the faith of men(人们的信任)-第17章
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which was more than the cottage warranted； and breathed easier when he
scrawled his signature and passed out the door。
Two weeks later he went over Chilkoot with three dog sleds of five
dogs each。 One team he drove； the two Indians with him driving the
others。 At Lake Marsh they broke out the cache and loaded up。 But
there was no trail。 He was the first in over the ice； and to him fell the
task of packing the snow and hammering away through the rough river
jams。 Behind him he often observed a camp…fire smoke trickling thinly
up through the quiet air； and he wondered why the people did not overtake
him。 For he was a stranger to the land and did not understand。 Nor
could he understand his Indians when they tried to explain。 This they
conceived to be a hardship； but when they balked and refused to break
camp of mornings； he drove them to their work at pistol point。
When he slipped through an ice bridge near the White Horse and froze
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his foot； tender yet and oversensitive from the previous freezing； the
Indians looked for him to lie up。 But he sacrificed a blanket； and； with
his foot incased in an enormous moccasin； big as a water…bucket；
continued to take his regular turn with the front sled。 Here was the
cruellest work； and they respected him； though on the side they rapped
their foreheads with their knuckles and significantly shook their heads。
One night they tried to run away； but the zip…zip of his bullets in the snow
brought them back； snarling but convinced。 Whereupon； being only
savage Chilkat men； they put their heads together to kill him； but he slept
like a cat； and； waking or sleeping； the chance never came。 Often they
tried to tell him the import of the smoke wreath in the rear； but he could
not comprehend and grew suspicious of them。 And when they sulked or
shirked； he was quick to let drive at them between the eyes； and quick to
cool their heated souls with sight of his ready revolver。
And so it wentwith mutinous men； wild dogs； and a trail that broke
the heart。 He fought the men to stay with him； fought the dogs to keep
them away from the eggs； fought the ice； the cold； and the pain of his foot；
which would not heal。 As fast as the young tissue renewed； it was bitten
and scared by the frost； so that a running sore developed； into which he
could almost shove his fist。 In the mornings； when he first put his weight
upon it； his head went dizzy； and he was near to fainting from the pain； but
later on in the day it usually grew numb； to recommence when he crawled
into his blankets and tried to sleep。 Yet he； who had been a clerk and sat
at a desk all his days； toiled till the Indians were exhausted； and even out…
worked the dogs。 How hard he worked； how much he suffered； he did
not know。 Being a man of the one idea； now that the idea had come； it
mastered him。 In the foreground of his consciousness was Dawson； in
the background his thousand dozen eggs； and midway between the two his
ego fluttered； striving always to draw them together to a glittering golden
point。 This golden point was the five thousand dollars； the
consummation of the idea and the point of departure for whatever new
idea might present itself。 For the rest； he was a mere automaton。 He
was unaware of other things； seeing them as through a glass darkly； and
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giving them no thought。 The work of his hands he did with machine…like
wisdom； likewise the work of his head。 So the look on his face grew
very tense； till even the Indians were afraid of it； and marvelled at the
strange white man who had made them slaves and forced them to toil with
such foolishness。
Then came a snap on Lake Le Barge； when the cold of outer space
smote the tip of the planet； and the force ranged sixty and odd degrees
below zero。 Here； labouring with open mouth that he might breathe more
freely； he chilled his lungs； and for the rest of the trip he was troubled with
a dry； hacking cough； especially irritable in smoke of camp or under stress
of undue exertion。 On the Thirty Mile river he found much open water；
spanned by precarious ice bridges and fringed with narrow rim ice； tricky
and uncertain。 The rim ice was impossible to reckon on； and he dared it
without reckoning； falling back on his revolver when his drivers demurred。
But on the ice bridges； covered with snow though they were； precautions
could be taken。 These they crossed on their snowshoes； with long poles；
held crosswise in their hands； to which to cling in case of accident。 Once
over； the dogs were called to follow。 And on such a bridge； where the
absence of the centre ice was masked by the snow； one of the Indians met
his end。 He went through as quickly and neatly as a knife through thin
cream； and the current swept him from view down under the stream ice。
That night his mate fled away through the pale moonlight； Rasmunsen
futilely puncturing the silence with his revolvera thing that he handled
with more celerity than cleverness。 Thirty…six hours later the Indian
made a police camp on the Big Salmon。
〃Umumum funny manswhat you call？top um head all loose；〃
the interpreter explained to the puzzled captain。 〃Eh？ Yep； clazy； much
clazy mans。 Eggs； eggs； all a time eggssavvy？ Come bime… by。〃
It was several days before Rasmunsen arrived； the three sleds lashed
together； and all the dogs in a single team。 It was awkward； and where
the going was bad he was compelled to back…trip it sled by sled； though he
managed most of the time； through herculean efforts； to bring all along on
the one haul。 He did not seem moved when the captain of police told
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him his man was hitting the high places for Dawson； and was by that time；
probably； half… way between Selkirk and Stewart。 Nor did he appear
interested when informed that the police had broken the trail as far as
Pelly； for he had attained to a fatalistic acceptance of all natural
dispensations； good or ill。 But when they told him that Dawson was in
the bitter clutch of famine； he smiled； threw the harness on his dogs； and
pulled out。
But it was at his next halt that the mystery of the smoke was explained。
With the word at Big Salmon that the trail was broken to Pelly； there was
no longer any need for the smoke wreath to linger in his wake； and
Rasmunsen； crouching over lonely fire； saw a motley string of sleds go by。
First came the courier and the half…breed who had hauled him out from
Bennett； then mail…carriers for Circle City； two sleds of them； and a mixed
following of ingoing Klondikers。 Dogs and men were fresh and fat；
while Rasmunsen and his brutes were jaded and worn down to the skin
and bone。 They of the smoke wreath had travelled one day in three；
resting and reserving their strength for the dash to come when broken trail
was met with； while each day he had plunged and floundered forward；
breaking the spirit of his dogs and robbing them of their mettle。
As for himself； he was unbreakable。 They thanked him kindly for his
efforts in their behalf； those fat； fresh men；thanked him kindly； with
broad grins and ribald laughter； and now； when he understood； he made no
answer。 Nor did he cherish silent bitterness。 It was immaterial。 The
ideathe fact behind the ideawas not changed。 Here he was and his
thousand dozen； there was Dawson； the problem was unaltered。
At the Little Salmon； being short of dog food； the dogs got into his
grub； and from there to Selkirk he lived on beanscoarse； brown beans；
big beans； grossly nutritive； which griped his stomach and doubled him up
at two…hour intervals。 But the Factor at Selkirk had a notice on the door
of the Post to the effect that no steamer had been up the Yukon for two
years； and in consequence grub was beyond price。 He offered to swap
flour； however； at the rate of a cupful of each egg； but Rasmunsen shook
his head and hit the trail。 Below the Post he managed to buy frozen horse
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hide for the dogs； the horses having been slain by the Chilkat cattle men；
and the scraps and offal preserved by the Indians。 He tackled the hide
himself； but the hair worked into the bean sores of his mouth； and was
beyond endurance。
Here at Selkirk he met the forerunners of the hungry exodus of
Dawson； and from there on they crept over the trail； a dismal throng。
〃No grub！〃 was the song they sang。 〃No grub； and had to go。〃
〃Everybody holding candles for a rise in the spring。〃 〃Flour dollar 'n a
half a pound； and no sellers。〃
〃Eggs？〃 one of them answered。 〃Dollar apiece； but there ain't none。〃
Rasmunsen made a rapid calculation。 〃Twelve thousand dollars；〃 he
said aloud。
〃Hey？〃 the man asked。
〃Nothing；〃 he answered； and MUSHED the dogs along。
When he arrived at Stewart River； seventy from Dawson； five of his
dogs were gone； and the remainder were falling in the traces。 He； also；
was in the traces； hauling with what little strength was left in him。 Even
then he was barely
