the faith of men- 第18部分

would　himself　have　mentioned　the　name　of　Lit…lit；　butthe　Factor

had　not　gone　that　one　step　farther。



The　chief　was　non…committal　concerning　Lit…lit's　suitability；　till

he　drove　the　white　man　into　taking　the　next　step　in　order　of

procedure。



〃Well；〃　the　Factor　meditated　aloud；　〃the　only　way　to　find　out　is　to

make　a　try　of　it。〃　　He　raised　his　voice。　　〃So　I　will　give　for　Lit…

lit　ten　blankets　and　three　pounds　of　tobacco　which　is　good

tobacco。〃



Snettishane　replied　with　a　gesture　which　seemed　to　say　that　all　the

blankets　and　tobacco　in　all　the　world　could　not　compensate　him　for

the　loss　of　Lit…lit　and　her　manifold　virtues。　　When　pressed　by　the

Factor　to　set　a　price；　he　coolly　placed　it　at　five　hundred

blankets；　ten　guns；　fifty　pounds　of　tobacco；　twenty　scarlet　cloths；

ten　bottles　of　rum；　a　music…box；　and　lastly　the　good…will　and　best

offices　of　the　Factor；　with　a　place　by　his　fire。



The　Factor　apparently　suffered　a　stroke　of　apoplexy；　which　stroke

was　successful　in　reducing　the　blankets　to　two　hundred　and　in

cutting　out　the　place　by　the　firean　unheard…of　condition　in　the

marriages　of　white　men　with　the　daughters　of　the　soil。　　In　the　end；

after　three　hours　more　of　chaffering；　they　came　to　an　agreement。

For　Lit…lit　Snettishane　was　to　receive　one　hundred　blankets；　five

pounds　of　tobacco；　three　guns；　and　a　bottle　of　rum；　goodwill　and

best　offices　included；　which　according　to　John　Fox；　was　ten

blankets　and　a　gun　more　than　she　was　worth。　　And　as　he　went　home

through　the　wee　sma'　hours；　the　three…o'clock　sun　blazing　in　the

due　north…east；　he　was　unpleasantly　aware　that　Snettishane　had

bested　him　over　the　bargain。



Snettishane；　tired　and　victorious；　sought　his　bed；　and　discovered

Lit…lit　before　she　could　escape　from　the　lodge。



He　grunted　knowingly：　　〃Thou　hast　seen。　　Thou　has　heard。　　Wherefore

it　be　plain　to　thee　thy　father's　very　great　wisdom　and

understanding。　　I　have　made　for　thee　a　great　match。　　Heed　my　words

and　walk　in　the　way　of　my　words；　go　when　I　say　go；　come　when　I　bid

thee　come；　and　we　shall　grow　fat　with　the　wealth　of　this　big　white

man　who　is　a　fool　according　to　his　bigness。〃



The　next　day　no　trading　was　done　at　the　store。　　The　Factor　opened

whisky　before　breakfast；　to　the　delight　of　McLean　and　McTavish；

gave　his　dogs　double　rations；　and　wore　his　best　moccasins。　　Outside

the　Fort　preparations　were　under　way　for　a　POTLATCH。　　Potlatch

means　〃a　giving；〃　and　John　Fox's　intention　was　to　signalize　his

marriage　with　Lit…lit　by　a　potlatch　as　generous　as　she　was　good…

looking。　　In　the　afternoon　the　whole　tribe　gathered　to　the　feast。

Men；　women；　children；　and　dogs　gorged　to　repletion；　nor　was　there

one　person；　even　among　the　chance　visitors　and　stray　hunters　from

other　tribes；　who　failed　to　receive　some　token　of　the　bridegroom's

largess。



Lit…lit；　tearfully　shy　and　frightened；　was　bedecked　by　her　bearded

husband　with　a　new　calico　dress；　splendidly　beaded　moccasins；　a

gorgeous　silk　handkerchief　over　her　raven　hair；　a　purple　scarf

about　her　throat；　brass　ear…rings　and　finger…rings；　and　a　whole

pint　of　pinchbeck　jewellery；　including　a　Waterbury　watch。

Snettishane　could　scarce　contain　himself　at　the　spectacle；　but

watching　his　chance　drew　her　aside　from　the　feast。



〃Not　this　night；　nor　the　next　night；〃　he　began　ponderously；　〃but　in

the　nights　to　come；　when　I　shall　call　like　a　raven　by　the　river

bank；　it　is　for　thee　to　rise　up　from　thy　big　husband；　who　is　a

fool；　and　come　to　me。



〃Nay；　nay；〃　he　went　on　hastily；　at　sight　of　the　dismay　in　her　face

at　turning　her　back　upon　her　wonderful　new　life。　　〃For　no　sooner

shall　this　happen　than　thy　big　husband；　who　is　a　fool；　will　come

wailing　to　my　lodge。　　Then　it　is　for　thee　to　wail　likewise；

claiming　that　this　thing　is　not　well；　and　that　the　other　thing　thou

dost　not　like；　and　that　to　be　the　wife　of　the　Factor　is　more　than

thou　didst　bargain　for；　only　wilt　thou　be　content　with　more

blankets；　and　more　tobacco；　and　more　wealth　of　various　sorts　for

thy　poor　old　father；　Snettishane。　　Remember　well；　when　I　call　in

the　night；　like　a　raven；　from　the　river　bank。〃



Lit…lit　nodded；　for　to　disobey　her　father　was　a　peril　she　knew

well；　and；　furthermore；　it　was　a　little　thing　he　asked；　a　short

separation　from　the　Factor；　who　would　know　only　greater　gladness　at

having　her　back。　　She　returned　to　the　feast；　and；　midnight　being

well　at　hand；　the　Factor　sought　her　out　and　led　her　away　to　the

Fort　amid　joking　and　outcry；　in　which　the　squaws　were　especially

conspicuous。



Lit…lit　quickly　found　that　married　life　with　the　head…man　of　a　fort

was　even　better　than　she　had　dreamed。　　No　longer　did　she　have　to

fetch　wood　and　water　and　wait　hand　and　foot　upon　cantankerous

menfolk。　　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　could　lie　abed　till

breakfast　was　on　the　table。　　And　what　a　bed！clean　and　soft；　and

comfortable　as　no　bed　she　had　ever　known。　　And　such　food！　　Flour；

cooked　into　biscuits；　hot…cakes　and　bread；　three　times　a　day　and

every　day；　and　all　one　wanted！　　Such　prodigality　was　hardly

believable。



To　add　to　her　contentment；　the　Factor　was　cunningly　kind。　　He　had

buried　one　wife；　and　he　knew　how　to　drive　with　a　slack　rein　that

went　firm　only　on　occasion；　and　then　went　very　firm。　　〃Lit…lit　is

boss　of　this　place；〃　he　announced　significantly　at　the　table　the

morning　after　the　wedding。　　〃What　she　says　goes。　　Understand？〃　　And

McLean　and　McTavish　understood。　　Also；　they　knew　that　the　Factor

had　a　heavy　hand。



But　Lit…lit　did　not　take　advantage。　　Taking　a　leaf　from　the　book　of

her　husband；　she　at　once　assumed　charge　of　his　own　growing　sons；

giving　them　added　comforts　and　a　measure　of　freedom　like　to　that

which　he　gave　her。　　The　two　sons　were　loud　in　the　praise　of　their

new　mother；　McLean　and　McTavish　lifted　their　voices；　and　the　Factor

bragged　of　the　joys　of　matrimony　till　the　story　of　her　good

behaviour　and　her　husband's　satisfaction　became　the　property　of　all

the　dwellers　in　the　Sin　Rock　district。



Whereupon　Snettishane；　with　visions　of　his　incalculable　interest

keeping　him　awake　of　nights；　thought　it　time　to　bestir　himself。　　On

the　tenth　night　of　her　wedded　life　Lit…lit　was　awakened　by　the

croaking　of　a　raven；　and　she　knew　that　Snettishane　was　waiting　for

her　by　the　river　bank。　　In　her　great　happiness　she　had　forgotten

her　pact；　and　now　it　came　back　to　her　with　behind　it　all　the

childish　terror　of　her　father。　　For　a　time　she　lay　in　fear　and

trembling；　loath　to　go；　afraid　to　stay。　　But　in　the　end　the　Factor

won　the　silent　victory；　and　his　kindness　plus　his　great　muscles　and

square　jaw；　nerved　her　to　disregard　Snettishane's　call。



But　in　the　morning　she　arose　very　much　afraid；　and　went　about　her

duties　in　momentary　fear　of　her　father's　coming。　　As　the　day　wore

along；　however；　she　began　to　recover　her　spirits。　　John　Fox；

soundly　berating　McLean　and　McTavish　for　some　petty　dereliction　of

duty；　helped　her　to　pluck　up　courage。　　She　tried　not　to　let　him　go

out　of　her　sight；　and　when　she　followed　him　into　the　huge　cache　and

saw　him　twirling　and　tossing　great　bales　around　as　though　they　were

feather　pillows；　she　felt　strengthened　in　her　disobedience　to　her

father。　　Also　（it　was　her　first　visit　to　the　warehouse；　and　Sin

Rock　was　the　chief　distributing　point　to　several　chains　of　lesser

posts）；　she　was　astounded　at　the　endlessness　of　the　wealth　there

stored　away。



This　sight　and　the　picture　in　her　mind's　eye　of　the　bare　lodge　of

Snettishane；　put　all　doubts　at　rest。　　Yet　she　capped　her　conviction

by　a　brief　word　with　one　of　her　step…sons。　　〃White　daddy　good？〃　was

what　she　asked；　and　the　boy　answered　that　his　father　was　the　best

man　he　had　ever　known。　　That　night　the　raven　croaked　again。　　On　the

night　following　the　croaking　was　more　persistent。　　It　awoke　the

Factor；　who　tossed　restlessly　for　a　while。　　Then　he　said　aloud；

〃Damn　that　raven；〃　and　Lit…lit　laughed　quietly　under　the　blankets。



In　the　morning；　bright　and　early；　Snettishane　put　in　an　ominous

appearance　and　was　set　to　breakfast　in　the　kitchen　with　Wanidani。

He　refused　〃squaw　food；〃　and　a　little　later　bearded　his　son…in…law

in　the　store　where　the　trading　was　done。　　Having　learned；　he　said；

that　his　daughter　was　such　a　jewel；　he　had　come　for　more　blankets；

more　tobacco；　and　more　gunsespecially　more　guns。　　He　had

certainly　been　cheated　in　her　price；　he　held；　and　he　had　come　for

justice。　　But　the　Factor　had　neither　blankets　nor　justice　to　spare。

Whereupon　he　was　informed　that　Snettishane　had　seen　the　missionary

at　Three　Forks；　who　had　notified　him　that　such　marriages　were　not

made　in　heaven；　and　that　it　was　his　father's　duty　to　demand　his

daughter　back。



〃I　am　good　Christian　man　now；〃　Snettishane　concluded。　　〃I　want　my

Lit…lit　to　go　to　heaven。〃



The　Factor's　reply　was　short　and　to　the　point；　for　he　directed　his

father…in…law　to　go　to　the　heavenly　antipodes；　and　by　the　scruff　of

the　neck　and　the　slack　of　the　blanket　propelled　him　on　that　trail

as　far　as　the　door。



But　Snettishane　sneaked　around　and　in　by　the　kitchen；　cornering

Lit…lit　in　the　great　living…room　of　the　Fort。



〃Mayhap　thou　didst　sleep　over…sound　last　night　when　I　called　by　the

river　bank；〃　he　began；　glowering　darkly。



〃Nay；　I　was　awake　and　heard。〃　　Her　heart　was　beating　as　though　it

would　choke　her；　but　she　went　on　steadily；　〃And　the　night　before　I

was　awake　and　heard；　and　yet　again　the　night　before。〃



And　thereat；　out　of　her　great　happiness　and　out　of　the　fear　that　it

might　be　taken　from　her；　she　launched　into　an　original　and　glowing

address　upon　the　status　and　rights　of　womanthe　first　new…woman

lecture　delivered　north　of　Fifty…three。



But　it　fell　on　unheeding　ears。　　Snettishane　was　still　in　the　dark

ages。　　As　she　paused　for　breath；　he　said　threateningly；　〃To…night　I

shall　call　again　like　the　raven。〃



At　this　moment　the　Factor　entered　the　room　and　again　helped

Snettishane　on　his　way　to　the