the faith of men(人们的信任)-第6章
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make outcry in token that thou； too； hast felt the visitation of the night。
And in this way shall we achieve honour and great possessions； and the
caddy of 〃Star〃 and the prime smoking； and thy Tukeliketa； who is a likely
maiden。'
〃When he had departed on this errand； I bided patiently in the shack；
and the tobacco seemed very near。 Then there was a cry of affright in the
night； that became an uproar and assailed the sky。 I seized the 'pain…killer'
and ran forth。 There was much noise； and a wailing among the women；
and fear sat heavily on all。 Tummasook and the woman Ipsukuk rolled on
the ground in pain； and with them there were divers others； also Moosu。
I thrust aside those that cluttered the way of my feet； and put the mouth of
the bottle to Moosu's lips。 And straightway he became well and ceased
his howling。 Whereat there was a great clamour for the bottle from the
others so stricken。 But I made harangue； and ere they tasted and were
made well I had mulcted Tummasook of his copper kettle and kerosene
can； and the woman Ipsukuk of her sugar and molasses； and the other sick
ones of goodly measures of flour。 The shaman glowered wickedly at the
people around my knees； though he poorly concealed the wonder that lay
beneath。 But I held my head high； and Moosu groaned beneath the loot
as he followed my heels to the shack。
〃There I set to work。 In Tummasook's copper kettle I mixed three
quarts of wheat flour with five of molasses； and to this I added of water
twenty quarts。 Then I placed the kettle near the lamp； that it might sour
in the warmth and grow strong。 Moosu understood； and said my wisdom
passed understanding and was greater than Solomon's； who he had heard
was a wise man of old time。 The kerosene can I set over the lamp； and to
its nose I affixed a snout； and into the snout the bone that was like a
gooseneck。 I sent Moosu without to pound ice； while I connected the
barrel of his gun with the gooseneck； and midway on the barrel I piled the
ice he had pounded。 And at the far end of the gun…barrel； beyond the pan
of ice； I placed a small iron pot。 When the brew was strong enough （and
it was two days ere it could stand on its own legs）； I filled the kerosene
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The Faith of Men
can with it； and lighted the wicks I had braided。
〃Now that all was ready； I spoke to Moosu。 'Go forth；' I said； 'to the
chief men of the village； and give them greeting； and bid them come into
my igloo and sleep the night away with me and the gods。'
〃The brew was singing merrily when they began shoving aside the
skin flap and crawling in； and I was heaping cracked ice on the gun…barrel。
Out of the priming hole at the far end； drip； drip； drip into the iron pot fell
the liquorHOOCH； you know。 But they'd never seen the like； and
giggled nervously when I made harangue about its virtues。 As I talked I
noted the jealousy in the shaman's eye； so when I had done； I placed him
side by side with Tummasook and the woman Ipsukuk。 Then I gave
them to drink； and their eyes watered and their stomachs warmed； till from
being afraid they reached greedily for more； and when I had them well
started； I turned to the others。 Tummasook made a brag about how he
had once killed a polar bear； and in the vigour of his pantomime nearly
slew his mother's brother。 But nobody heeded。 The woman Ipsukuk
fell to weeping for a son lost long years agone in the ice； and the shaman
made incantation and prophecy。 So it went； and before morning they
were all on the floor； sleeping soundly with the gods。
〃The story tells itself； does it not？ The news of the magic potion
spread。 It was too marvellous for utterance。 Tongues could tell but a
tithe of the miracles it performed。 It eased pain； gave surcease to sorrow；
brought back old memories； dead faces； and forgotten dreams。 It was a
fire that ate through all the blood； and； burning； burned not。 It stoutened
the heart； stiffened the back； and made men more than men。 It revealed
the future； and gave visions and prophecy。 It brimmed with wisdom and
unfolded secrets。 There was no end of the things it could do； and soon
there was a clamouring on all hands to sleep with the gods。 They
brought their warmest furs； their strongest dogs； their best meats； but I
sold the hooch with discretion； and only those were favoured that brought
flour and molasses and sugar。 And such stores poured in that I set Moosu
to build a cache to hold them； for there was soon no space in the igloo。
Ere three days had passed Tummasook had gone bankrupt。 The shaman；
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who was never more than half drunk after the first night； watched me
closely and hung on for the better part of the week。 But before ten days
were gone； even the woman Ipsukuk exhausted her provisions； and went
home weak and tottery。
〃But Moosu complained。 'O master；' he said； 'we have laid by great
wealth in molasses and sugar and flour； but our shack is yet mean； our
clothes thin； and our sleeping furs mangy。 There is a call of the belly for
meat the stench of which offends not the stars； and for tea such as
Tummasook guzzles； and there is a great yearning for the tobacco of
Neewak； who is shaman and who plans to destroy us。 I have flour until I
am sick； and sugar and molasses without stint； yet is the heart of Moosu
sore and his bed empty。'
〃'Peace！' I answered； 'thou art weak of understanding and a fool。 Walk
softly and wait； and we will grasp it all。 But grasp now； and we grasp
little； and in the end it will be nothing。 Thou art a child in the way of the
white man's wisdom。 Hold thy tongue and watch； and I will show you
the way my brothers do overseas； and； so doing； gather to themselves the
riches of the earth。 It is what is called 〃business；〃 and what dost thou
know about business？'
〃But the next day he came in breathless。 'O master； a strange thing
happeneth in the igloo of Neewak； the shaman； wherefore we are lost； and
we have neither worn the warm furs nor tasted the good tobacco； what of
your madness for the molasses and flour。 Go thou and witness whilst I
watch by the brew。'
〃So I went to the igloo of Neewak。 And behold； he had made his
own still； fashioned cunningly after mine。 And as he beheld me he could
ill conceal his triumph。 For he was a man of parts； and his sleep with the
gods when in my igloo had not been sound。
〃But I was not disturbed； for I knew what I knew； and when I returned
to my own igloo； I descanted to Moosu； and said： 'Happily the property
right obtains amongst this people； who otherwise have been blessed with
but few of the institutions of men。 And because of this respect for
property shall you and I wax fat； and； further； we shal
