been　five　men　of　us　on　the　wall；　there　came　a　time

when　there　was　one；　where　there　had　been　half　a　thousand　babes　and

younglings　of　ours；　there　were　none。　　It　was　Nuhila；　my　woman；　who

cut　off　her　hair　and　twisted　it　that　I　might　have　a　strong　string

for　my　bow。　　The　other　women　did　likewise；　and　when　the　wall　was

attacked；　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　us；　in　the　midst　of　our

spears　and　arrows　raining　down　potsherds　and　cobblestones　on　the

heads　of　the　Snub…Noses。



Even　the　patient　Snub…Noses　we　well…nigh　out…patienced。　　Came　a　time

when　of　ten　men　of　us；　but　one　was　alive　on　the　wall；　and　of　our

women　remained　very　few；　and　the　Snub…Noses　held　parley。　　They　told

us　we　were　a　strong　breed；　and　that　our　women　were　men…mothers；　and

that　if　we　would　let　them　have　our　women　they　would　leave　us　alone

in　the　valley　to　possess　for　ourselves　and　that　we　could　get　women

from　the　valleys　to　the　south。



And　Nuhila　said　no。　　And　the　other　women　said　no。　　And　we　sneered　at

the　Snub…Noses　and　asked　if　they　were　weary　of　fighting。　　And　we

were　as　dead　men　then；　as　we　sneered　at　our　enemies；　and　there　was

little　fight　left　in　us　we　were　so　weak。　　One　more　attack　on　the

wall　would　end　us。　　We　knew　it。　　Our　women　knew　it。　　And　Nuhila　said

that　we　could　end　it　first　and　outwit　the　Snub…Noses。　　And　all　our

women　agreed。　　And　while　the　Snub…Noses　prepared　for　the　attack　that

would　be　final；　there；　on　the　wall；　we　slew　our　women。　　Nuhila　loved

me；　and　leaned　to　meet　the　thrust　of　my　sword；　there　on　the　wall。

And　we　men；　in　the　love　of　tribehood　and　tribesmen；　slew　one　another

till　remained　only　Horda　and　I　alive　in　the　red　of　the　slaughter。

And　Horda　was　my　elder；　and　I　leaned　to　his　thrust。　　But　not　at　once

did　I　die。　　I　was　the　last　of　the　Sons　of　the　Mountain；　for　I　saw

Horda；　himself　fall　on　his　blade　and　pass　quickly。　　And　dying　with

the　shouts　of　the　oncoming　Snub…Noses　growing　dim　in　my　ears；　I　was

glad　that　the　Snub…Noses　would　have　no　sons　of　us　to　bring　up　by　our

women。



I　do　not　know　when　this　time　was　when　I　was　a　Son　of　the　Mountain

and　when　we　died　in　the　narrow　valley　where　we　had　slain　the　Sons　of

the　Rice　and　the　Millet。　　I　do　not　know；　save　that　it　was　centuries

before　the　wide…spreading　drift　of　all　us　Sons　of　the　Mountain

fetched　into　India；　and　that　it　was　long　before　ever　I　was　an　Aryan

master　in　Old　Egypt　building　my　two　burial　places　and　defacing　the

tombs　of　kings　before　me。



I　should　like　to　tell　more　of　those　far　days；　but　time　in　the

present　is　short。　　Soon　I　shall　pass。　　Yet　am　I　sorry　that　I　cannot

tell　more　of　those　early　drifts；　when　there　was　crushage　of　peoples；

or　descending　ice…sheets；　or　migrations　of　meat。



Also；　I　should　like　to　tell　of　Mystery。　　For　always　were　we　curious

to　solve　the　secrets　of　life；　death；　and　decay。　　Unlike　the　other

animals；　man　was　for　ever　gazing　at　the　stars。　　Many　gods　he　created

in　his　own　image　and　in　the　images　of　his　fancy。　　In　those　old　times

I　have　worshipped　the　sun　and　the　dark。　　I　have　worshipped　the

husked　grain　as　the　parent　of　life。　　I　have　worshipped　Sar；　the　Corn

Goddess。　　And　I　have　worshipped　sea　gods；　and　river　gods；　and　fish

gods。



Yes；　and　I　remember　Ishtar　ere　she　was　stolen　from　us　by　the

Babylonians；　and　Ea；　too；　was　ours；　supreme　in　the　Under　World；　who

enabled　Ishtar　to　conquer　death。　　Mitra；　likewise；　was　a　good　old

Aryan　god；　ere　he　was　filched　from　us　or　we　discarded　him。　　And　I

remember；　on　a　time；　long　after　the　drift　when　we　brought　the　barley

into　India；　that　I　came　down　into　India；　a　horse…trader；　with　many

servants　and　a　long　caravan　at　my　back；　and　that　at　that　time　they

were　worshipping　Bodhisatwa。



Truly；　the　worships　of　the　Mystery　wandered　as　did　men；　and　between

filchings　and　borrowings　the　gods　had　as　vagabond　a　time　of　it　as

did　we。　　As　the　Sumerians　took　the　loan　of　Shamashnapishtin　from　us；

so　did　the　Sons　of　Shem　take　him　from　the　Sumerians　and　call　him

Noah。



Why；　I　smile　me　to…day；　Darrell　Standing；　in　Murderers'　Row；　in　that

I　was　found　guilty　and　awarded　death　by　twelve　jurymen　staunch　and

true。　　Twelve　has　ever　been　a　magic　number　of　the　Mystery。　　Nor　did

it　originate　with　the　twelve　tribes　of　Israel。　　Star…gazers　before

them　had　placed　the　twelve　signs　of　the　Zodiac　in　the　sky。　　And　I

remember　me；　when　I　was　of　the　Assir；　and　of　the　Vanir；　that　Odin

sat　in　judgment　over　men　in　the　court　of　the　twelve　gods；　and　that

their　names　were　Thor；　Baldur；　Niord；　Frey；　Tyr；　Bregi；　Heimdal；

Hoder；　Vidar；　Ull；　Forseti；　and　Loki。



Even　our　Valkyries　were　stolen　from　us　and　made　into　angels；　and　the

wings　of　the　Valkyries'　horses　became　attached　to　the　shoulders　of

the　angels。　　And　our　Helheim　of　that　day　of　ice　and　frost　has　become

the　hell　of　to…day；　which　is　so　hot　an　abode　that　the　blood　boils　in

one's　veins；　while　with　us；　in　our　Helheim；　the　place　was　so　cold　as

to　freeze　the　marrow　inside　the　bones。　　And　the　very　sky；　that　we

dreamed　enduring；　eternal；　has　drifted　and　veered；　so　that　we　find

to…day　the　scorpion　in　the　place　where　of　old　we　knew　the　goat；　and

the　archer　in　the　place　of　the　crab。



Worships　and　worships！　　Ever　the　pursuit　of　the　Mystery！　　I　remember

the　lame　god　of　the　Greeks；　the　master…smith。　　But　their　vulcan　was

the　Germanic　Wieland；　the　master…smith　captured　and　hamstrung　lame

of　a　leg　by　Nidung；　the　kind　of　the　Nids。　　But　before　that　he　was

our　master…smith；　our　forger　and　hammerer；　whom　we　named　Il…marinen。

And　him　we　begat　of　our　fancy；　giving　him　the　bearded　sun…god　for

father；　and　nursing　him　by　the　stars　of　the　bear。　　For；　he；　Vulcan；

or　Wieland；　or　Il…marinen；　was　born　under　the　pine　tree；　from　the

hair　of　the　wolf；　and　was　called　also　the　bear…father　ere　ever　the

Germans　and　Greeks　purloined　and　worshipped　him。　　In　that　day　we

called　ourselves　the　Sons　of　the　Bear　and　the　Sons　of　the　Wolf；　and

the　bear　and　the　wolf　were　our　totems。　　That　was　before　our　drift

south　on　which　we　joined　with　the　Sons　of　the　Tree…Grove　and　taught

them　our　totems　and　tales。



Yes；　and　who　was　Kashyapa；　who　was　Pururavas；　but　our　lame　master…

smith；　our　iron…worker；　carried　by　us　in　our　drifts　and　re…named　and

worshipped　by　the　south…dwellers　and　the　east…dwellers；　the　Sons　of

the　Pole　and　of　the　Fire　Drill　and　Fire　Socket。



But　the　tale　is　too　long；　though　I　should　like　to　tell　of　the　three…

leaved　Herb　of　Life　by　which　Sigmund　made　Sinfioti　alive　again。　　For

this　is　the　very　soma…plant　of　India；　the　holy　grail　of　King　Arthur；

thebut　enough！　enough！



And　yet；　as　I　calmly　consider　it　all；　I　conclude　that　the　greatest

thing　in　life；　in　all　lives；　to　me　and　to　all　men；　has　been　woman；

is　woman；　and　will　be　woman　so　long　as　the　stars　drift　in　the　sky

and　t