thillerman.theblessingway-第17节

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　So；　Leaphorn　thought。　No　doubt　now　why　the　Hand　Tremble　had　prescribed　the　Enemy　Way　instead　of　the　Prostitution　Way。　Here's　why　they　thought　the　witch　was　a　foreigner…an　enemy　ghost　to　be　exorcised。　But　the　man　in　the　Land…Rover；　the　man　with　the　black　hat；　had　been　a　Navajo。　Leaphorn　was　certain　of　it。
　Anyway；　Billy　Nez　was　saying；　his　uncle　had　said　he　didn't　pay　much　attention　to　witches　when　he　needed　grass　for　his　sheep　and　the　sheep　of　his　wife；　and　the　man　had　driven　away。　But　after　that　his　uncle　had　known　something　was　going　to　be　wrong。
　The　first　week　they　were　back　in　the　high　country　a　young　coyote　had　trailed　his　uncle；　followed　his　horse　all　the　way　across　the　mesa　one　morning。　That　was　the　Coyote　People　telling　him　to　watch　out。　The　Coyote　People　caused　a　lot　of　trouble；　Billy　Nez　said；　but　they　were　good　about　warning　people。
　A　little　bit　after　that；　at　night；　his　uncle　heard　the　Wolf　on　top　of　his　hogan。　Some　dirt　had　fallen　down　from　the　roof　on　the　east　side　of　the　hogan　（and　now；　Leaphorn　thought；　the　other　three　pass　points）；　and　then　on　the　south　side；　and　then　on　the　west　side　and　then　some　dirt　fell　down　on　the　north　side。　And　then　his　uncle　had　known　the　Wolf　would　be　looking　down　the　smoke　hole　to　see　where　they　were　and　to　blow　some　corpse　powder　down　on　them。　But　the　uncle　of　Billy　Nez　was　not　afraid　of　a　Wolf。　He　ran　outside　the　hogan　to　chase　him　away　but　he　didn't　see　anything　for　sure。　Maybe　he　saw　a　dog　running　away　but　he　wasn't　sure。
　〃That　would　have　been　about　the　first　part　of　May？〃　Leaphorn　asked。
　〃A　little　bit　before　that；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　The　moon　was　in　its　last　quarter　two　cycles　so　it　would　have　been　in　the　last　part　of　April。〃
　Almost　two　weeks　before　Luis　Horseman　came　home　to　die。
　But　the　second　time　his　uncle　had　seen　the　Wolf。　It　was　daylight　then；　sundown　but　still　daylight；　and　his　uncle　was　bringing　some　of　the　sheep　in　for　watering　and　he　had　thought　something　was　watching　him　maybe。　He　looked　up　to　the　rim　of　the　mesa　and　there　was　this　witch　standing　there；　looking　at　him。　He　was　up　on　the　mesa　rim　on　the　rocks　with　this　wolf　skin　on　him；　but　his　uncle　could　tell　it　was　a　man。　His　uncle　had　said　this　witch　had　stood　there　looking　at　him　and　then　made　some　medicine　with　his　hands。　His　uncle　had　thought　he　might　be　calling　to　the　other　witches　to　e　out　of　their　cave　and　help。　His　uncle　drove　the　sheep　down　to　the　hogan　then　and　they　sprinkled　pollen　and　sang　the　songs　from　the　Night　Way。　The　songs　against　witches。
　〃What　day　was　that？〃
　〃That　was　three　or　four　days　after　the　first　time　on　the　roof；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　〃I　think　it　was　three　days。〃
　After　that；　his　uncle　had　taken　his　。30…30　with　him　when　he　herded　the　sheep　and　he　had　left　one　of　the　boys　at　the　hogan　with　his　wife；　in　case　the　witch　would　e　there　while　he　was　gone。　And　he　thought　he　had　better　track　this　Wolf　and　kill　it。　He　went　up　on　the　mesa　where　he　had　seen　the　Wolf；　and　he　found　tracks　there。　Some　of　them　were　big　boot　tracks　and　some　were　like　a　big　dog。　It　was　still　the　Season　When　the　Thunder　Sleeps　and　the　ground　was　damp　from　the　snow　thaw　and　tracking　was　easy。
　〃My　father　is　a　brave　man；〃　said　the　cousin　of　Billy　Nez；　and　was　instantly　embarrassed　by　his　rudeness。　They　smoked　a　moment　in　silence　to　let　the　incident　pass。　Then　Billy　Nez　resumed　his　story。
　Under　the　other　slope　of　the　mesa；　his　uncle　had　found　tire　tracks。　The　Wolf　had　driven　up　there　and　left　his　truck　and　then　e　back　to　it　and　driven　away。　After　that　the　Wolf　had　started　bothering　the　livestock。　That　first　night；　his　uncle　had　heard　the　horses　whinnying　like　they　were　scared　and　then　he　heard　one　of　them　screaming；　and　when　he　ran　out　there　to　where　he　had　them　penned；　two　of　them　had　their　tendons　cut　and　his　uncle　had　to　kill　them。
　Leaphorn　raised　a　hand　in　interruption。　This　surprised　him。　He　had　expected　nothing　so　concrete。
　〃My　nephew；　did　you　see　these　horses？〃
　〃I　saw　them。　The　Wolf　must　have　done　it　with　a　hand　ax。　He　cut　both　of　the　rear　tendons　on　the　mare　and　he　hit　the　colt　so　hard　that　it　broke　his　legbone。〃
　Good　enough；　thought　Leaphorn。　I've　got　another　reason　for　finding　this　son　of　a　bitch。　The　Tribal　Council　had　a　law　against　cruelty　to　animals。　Besides；　Leaphorn　didn't　like　a　man　who　would　do　that　to　a　horse。
　After　that；　Billy　Nez　continued；　it　was　the　sheep。　His　uncle　lay　out　all　night　with　his　。30…30　but　the　Wolf　didn't　e　back　any　more　for　a　while。　And　then　the　moon　came　and　one　white　night　he　heard　some　rifle　shots　and　he　ran　out　there　and　the　witch　had　been　shooting　into　where　the　flock　was　sleeping。　Three　of　them　were　dead　and　he　had　to　butcher　some　of　the　others　that　were　hurt。
　〃After　that　my　uncle　talked　about　it　with　my　aunt　and　they　decided　to　bring　those　sheep　out　of　there。　They　didn't　think　they　could　catch　that　witch　and　he　might　get　them。　So　they　came　on　down　here。〃
　Leaphorn　passed　around　his　cigarette　pack　again。
　〃When　was　it　he　shot　those　sheep？〃
　〃Night　just　like　this；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　He　looked　at　the　moon；　which　was　two　nights　short　of　full　phase。
　〃Be　about　twenty…six；　twenty…seven　days　ago。　One　moon　back。〃
　〃And　when　did　you　go　after　the　witch？〃　Leaphorn　asked。
　〃Well；　my　uncle's　father　came　over　to　our　place　with　some　of　the　other　men　of　the　outfit　and　they　talked　it　over。　And　then　they　got　that　Hand　Trembler　in　and　he　sang　the　hand…trembling　songs　and　held　his　arm　out　over　my　uncle　and　it　shook　and　shook。　He　said　the　reason　he'd　been　having　these　dreams　was　this　foreign　witch　was　bothering　him。〃
　Billy　Nez　took　another　deep　drag　on　the　cigarette。
　〃Or　maybe　it　was　the　ghost　of　the　witch。　Anyway；　after　that　they　tried　it　out　by　having　a　blackening。　My　uncle　slept　that　night　with　the　ashes　on　him　and　he　didn't　have　any　dreams；　so　they　decided　the　Hand　Trembler　was　right。　The　ghost　couldn't　find　him　with　those　ashes　on　him。　So　the　next　night　they　got　together　again　there　in　our　hogan　and　decided　they　ought　to　find　a　Singer　who　knew　the　Enemy　Way。〃
　Billy　Nez　paused　again。
　〃And　my　cousin　told　them　he　would　find　the　Wolf　and　carry　the　scalp；〃　the　younger　boy　said。
　〃My　grandfather　didn't　want　me　to　do　it。　He　said　it　was　supposed　to　be　an　older　man　who　got　the　scalp。　Somebody　who'd　had　an　Enemy　Way　sung　over　him。　But　finally　they　said　I　could　do　it。〃
　〃You　know　the　Tracking　Bear　Song？〃　Leaphorn　asked。
　〃My　grandfather　taught　me　that；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　He　laid　his　cigarette　on　the　ground　and　chanted　softly：
　〃In　shoes　of　dark　flint　I　track　the　Ute　warrior；
　In　armor　of　flint　I　slay　the　Ute　enemy。
　With　Big　Snake　Man　I　go；　tracking　the　warrior。
　I　usually　slay　the　Ute　men　and　slay　the　Ute　women。
　Tracking　Bear　I　go；　taking　Ute　scalps。〃
　Billy　Nez　stopped；　suddenly　embarrassed；　and　recovered　his　cigarette。
　The　three　sat　in　silence　a　long　moment。　The　chanting　had　started　at　the　fire　again；　another　sway　dance。　This　time　the　song　was　old；　a　pattern　of　rhythmic　monosyllables　which　had　lost　coherent　meaning　somewhere　in　time。
　〃How　did　you　know　where　to　look　for　the　scalp？〃　Leaphorn　asked。
　That　had　taken　time；　Billy　Nez　said。　His　uncle　had　drawn　for　him　the　way　the　tracks　of　that　truck　had　looked。
　〃Like　this；〃　Billy　Nez　said。　He　smoothed　the　bare　earth　with　his　palm　and　opened　his　pocket　knife。
　〃The　front　tires　had　a　track　like　this。〃　He　drew　the　tread　pattern　in　the　earth。　〃And　the　outside　of　the　track；　it　wasn't　as　deep。　Like　he　needed　a　front　end　job　on　his　truck。　Tires　wearing　on　the　outside。　And　the　back　tires　were　like　this。〃　He　drew　the　pattern　of　high…traction　mud　treads。　〃Cut　real　deep。　I　thought　I　could　find　them。〃
　〃And　I　guess　you　did；〃　Leaphorn　said。
　It　had　taken　Billy　Nez　almost　a　week。　Three　hard　days　on　a　horse　before　he　had　picked　up　the　first　of　the　tracks…old　ones；　already　almost　erased　by　the　wind。　On　the　fourth　day；　he　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　Land…Rover。　He　had　been　on　Talking　Rock　Mesa　and　had　seen　it　moving　down　a　wash　into　the　Kam　Bimghi　Valley。　After　sunrise　the　next　day　he　found　where　the　witch　was　working…clearing　a　track　for　his　truck　up　the　sloping　backside　of　Ceniza　Mesa。　And；　later　that　day；　he　had　made　his　scalp　coup。
　〃I　left　my　horse　hobbled　up　there　on　top；〃　Billy　Nez　said；　〃and　I　hid　out　there　in　the　rocks；　down　near　where　he　was　working。　He　was　rolling　those　rocks　out　of　the　way　and　cutting　brush　to　clear　the　track。　Finally　he　stopped　a　while　and　sat　down　under　a　pi？on　there　and　ate　some　stuff　and　some　canned　peaches　and　threw　away　the　can。　I　thought　maybe　I'd　get　that　can　he'd　ate　out　of　for　the　scalp　but　that　wouldn't　be　very　good　and　so　later　on　I　got　the　hat。〃
　〃Tell　how　you　got　it；〃　the　younger　cousin　urged。
　〃Well；　along　later　in　the　afternoon　the　clouds　built　up　the　way　they　do　and　it　got　shady　and　the　wind　got　up。　He　was　wrestling　with　those　rocks　and　his　hat　kept　blowing　off。　So　the　next　time　he　moved　that　truck　farther　up　the　slope；　he　left　that　hat　there　on　the　seat　of　the　truck。　When　he　was　working　again；　I　slipped　up　there　and　got　it。〃
　〃And　took　off　the　hatband　and　left　it　behind；〃　Leaphorn　said。
　Billy　Nez　looked　surprised。　〃Yeh。　It　was　silver　conchos。〃
　〃There　was　a　rifle　there　in　the　truck；〃　younger　cousin　said。
　〃Think　it　was　a　Remington；