The Knight Of The Golden Melice, John Turvill Adams [the reading list TXT] 📗

Of Boston, And Art Not Yet Prepared

To Realize Thy Privilege In Being Permitted To Visit It. Moreover, I

See By Thy Garments And Speech That Thou Art One Of Those Who Go Down

To The Sea In Ships, And Who, Though They Behold The Wonders Of The

Deep, Are, For The Most Part, Unaffected By The Mighty Works Of Him At

Whose Word The Stormy Wind Ariseth, Or At His Rebuke Chasteneth Itself

Into A Calm. But Thou Art A Man Having Within Thee An Immortal Soul,

And My Spirit Is Troubled Exceedingly, And My Bowels Are Like To Burst

Within Me, When I Behold Thee Given Over To Folly. Hearken Thou, For

My Lips Shall Utter Judgment, And Thine Ears Shall Drink In

Understanding.

  

 

"Behold Here, In This Boston, Have Godly Fugitives From Oppression,

Men Whose Faces Are Set As Steel Against All Evil, Set Up Their

Habitations, To Be An Enduring City Unto The Lord; And, Within Our

Borders, May No Scoffer Or Profane Person, As Was Esau, Nor Riotous

Liver, Abide. But The Necessities Of Our Position Do In Some Wise

Constrain Us, For Trade And Other Useful Purposes, To Allow

Communication With Them Who Are Not Of Our Way Of Thinking. Therefore

Do We Grant Unto Them Free Entrance, For A Time, Into Our Canaan,

Sobeit They Observe The Limits Of Decent Moderation, And Vex Not Our

Souls Beyond Christian Patience, Hoping, Moreover, That, Seeing Our

Righteous Example, They May Be Converted From Their Evil Ways, And

Trusting That The Lord Will Preserve Us From Defilement. But We Hold

Not Ourselves Bound To Tolerate Rioting And Drunkenness, Which Are Not

Convenient, But Contrariwise, To Restrain Them By The Sword Of The

Magistrate, If Need Be. Of Both These Thou Art, Unhappily, Guilty,

Inasmuch As Thou Didst Forget Where Thou Art, And Wert Mindful Only Of

The Customs Of Thy Heathen Companions At Home; And Were I Extreme To

Mark What Is Done Amiss, Surely Thy Punishment Were Heavy. But This Is

Thy First Offence, And I Hope Will Be Thy Last; Therefore Say I Unto

Thee, Go And Sin No More, Especially As Thy Fault Is Not Of Public

Notoriety, And Goodman Nettles And Thy Friends, For Their Own Sakes

And This Good Youth (Turning To Arundel) And Myself, To Avoid Scandal,

Will Keep Silence Thereupon. I Pass Over Thy Rude And Silly Speeches

As Proceeding Not From Thyself, But From The Evil Spirit Of Wine That

Mastered And Made A Fool Of Thee. Henceforward, While Remembering Our

Mercy, Dread Our Justice, Shouldst Thou Be Tempted A Second Time To

Offend."

  

 

Having Thus Spoken, Master Prout Rose, And Deliberately Clapping His

Steeple-Crowned Hat Upon His Head, Stalked Demurely Out Of The

Apartment, Satisfied That After His Rebuke The Company Would Be Unable

To Obtain Any More Strong Potations. In This Supposition He Was

Perfectly Correct--Goodman Nettles Too Thoroughly Understanding His

Own Interest And The Character Of The Man To Venture To Disobey Him;

For Though Master Prout Felt Friendly To The Publican, As Was Evident,

There Were Some Things He Would Not Overlook, And No Offence Could Be

Committed More Heinous Than Disregarding His Orders. Captain Sparhawk,

Who Toward The Close Of The Puritan's Address, Had Been Subdued Into A

Most Unwilling Silence, Manifested, As Soon As It Was Finished, A

Desire To Reply; But The Host Placed His Hand On The Recusant's Mouth,

And Compelled Him To Be Silent.

  

 

"Art Mad?" He Whispered. "Dost Wish To Ruin Me, And Have Thine Ears

Nailed To The Whipping-Post, And Perhaps Cut Off? Remember Thou Art At

Boston, And Not In Old England. Here, Men Drink In A Godly Manner, And

Use The Gifts Of Providence As Not Abusing Them; And Not Like Blinded

Papists, Or As Some Say, Like Them Of The Church Of England; But I Am

More Liberal, As Becomes One Of My Profession. Be Thankful For The

Clemency Of Master Prout, A Worthy Man, And A Considerate, Whose

Advice Is Like Silver Nails Driven In By The Master Of Assemblies."

 

  

Thus Continued, In This Strain, The Astute Landlord, Until Master

Prout Had Left The House, And Was Out Of Hearing, When He Released The

Captain, And Allowed Him Liberty Of Speech. 

 

 

If The Publican Had Expected A Burst Of Angry Language From The

Sailor, He Was Agreeably Disappointed. So Far From Venting His

Feelings In That Way, The Worthy Captain Seemed Now To Consider All

That Had Happened As A Capital Joke, And Broke Out In A Hearty Laugh.

 

  

"Queer Country, My Men, This," He Said, "Where A Meddlesome Tipstaff

Will Not Let A True-Blooded Englishman Pay Toll To His Majesty's

Excise. But Old Sour-Chops Is Gone, And We Will Have 'Tother Bottle

Now To Drink Better Manners To Him; So Bear A Hand, Nettle, Thistle,

Or Whatever You Call Yourself."

  

 

"I Dare Not Give You More Wine For The Present," Said The Host.

"Master Prout's Authority Is Absolute In This Matter, And Not A Drop

From Spigot Or Bottle Runs On Your Account. Be Reasonable, Noble

Captain," He Continued, Seeing That The Sailor Was Disposed To Insist

On His Demand, "And Consider That In Refusing Thee, I Do In Some Sort

Prejudice Myself For Our Mutual Benefit."

 

  

Here The Companions Of The Captain Interfering, And The Citizens, In

Particular, Insisting That On No Account Would They Drink More, The

Refractory Sparhawk, After Some Growls At The "Queer Country," Was

Obliged To Submit, And Soon After, Paying The Reckoning, Took Leave

With His Company.

  

 

The Scene Was Not Altogether New To Arundel, Who Had Looked On With

Amused Interest. It Was Not The First Time When He Had Seen The

Official In The Exercise Of His Somewhat Arbitrary Authority, Order

Away, Like The Physician Of Sancho Panza In His Famous Government Of

Barrataria, The Goblet, Just As It Was About To Be Carried To The Lips

Of The Expecting Guest. He Had Before Laughed At The Stare Of

Bewildered Disappointment Of The Astonished Toper, And The Subdued

Humor Of Master Prout, Hardly Concealed By His Austere Exterior, But

He Felt No Disposition To Censure The Severity Of The Regulation. It

Was Of The Utmost Importance, As Well For The Peace And Good Order Of

The Colony, As In Accordance With The Principles Of Self-Denial And

Virtuous Living On Which It Was Founded, That Every Disorder Should Be

Checked In The Bud. Considering The Variety Of Adventurers, Of All

Shades Of Character, From The Religious Enthusiast, Seeking In Unknown

Regions, Invested With Strange Charms By A Heated Imagination, The

Kingdom Of Saints Upon Earth, Which He Had Vainly Hoped To Erect In

The Old World, Down To The Reckless Freebooter, Whose Life Had Been

Passed In Wild Indulgence, Unrestrained By Law, Human Or Divine, Whom

Chance Or Design Had Thrown Upon Their Coast, It Is Obvious That A

Vigilant Eye And Strong Hand Were Necessary To Note And Repress Every

Incipient Sign Of Irregularity Or Turbulence.

  

 

Yet Did The Host Sigh As He Dropped Into A Seat At The Departure Of

The Company. With One Eye Fixed Upon A Heavenly And The Other On An

Earthly Treasure, He Was Counting Up In His Mind The Crowns He Had

Lost By The Intrusion Of Master Prout, And At The Same Time Lamenting

The Depravity Of Men Who Could Bear No More Than A Bottle Of Wine

Apiece.

  

 

"Master Arundel," He Said At Length, "I Do Admire The Wisdom--Ahem--Of

The Worshipful Magistrates In The Care They Take Of The Citizens And

Visitors Of Our Godly Town. By The Appointment Of Master Prout To The

Office Which He Doth Sometimes Exercise With Somewhat Of Rigor, They

Do, Too, In A Manner Avouch The Value Of My Calling, And Their Desire

To Countenance It, And That In Agreement With Scripture, For Is It Not

Written That He Hath Given Wine To Gladden Man's Heart? Nevertheless,

Methinks, Being One Of The Congregation, A Modicum Might Be Left To

Mine Own Judgment In Regard To The Capacity Of My Guests. Not That I

Care About The Two Or Three Pieces Whereof His Interference Hath

Deprived Me--Ahem--But The Feelings Of Godly Men Who Know Best What Is

Good For Them, Are Hurt Needlessly Oftentimes. The Wine Is Good, As

Can Be Proved By Our Own Virtuous Citizens, Who Have Not Injured

Themselves By Early Rioting, And Are Able, As A Reward Of Their

Youthful Temperance, To Drink Twice As Much As This Captain Sparhawk,

Who Hath Probably, In A Measure, Injured His Constitution By

Indulgence In Bad Liquors. Man Is Truly A Fallen Creature," Concluded

Goodman Nettles, Heaving A Deep Sigh,--"Ahem--Or Such Wine Could Never

Affect Him."

 

  

Arundel Felt No Inclination To Discuss The Subject, And Soon Retired

To His Apartment.

Chapter IX ("With Wild Surprise, As If To Marble Struck, Devoid Of Sense, A Stupid Moment Motionless.")

 

 

 

Thomson's Seasons.

 

 

A Couple Of Hours Elapsed Before Waqua Made His Appearance, After

Disposing Of His Skins And Venison. He Had Exchanged Them For Such

Articles As His Savage Taste Fancied, Among Which Arundel Noticed A

Small Mirror, In A Brass Frame, Hung Like A Medal On His Breast, And A

Red Woollen Sash Tied Around His Waist. As The Indian, Thus Bedecked,

Entered The Room, It Was With An Increase Of Dignity Becoming One

Possessed Of Such Splendid Ornaments, Whereat, However, Arundel Found

It Difficult To Repress A Smile. But It Was Important To The

Maintenance Of Their New Friendship That No Such Levity Should Be

Perceived, Which Might Have Aroused The Resentment Of The Savage.

Suppressing Then The Feeling, And Regarding His Tawny Friend With A

Face Of Welcome, The Young Man Said:

  

 

"You Look Bravely, Sachem; It Is A Pity The Indian Girls Do Not See

You."

  

 

"They Will See," Said The Indian, "When Waqua Returns To His Village.

Look," He Continued, Presenting The Mirror To Arundel, And, Unable To

Conceal His Admiration, "It Is A Still Spring In An Open Plain."

  

"You Will Not Be Obliged Now To Leave The Wigwam And Seek The Clear

Water When You Wish To Paint Your Face."

  

 

"Waqua Thanks The White Man," Said The Indian, Gazing Admiringly At

Himself In The Mirror, "For The Clear Frozen Water Which He Can Carry

With Him Wherever He Goes. Waqua Will Never More Be Alone, For

Whenever He Pleases He May Look Into The Bright Frozen Water And See A

Warrior. Let Me Behold My Brother In The Wonderful Medicine."

  

 

He Held Up The Glass To Arundel, And Laughed, As He Saw The

Reflection.

 

  

"My Brother's Face Is Now In The Frozen Water," He Said, "And Whenever

I Look Into It, I Shall See My Brother As Well As Waqua."

 

 

 "And Trust Me, Waqua, That I Will Be A True Friend Unto Thee. I Do

Begin To Think That The Extraordinary Liking Of The Knight For Thy

Race Is Not Misplaced."

 

  

"Speaks My Brother Of Soog-U-Gest, Of The White Chief Who Lives Away

From His People In The Forest?"

  

 

" Speak Of The Knight Of The Golden Melice, Of Him Whom The Indians

Call Soog-U-Gest, Or The Eagle. I Had Left His Lodge But A Short Time

When Heaven Sent Thee To My Aid." 

 

 

"The Tall, White Chief, Men Say, Is Not Like Other White Men. He Loves

The Forest Children, And They Love Him."

  

 

"Love Begets Love, And One Noble Quality Attracts Another. But It Is

My Turn, Waqua, To Show You Hospitality; And To A Strong, Healthy

Fellow Like You, Dinner, Methinks, Can Never Come Amiss."

  

 

The Meal Which, Upon The Order Of Arundel, Was Served Up, Seemed To

Meet With The Unqualified Approbation Of The Indian. Yet This Is An

Inference Derived, Not From The Manner In Which He Partook Of The

Repast, But From The Quantity Which He Ate. Although Unacquainted With

The Mode Of Using A Knife And Fork, And, Therefore, Compelled To

Depend Upon The Instruments Furnished By Nature, There Was Nothing In

His Conduct That Resembled Ill-Breeding. He Accepted, With A Grave

Courtesy, Whatever Was Offered, Eating Deliberately, And Expressing No

Preference For One Thing Over Another. His Entertainer Fancied That,

From Time To Time, He Cast A Stolen Glance, As If Watching Motions In

Order To Accommodate Himself To Them. However That May Be, The Young

White Man Was Greatly Pleased With The