第11部分(第6/7 頁)

hickened；　and　blowing　snow　began　to　reach　them　from　the　mountaintops；　creating　a　gauzy　veil。　The　brawniest　hunt—ers　boarded　their　snow　rafts　again　and　headed　out　to　the　snow　lake。　It　was　essential　to　fill　the　carts　before　the　blowing　snow　filled　in　the　depressions。　Each　gazelle　hooked　and　brought　up　meant　six　or　seven　bricks　of　Sichuan　tea　or　a　dozen　or　so　cartons　of　Haihe　cigarettes　from　Tianjin；　or　fifteen　or　sixteen　bottles　of　Mongolian　clear　liquor。　Under　Bilgee’s　mand；　all　the　rafts　were　maneuvered　by　the　hunters　from　the deepest　section　of　the　lake　to　shallower　spots；　where　it　was　easier　to　hook　the　frozen　gazelles。　The　old　man　also　divided　the　people　into　teams；　the　most　adept　users　of　the　poles　concentrating　on　hooking　ani—mals；　and　those　better　at　manipulating　the　rafts　focusing　on　transport—ing　the　animals　back。　As　the　rafts　neared　the　shore；　ropes　were　put　to　use；　with　several　men　standing　at　the　edge　of　the　lake　flinging　them　like　mooring　lines　to　the carcass…laden　rafts；　where　hunters　tied　one　end　to　the　raft　and　flung　the　other　end　back　so　that　the　men　there　could　pull　them　back　to　shore。　The　process　was　repeated　over　and　over。

By　the　time　all　human　shadows　on　the　snow　lake　had　been　swal—lowed　up　by　mountain　shadows；　the　carts　were　piled　high；　but　there　were　a　few　men　who　wanted　to　hunt　into　the　night　by　lamplight；　piling　the　surplus　gazelles　on　the　lakeshore；　with　armed　guards；　to　be　picked　up　the　following　morning。　Bilgee　stopped　them。　“Tengger　has　given　us　a　good　day；”　he　chastised　them。　“Tengger　is　fair。　Since　wolves　have　eaten　our　sheep　and　horses；　these　are　the　reparations。　Now　Tengger　has　started　the　winds　blowing；　telling　us　to　leave　the　remaining　gazelles　for　the　wolves。　Which　of　you　is　willing　to　disobey　Tengger？　Which　of　you　is　willing