lost face(丢失的脸)-第25章
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between his fingers inside the pouch。 〃I have bought you before all the
world。 You belong to me。 You will not deny that you belong to me。〃
〃I belong to you；〃 El…Soo said steadily。
〃I own you。〃
〃You own me。〃
Porportuk's voice rose slightly and triumphantly。 〃As a dog； I own
you。〃
〃As a dog you own me；〃 El…Soo continued calmly。 〃But； Porportuk；
you forget the thing I told you。 Had any other man bought me； I should
have been that man's wife。 I should have been a good wife to that man。
Such was my will。 But my will with you was that I should never be your
wife。 Wherefore； I am your dog。〃
Porportuk knew that he played with fire； and he resolved to play firmly。
〃Then I speak to you； not as El…Soo； but as a dog；〃 he said； 〃and I tell you
to come with me。〃 He half reached to grip her arm； but with a gesture
she held him back。
〃Not so fast； Porportuk。 You buy a dog。 The dog runs away。 It is
your loss。 I am your dog。 What if I run away？〃
〃As the owner of the dog； I shall beat you〃
〃When you catch me？〃
〃When I catch you。〃
〃Then catch me。〃
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He reached swiftly for her； but she eluded him。 She laughed as she
circled around the table。 〃Catch her！〃 Porportuk commanded the Indian
with the rifle； who stood near to her。 But as the Indian stretched forth his
arm to her； the Eldorado king felled him with a fist blow under the ear。
The rifle clattered to the ground。 Then was Akoon's chance。 His eyes
glittered； but he did nothing。
Porportuk was an old man； but his cold nights retained for him his
activity。 He did not circle the table。 He came across suddenly； over the
top of the table。 El…Soo was taken off her guard。 She sprang back with
a sharp cry of alarm； and Porportuk would have caught her had it not been
for Tommy。 Tommy's leg went out； Porportuk tripped and pitched
forward on the ground。 El…Soo got her start。
〃Then catch me；〃 she laughed over her shoulder； as she fled away。
She ran lightly and easily； but Porportuk ran swiftly and savagely。 He
outran her。 In his youth he had been swiftest of all the young men。 But
El…Soo dodged in a willowy； elusive way。 Being in native dress； her feet
were not cluttered with skirts； and her pliant body curved a flight that
defied the gripping fingers of Porportuk。
With laughter and tumult； the great crowd scattered out to see the
chase。 It led through the Indian encampment； and ever dodging； circling；
and reversing； El…Soo and Porportuk appeared and disappeared among the
tents。 El…Soo seemed to balance herself against the air with her arms；
now one side； now on the other； and sometimes her body； too； leaned out
upon the air far from the perpendicular as she achieved her sharpest curves。
And Porportuk； always a leap behind； or a leap this side or that； like a lean
hound strained after her。
They crossed the open ground beyond the encampment and
disappeared in the forest。 Tana…naw Station waited their reappearance；
and long and vainly it waited。
In the meantime Akoon ate and slept； and lingered much at the
steamboat landing； deaf to the rising resentment of Tana…naw Station in
that he did nothing。 Twenty…four hours later Porportuk returned。 He was
tired and savage。 He spoke to no one but Akoon； and with him tried to
pick a quarrel。 But Akoon shrugged his shoulders and walked away。
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Porportuk did not waste time。 He outfitted half a dozen of the young
men； selecting the best trackers and travellers； and at their head plunged
into the forest。
Next day the steamer Seattle； bound up river； pulled in to the shore and
wooded up。 When the lines were cast off and she churned out from the
bank； Akoon was on board in the pilot…house。 Not many hours afterward；
when it was his turn at the wheel； he saw a small birchbark canoe put off
from the shore。 There was only one person in it。 He studied it carefully；
put the wheel over； and slowed down。
The captain entered the pilot…house。 〃What's the matter？〃 he
demanded。 〃The water's good。〃
Akoon grunted。 He saw a larger canoe leaving the bank； and in it
were a number of persons。 As the Seattle lost headway； he put the wheel
over some more。
The captain fumed。 〃It's only a squaw；〃 he protested。
Akoon did not grunt。 He was all eyes for the squaw and the pursuing
canoe。 In the latter six paddles were flashing； while the squaw paddled
slowly。
〃You'll be aground；〃 the captain protested； seizing the wheel。
But Akoon countered his strength on the wheel and looked him in the
eyes。 The captain slowly released the spokes。
〃Queer beggar；〃 he sniffed to himself。
Akoon held the Seattle on the edge of the shoal water and waited till
he saw the squaw's fingers clutch the forward rail。 Then he signalled for
full speed ahead and ground the wheel over。 The large canoe was very
near； but the gap between it and the steamer was widening。
The squaw laughed and leaned over the rail。
〃Then catch me； Porportuk！〃 she cried。
Akoon left the steamer at Fort Yukon。 He outfitted a small poling…
boat and went up the Porcupine River。 And with him went El…Soo。 It
was a weary journey； and the way led across the backbone of the world；
but Akoon had travelled it before。 When they came to the head…waters of
the Porcupine； they left the boat and went on foot across the Rocky
Mountains。
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Akoon greatly liked to walk behind El…Soo and watch the movements
of her。 There was a music in it that he loved。 And especially he loved
the well…rounded calves in their sheaths of soft…tanned leather； the slim
ankles； and the small moccasined feet that were tireless through the
longest days。
〃You are light as air；〃 he said； looking up at her。 〃It is no labour for
you to walk。 You almost float； so lightly do your feet rise and fall。 You
are like a deer； El…Soo； you are like a deer； and your eyes are like deer's
eyes； sometimes when you look at me； or when you hear a quick sound
and wonder if it be danger that stirs。 Your eyes are like a deer's eyes now
as you look at me。〃
And El…Soo； luminous and melting； bent and kissed Akoon。
〃When we reach the Mackenzie； we will not delay；〃 Akoon said later。
〃We will go south before the winter catches us。 We will go to the
sunlands where there is no snow。 But we will return。 I have seen much
of the world； and there is no land like Alaska； no sun like our sun； and the
snow is good after the long summer。〃
〃And you will learn to read；〃 said El…Soo。
And Akoon said； 〃I will surely learn to read。〃 But there was delay
when they reached the Mackenzie。 They fell in with a band of
Mackenzie Indians； and； hunting； Akoon was shot by accident。 The rifle
was in the hands of a youth。 The bullet broke Akoon's right arm and；
ranging farther； broke two of his ribs。 Akoon knew rough surgery； while
El…Soo had learned some refinements at Holy Cross。 The bones were
finally set； and Akoon lay by the fire for them to knit。 Also； he lay by the
fire so that the smoke would keep the mosquitoes away。
Then it was that Porportuk； with his six young men； arrived。 Akoon
groaned in his helplessness and made appeal to the Mackenzies。 But
Porportuk made demand； and the Mackenzies were perplexed。 Porportuk
was for seizing upon El…Soo； but this they would not permit。 Judgment
must be given； and； as it was an affair of man and woman； the council of
the old men was calledthis that warm judgment might not be given by
the young men； who were warm of heart。
The old men sat in a circle about the smudge…fire。 Their faces were
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lean and wrinkled； and they gasped and panted for air。 The smoke was
not good for them。 Occasionally they struck with withered hands at the
mosquitoes that braved the smoke。 After such exertion they coughed
hollowly and painfully。 Some spat blood； and one of them sat a bit apart
with head bowed forward； and bled slowly and continuously at the mouth；
the coughing sickness had gripped them。 They were as dead men； their
time was short。 It was a judgment of the dead。 〃And I paid for her a
heavy price；〃 Porportuk concluded his complaint。 〃Such a price you
have never seen。 Sell all that is yourssell your spears and arrows and
rifles； sell your skins and furs； sell your tents and boats and dogs； sell
everything； and you will not have maybe a thousand dollars。 Yet did I
pay for the woman； El…Soo； twenty…six times the price of all your spears
and arrows and rifles； your skins and furs； your tents and boats and dogs。
It was a heavy price。〃
The old men nodded gravely； though their weazened eye…slits widened
with wonder that any woman should be worth such a price。 The one that
bled at the mouth wiped his lips。 〃Is it true talk？〃 he asked each of
Porportuk's six young men。 And each answered that it was true。
〃Is it true talk？〃 he asked El…Soo； and she answered； 〃It is true。〃
〃But Porportuk has not told that he is an old man；〃 Akoon said； 〃and
that he has daughters older than El…Soo。〃
〃It is true；
