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the faith of men(人们的信任)-第30章

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much   capital;   from   which   he   expected   to   receive;   not   a   certain   definite 

interest; but an incalculable interest。 

     And having thus been reared in a manner as near to that of the nunnery 

as tribal conditions would permit; it was with a great and maidenly anxiety 

that   she   peeped   out   at   the   man   who   had   surely   come   for   her;   at   the 

husband   who   was   to   teach   her   all   that   was   yet   unlearned   of   life;   at   the 

masterful being whose word was to be her law; and who was to mete and 

bound her actions and comportment for the rest of her days。 

     But; peeping through the front flap of the lodge; flushed and thrilling 

at the strange destiny reaching out for her; she grew disappointed as the 

day  wore   along;   and   the   Factor   and her   father   still   talked   pompously  of 

matters concerning other things and not pertaining to marriage things at all。 

As     the   sun   sank    lower     and    lower    toward     the   north    and    midnight 

approached;        the   Factor    began     making      unmistakable       preparations      for 

departure。       As   he   turned   to   stride   away   Lit…lit's   heart   sank;   but   it   rose 

again as he halted; half turning on one heel。 

     〃Oh; by the way; Snettishane;〃 he said; 〃I want a squaw to wash for me 

and mend my clothes。〃 

     Snettishane grunted and suggested Wanidani; who was an old woman 

and toothless。 



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                                       The Faith of Men 



     〃No; no;〃 interposed the Factor。          〃What I want is a wife。          I've been 

kind of thinking   about it; and   the thought   just struck me   that you   might 

know of some one that would suit。〃 

     Snettishane looked interested; whereupon the Factor retraced his steps; 

casually and carelessly to linger and discuss this new and incidental topic。 

     〃Kattou?〃 suggested Snettishane。 

     〃She has but one eye;〃 objected the Factor。 

     〃Laska?〃 

     〃Her    knees    be   wide   apart   when    she   stands   upright。    Kips;    your 

biggest dog; can leap between her knees when she stands upright。〃 

     〃Senatee?〃 went on the imperturbable Snettishane。 

     But John Fox feigned anger; crying:            〃What foolishness is this?        Am 

I old; that thou shouldst mate me with old women?                Am I toothless? lame 

of leg? blind of eye?       Or am I poor that no bright…eyed maiden may look 

with favour upon me?          Behold!      I am the Factor; both rich and great; a 

power in the land; whose speech makes men tremble and is obeyed!〃 

     Snettishane was inwardly pleased; though his sphinx…like visage never 

relaxed。     He   was   drawing   the     Factor;   and   making   him   break    ground。 

Being a creature so elemental as to have room for but one idea at a time; 

Snettishane could pursue that one idea a greater distance than could John 

Fox。     For   John   Fox;   elemental   as   he   was;   was   still   complex   enough   to 

entertain   several   glimmering   ideas   at   a   time;   which   debarred   him   from 

pursuing the one as single…heartedly or as far as did the chief。 

     Snettishane   calmly   continued   calling   the   roster   of   eligible   maidens; 

which; name by name; as fast as uttered; were stamped ineligible by John 

Fox; with specified objections appended。             Again he gave it up and started 

to   return to   the  Fort。  Snettishane  watched   him  go;  making   no   effort   to 

stop him; but seeing him; in the end; stop himself。 

     〃Come to think of it;〃 the Factor remarked; 〃we both of us forgot Lit… 

lit。  Now I wonder if she'll suit me?〃 

     Snettishane met the suggestion with a mirthless face; behind the mask 

of which his soul grinned wide。           It was a distinct victory。 Had the Factor 

gone     but   one   step   farther;  perforce    Snettishane     would    himself    have 



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                                          The Faith of Men 



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。〃 



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     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    rat
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