"I am not," he said. "I am informing you again of our ways."
"Yes, well, they are notmyways, and I will not do as you are suggesting. I am a human being, and I have a right to speak to whomever I want, whenever I want and on any subject that I choose."
"Not in this camp."
"Yes, in this camp. Now, let me ask you a similar question: are you allowed to speak to women…to any woman you might choose to speak to?"
"Yes, of course. But, a man, after he is married, does this very rarely, since he does not wish his wife to become jealous."
"All right," she said. "But, let's say he does talk to a woman and makes a joke, and by this, as you have suggested, he creates some trouble. Does he also have to endure the same penalty as the woman?"
"No. We have already spoken about this."
"Then, let me say this to you, Mr. Stands Strong. If a woman is to suffer such a terrible consequence for such a minor error, then the man should also suffer a similar punishment. Indeed, I think this man should have to have something done to him of a comparable nature…perhaps cutting off the end of his nose, too."
The look upon Stands Strong's countenance was not only surprised, it was angry at the same time. And, his voice was suspiciously soft when he asked, "Are you telling me this is what you would wish for me if I were to act as you were today?"
"Of course not," she answered at once. "But, can you not see how silly it would be for me to even bring up such a punishment into our conversation, and all because of the simple act of laughing at a man's joke?"
He frowned at her. "It is not 'silly,' as you call it. Your actions, were you to continue in this manner, could cause both you and me to face much danger. My wife, perhaps you do not understand the nature of a man, and so I will tell you: a man is empowered by your laughter and your conversation, and this could lead to upsets between us, as well as causing me to have to fight men away from you so as to ensure your good reputation."
Once again, Czanna sat mute, stunned into silence. At length, however, she asked, "And so, what you are telling me is a woman, who speaks to a man or who laughs at his jokes, can have the tip of her nose cut off?"
"Saa, no, it is not so. It could happen only when a woman makes love to a man who is not her husband."
"Well, I can tell you honestly, this is not going to occur with me."
"Think you not?" he asked. "A man is stronger than you are, and he could force you to do his will, and then he could lie about the woman's struggles to the tribe."
Czanna thrust out her chin and said, "Tell me this: do your people allow the woman involved to have a say in the matter?"
"Not usually, because it is thought the punishment is so severe, she might lie."
"And, the man? Do they not realize the man might lie, as you have suggested?"
Stands Strong didn't answer.
"And so, she has the punishment enforced upon her, while the man walks free to perhaps do the same to another woman."
"I did not say I agree with the custom; I only tell you it is still done to this day."
Czanna sucked in her breath before saying, "I can hardly believe we are having this conversation because one of those men said something funny and I laughed."
"You were not talking to simply one man. You were surrounded by them."
"Not at my choosing," she countered.
"You could have walked away," he quickly uttered.
"And, they would have followed me," she said, defending herself. Then, frowning, she went on to say, "I do not agree with you about this 'custom' done to a woman only and not to a man. If she gets the punishment, then so should he, since he is as guilty as she. Perhaps I might suggest this to the other women in camp and thus bring about its abolishment."
"You will n—" He stopped short of saying whatever had been in his mind to say. Instead, he looked at her across the unlit fireplace, his mouth still open. But, he shut his mouth both quickly and firmly, then stared at her, she back at him.
And so, they glared at one another from over the perimeter of the campfire where no fire had yet been lit. They glowered at each other, and they stared and they stared, neither saying a word. It was as though each one of them had hit an impasse; there would be no compromise between them upon this issue.
At last, he opened his mouth again as though he would say a few more words, but instead of speaking, he jumped up suddenly and, stepping quickly toward the tepee's entrance, bent at the waist and stepped over the entrance flap.
Then, without another word, he trod away.
