the faith of men(人们的信任)-第29章
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them up to her house in the dark。
In February the first post came in over the ice； and John Thompson
read in the society column of a five…months…old paper of the marriage of
Neil Bonner and Kitty Sharon。 Jees Uck held the door ajar and him
outside while he imparted the information； and； when he had done；
laughed pridefully and did not believe。 In March； and all alone； she gave
birth to a man…child； a brave bit of new life at which she marvelled。 And
at that hour； a year later； Neil Bonner sat by another bed； marvelling at
another bit of new life that had fared into the world。
The snow went off the ground and the ice broke out of the Yukon。 The
sun journeyed north； and journeyed south again； and； the money from the
being spent； Jees Uck went back to her own people。 Oche Ish； a shrewd
hunter； proposed to kill the meat for her and her babe； and catch the
salmon； if she would marry him。 And Imego and Hah Yo and Wy Nooch；
husky young hunters all； made similar proposals。 But she elected to live
alone and seek her own meat and fish。 She sewed moccasins and
PARKAS and mittenswarm； serviceable things； and pleasing to the eye；
withal； what of the ornamental hair…tufts and bead…work。 These she sold
to the miners； who were drifting faster into the land each year。 And not
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only did she win food that was good and plentiful； but she laid money by；
and one day took passage on the Yukon Belle down the river。
At St。 Michael's she washed dishes in the kitchen of the post。 The
servants of the Company wondered at the remarkable woman with the
remarkable child； though they asked no questions and she vouchsafed
nothing。 But just before Bering Sea closed in for the year； she bought a
passage south on a strayed sealing schooner。 That winter she cooked for
Captain Markheim's household at Unalaska； and in the spring continued
south to Sitka on a whisky sloop。 Later on appeared at Metlakahtla；
which is near to St。 Mary's on the end of the Pan…Handle； where she
worked in the cannery through the salmon season。 When autumn came
and the Siwash fishermen prepared to return to Puget Sound； she
embarked with a couple of families in a big cedar canoe； and with them
she threaded the hazardous chaos of the Alaskan and Canadian coasts； till
the Straits of Juan de Fuca were passed and she led her boy by the hand up
the hard pave of Seattle。
There she met Sandy MacPherson； on a windy corner； very much
surprised and； when he had heard her story； very wrothnot so wroth as he
might have been； had he known of Kitty Sharon； but of her Jees Uck
breathed not a word； for she had never believed。 Sandy； who read
commonplace and sordid desertion into the circumstance； strove to
dissuade her from her trip to San Francisco； where Neil Bonner was
supposed to live when he was at home。 And； having striven； he made her
comfortable； bought her tickets and saw her off； the while smiling in her
face and muttering 〃dam…shame〃 into his beard。
With roar and rumble； through daylight and dark； swaying and
lurching between the dawns； soaring into the winter snows and sinking to
summer valleys； skirting depths； leaping chasms； piercing mountains； Jees
Uck and her boy were hurled south。 But she had no fear of the iron
stallion； nor was she stunned by this masterful civilization of Neil
Bonner's people。 It seemed； rather； that she saw with greater clearness
the wonder that a man of such godlike race had held her in his arms。 The
screaming medley of San Francisco； with its restless shipping； belching
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factories； and thundering traffic； did not confuse her； instead； she
comprehended swiftly the pitiful sordidness of Twenty Mile and the skin…
lodged Toyaat village。 And she looked down at the boy that clutched her
hand and wondered that she had borne him by such a man。
She paid the hack…driver five pieces and went up the stone steps of
Neil Bonner's front door。 A slant…eyed Japanese parleyed with her for a
fruitless space； then led her inside and disappeared。 She remained in the
hall； which to her simply fancy seemed to be the guest…roomthe show…
place wherein were arrayed all the household treasures with the frank
purpose of parade and dazzlement。 The walls and ceiling were of oiled
and panelled redwood。 The floor was more glassy than glare…ice； and she
sought standing place on one of the great skins that gave a sense of
security to the polished surface。 A huge fireplacean extravagant
fireplace； she deemed ityawned in the farther wall。 A flood of light；
mellowed by stained glass； fell across the room； and from the far end came
the white gleam of a marble figure。
This much she saw； and more； when the slant…eyed servant led the way
past another roomof which she caught a fleeting glanceand into a third；
both of which dimmed the brave show of the entrance hall。 And to her
eyes the great house seemed to hold out the promise of endless similar
rooms。 There was such length and breadth to them； and the ceilings were
so far away！ For the first time since her advent into the white man's
civilization； a feeling of awe laid hold of her。 Neil； her Neil； lived in this
house； breathed the air of it； and lay down at night and slept！ It was
beautiful； all this that she saw； and it pleased her； but she felt； also； the
wisdom and mastery behind。 It was the concrete expression of power in
terms of beauty； and it was the power that she unerringly divined。
And then came a woman； queenly tall； crowned with a glory of hair
that was like a golden sun。 She seemed to come toward Jees Uck as a
ripple of music across still water； her sweeping garment itself a song； her
body playing rhythmically beneath。 Jees Uck herself was a man
compeller。 There were Oche Ish and Imego and Hah Yo and Wy Nooch；
to say nothing of Neil Bonner and John Thompson and other white men
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that had looked upon her and felt her power。 But she gazed upon the
wide blue eyes and rose…white skin of this woman that advanced to meet
her； and she measured her with woman's eyes looking through man's eyes；
and as a man compeller she felt herself diminish and grow insignificant
before this radiant and flashing creature。
〃You wish to see my husband？〃 the woman asked； and Jees Uck
gasped at the liquid silver of a voice that had never sounded harsh cries at
snarling wolf…dogs； nor moulded itself to a guttural speech； nor toughened
in storm and frost and camp smoke。
〃No；〃 Jees Uck answered slowly and gropingly； in order that she might
do justice to her English。 〃I come to see Neil Bonner。〃
〃He is my husband；〃 the woman laughed。
Then it was true！ John Thompson had not lied that bleak February
day； when she laughed pridefully and shut the door in his face。 As once
she had thrown Amos Pentley across her knee and ripped her knife into the
air； so now she felt impelled to spring upon this woman and bear her back
and down； and tear the life out of her fair body。 But Jees Uck was
thinking quickly and gave no sign； and Kitty Bonner little dreamed how
intimately she had for an instant been related with sudden death。
Jees Uck nodded her head that she understood； and Kitty Bonner
explained that Neil was expected at any moment。 Then they sat down on
ridiculously comfortable chairs； and Kitty sought to entertain her strange
visitor； and Jees Uck strove to help her。
〃You knew my husband in the North？〃 Kitty asked； once。
〃Sure。 I wash um clothes；〃 Jees Uck had answered； her English
abruptly beginning to grow atrocious。
〃And this is your boy？ I have a little girl。〃
Kitty caused her daughter to be brought； and while the children； after
their manner； struck an acquaintance； the mothers indulged in the talk of
mothers and drank tea from cups so fragile that Jees Uck feared lest hers
should crumble to pieces beneath her fingers。 Never had she seen such
cups； so delicate and dainty。 In her mind she compared them with the
woman who poured the tea； and there uprose in contrast the gourds and
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pannikins of the Toyaat village and the clumsy mugs of Twenty Mile； to
which she likened herself。 And in such fashion and such terms the problem
presented itself。 She was beaten。 There was a woman other than herself
better fitted to bear and upbring Neil Bonner's children。 Just as his
people exceeded her people； so did his womankind exceed her。 They
were the man compellers； as their men were the world compellers。 She
looked at the rose…white tenderness of Kitty Bonner's skin and
remembered the sun…beat on her own face。 Likewise she looked from
brown hand to whitethe one； work…worn and hardened by whip…handle
and paddle； the other as guiltless of toil and soft as a newborn babe's。
And； for all the obvious softness and apparent weakness； Jees Uck looked
