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

Will My Brother Grant Me A

Favor?"

  

 

"The Ears Of Waqua Are Open," Said The Savage.

 

  

"Promise Me, For My Sake, To Seek No Revenge, But To Leave It In My

Hands."

 

  

But The Indian Looked Moodily On The Ground. "Waqua," He Said, "Will

Kill His Enemies Himself."

 

  

"If," Continued The Young Man, "My Brother Knew That An Attempt To

Punish The Bad White Man Would Bring Ruin On The Maiden And On Me,

Would He Be Willing To Destroy Them Too?"

 

  

"Waqua Will Do No Harm To His Brother."

  

 

"Waqua's Heart And Mine Are One, And He Has A Wise Head. He Sees That

The Arms Of The English Are Very Long, And Their Hands Strong, And He

Will Not Run Into Them, For They Will Crush Him."

 

  

"My Brother Shall See The Inside Of Waqua. Let Him Look Up. Behold,

The Sun Shines Because He Is The Sun, And The Wind Stirs The Forest

Leaves Because He Is The Wind, And Water Runs, And Fire Burns, Because

The Master Of Life Made Them Thus; And So The Indian Will Never

Forgive, For Then Would He Cease To Be An Indian. But Waqua Will Do

Nought To Injure His Brother."

  

 

With This Unsatisfactory Answer The Young Man Was Forced To Content

Himself As Well As He Could, Though His Mind Misgave Him As To The

Possible Consequences Of The Insult. He Trusted, However, That

Spikeman's Knowledge Of Indian Character Would Place Him Sufficiently

On His Guard To Make Abortive Any Attempts Against Him, And Determined

To Keep A Watchful Eye Upon His Wild Companion For The Present, And

Until Time Should Have Blunted Sensibility To The Injury. For This

Reason, And In Order Also To Counteract, As Far As Might Be, The

Effect Of The Incidents At The House Of The Assistant, After

Purchasing The Articles Which They Came Out To Procure, He Took The

Savage With Him On The Visit To The Governor, Which He Had Promised

The Knight To Make. Nor Is This A Circumstance That Should Excite

Surprise; It Being The Policy Of The Colonists To Cultivate The Best

Understanding With The Natives, To Accomplish Which Object The Latter

Were Not Only Admitted Into Their Houses, But Sometimes Even Invited

By The Principal Inhabitants To Seats At Their Tables. They Found

Winthrop At Home, And Were Admitted To His Presence.

  

 

"Welcome, Young Friend," He Exclaimed, "With England's Red Rose Still

Blooming In Thy Cheeks; And A Welcome, Too, To My Indian Brother."

  

 

"This, Right Worshipful Sir," Said Arundel, "Is Waqua, To Whom I Owe

My Life, Which He Saved This Morning From A Panther." 

 

 

"Ah!" Said Winthrop, "One Of The Hazards Not Uncommon In Our

Wild-Beast-Infested Forest, And Young Blood Is Rash. But Relate To Me

Thine Adventure."

  

 

Arundel Was Obliged To Detail The Circumstances Of His Escape, Which

He Did With The Greater Pleasure, As Contributing Thereby To Recommend

His Companion To The Favorable Consideration Of So Powerful A Person

As The Governor. At The Conclusion Of The Narrative, Winthrop Devoutly

Said:

 

  

"The Praise Be To Him To Whom It Justly Belongs, And Whose Unsleeping

Providence Perpetually Watches Over Us. Yet," He Added, Turning To The

Indian, "Be Not The Instrument Forgotten By Whom He Manifested His

Favor. The Life Of A White Man Is Very Precious, And Waqua May Ask

Much Because He Saved It."

  

 

"It Is A Small Thing," Replied The Indian. "My Brother Would Have

Killed The Beast Himself Without Waqua's Arrow; It Only Saved Him A

Little Trouble."

  

 

"How Modest Is Ever True Merit, Master Arundel," Said Winthrop, "And

That Is Noticeable In Both Civilized And Savage. This Community Of

Feeling Doth, As I Take It, Evidence, In Connection With Other

Matters, The Truth Revealed In The Scripture, (Nature Herself

Thereunto Bearing Witness,) That We Are Descended From One Common

Parent, Of Whose Qualities All Do Partake, Even To The Remotest

Generations. But, However Desert May Be Disclaimed By Thy Preserver,

It Were Shame, Morally, As Also Censurable In Another View, Were I To

Show Myself No Sense Of The Obligation."

 

 

 

So Saying, The Governor Opened The Desk Before Him, And Taking

Therefrom A Medal Attached To A Glittering Chain, Presented It To The

Indian,

  

 

"Take It," He Said, "And Wear It In Testimony That The White Chief

Knows How To Estimate Thy Service, And Desires To Cultivate Thy

Friendship."

  

 

But The Indian Held Not Out His Hand To Receive The Proffered Medal.

 

  

"Why Dost Hesitate?" Inquired Winthrop, In Some Amazement, (For Never

Had He Known Before An Ornament, Of Which The Savages Are Usually So

Fond, Refused.) "Is There Aught Else That Would Pleasure Thee More?

Speak Freely Thy Thoughts."

  

 

"Waqua Thanks The White Chief," Replied The Savage, Softly, "But He

Wears Only One Totem, And That Is One Which Cannot Be Taken From His

Neck. See!"

  

 

So Saying, He Threw Open The Folds Of The Robe Of Skins That Covered

His Chest, And Disclosed Upon His Naked Bosom The Picture Of A Turtle.

It Was Painted Upon Or Pricked Into The Skin In Divers Colors, So As

To Be Indelible, And Though Rudely Done, Was Sufficiently Well

Executed To Convey An Idea Which Could Not Be Mistaken Of What Was

Intended To Be Represented.

  

 

"Waqua," He Continued, "Will Have But One Totem, And It Is That Of His

Ancestors; But If The White Chief Desires To Please Waqua, Let Him

Recollect And Teach His People That The Same Great Spirit Made Red Men

And White Men, And Wishes Them To Be Brothers."

  

 

The Sagacity Of Winthrop Penetrated The Motive Of The Savage, And

Wonder At The Refusal To Accept The Token Was Lost In Admiration Of

The Other's Jealousy Of Whatever Might Imply A Want Of Exclusive

Devotion To His Tribe, Or A Placing Of Himself In A Position

Inconsistent With Perfect Independence. He Scrutinized The Indian With

Much More Attention Than He Had At First Bestowed Upon Him, And

Fancied That In His Daring Face He Read An Air Of Nobleness And

Command Which At First He Had Not Remarked.

  

 

"It Troubles Me, Waqua," He Said, "To Have Thee Refuse This Badge Of

My Friendship, And Which Would Be A Declaration To The World That Thou

Wert My Friend, And The Friend Of The White Man, But Sith It May Not

Be, Receive My Promise That I Will Inculcate The Maxim On My People,

That We Are All Descended From The Same Heavenly Father, And Bound To

Love And To Practice Actions Of Mutual Kindness. I Were Less, Indeed,

Than Christian Man Were I To Do Otherwise."

  

 

"And Now I Have A Petition To Proffer To Your Excellency, And Which

Lies Very Near To My Heart, And Without The Granting Whereof The Life

Saved By Waqua Will Be Of Little Value To Me," Said Arundel.

  

 

"A Thing Of Moment, Indeed; And With Such A Consequence Following Its

Rejection, A Prayer Which I Cannot Refuse."

  

 

"It Is Your Reputation, Honored Sir, For Justice, Which Emboldens Me,

Who Am But A Comparative Stranger, With No Further Claim To Your

Consideration Than One Man Has Upon His Fellow To Do Him Right, To

Address You, And Endeavor To Secure Your All-Powerful Interest In My

Behalf."

 

  

Here The Eyes Of The Governor Fell With An Inquiring Look Upon The

Indian, And The Mute Appeal Was Understood By The Young Man.

 

  

"I Care Not," He Said, Unwilling, By Any Appearance Of A Want Of

Confidence, To Hazard An Interruption Of The Friendly Relations

Existing Between Himself And The Savage, In Whom He Already Felt A

Considerable Interest--"I Care Not If Waqua Hears My Story; He Is My

Brother And May Look Into My Heart."

 

  

A Gratified Expression Crossed The Countenance Of Waqua, But, Without

A Remark, He Rose From His Seat, And, With A Delicacy Little To Be

Expected Among The Wild Children Of Nature, Withdrew To A Distant Part

Of The Room. 

 

 

"It Is Better Thus," Said The Governor, "If Thy Complaint, As I Partly

Suspect, Touch A Member Of The Government. The Secrets Of A Family

Should Not Be Blazoned To The World. Our Little Commonwealth Is A

Family, And It Becometh Each One Tenderly To Guard The Good Repute Of

All."

 

  

"I Crave Your Excellency's Pardon," Said The Young Man, Casting Down

His Eyes At The Rebuke, "For My Imprudence; But Your Sagacity Has

Already Divined What Forces Me To Fly To You For Succor. It Is Of The

Unjustifiable Conduct Of The Assistant Spikeman I Would Speak."

  

 

"It Is As I Supposed. Something Of This Have I Heard, But Only As

Flying Gossip, Which It Were Unmanly In Any One To Heed; And Which, As

Such, It Were Disgraceful In The Ruler Of A People To Regard. But, If

The Charge Come, Bearing Upon Itself An Authentic Stamp, It Is A

Different Matter."

  

 

"The Words Which I Shall Utter I Will Avouch With My Blood. A Great

And Grievous Wrong Hath Been Committed And Is Continued, Against Which

Both Heaven And Earth Cry Out."

 

  

"It Is A Heavy Charge, And Now To The Proof."

  

 

Hereupon Arundel Entered Upon The Particulars Of The Breach Of Faith

On The Part Of Spikeman, And Of The Restraint Exercised By Him Over

Eveline; To All Which Winthrop Listened With Profound Attention, By

Neither Word Nor Sign Interrupting The Narrative. Upon Its Conclusion,

However, He Began In The Spirit Of The Profession Wherein He Had Been

Educated, To Ask Questions And Urge Objections,

 

  

"Thou Hast Truly, Master Arundel," He Said, "Made Out A Case Of Great

Hardship, If The View Taken By Thee Be Correct; And, Understand Me, I

Doubt Not Thine Entire Sincerity. But What Further Testimony Than That

Of The Young Lady Hast Thou, Her Representations Being Contradicted By

Master Spikeman?"

 

 

"What!" Cried The Young Man, With Some Warmth, "Is Not The Word Of

Eveline Sufficient To Outweigh The Prevarications Of A Thousand

Tricksters Like This Spikeman?"

 

  

"This Is No Proper Language," Said Winthrop, A Little Sternly, "But

_Amor Semper Coecus_," He Added, Smiling, "This Rule I Take To Be

Without Exception. Am I To Understand That Thou Hast No Further

Proof?"

 

  

"There Is The Asseveration Of Eveline Dunning, Met Only By The Denial

Of The Assistant Spikeman, Who Would Deny Every Truth, So Only It Were

Necessary For His Purpose."

 

  

"Thou Dost Prejudice Thy Cause By Want Of Moderation. It Seemeth Me,

However, That Master Spikeman Hath No Necessity To Join Issue With

Thee On The Facts, And That A Bare Demurrer Were All-Sufficient To

Throw Thee Out Of Court. Forgive Me For Inflicting This Pain, But I Do

It Not Without A Motive, Which Is To Possess Thee Fully Of The Manner

In Which This Matter Is Viewed By Others."

 

   

"There Is Then No Justice In This Land," Cried The Young Man.

  

 

"I Have Thus Far," Winthrop Went On Without Heeding The Exclamation,

"Considered The Case, Under The Supposition Of A Denial On The Part Of

Master Spikeman (Whom Thou Dost Not Deny To Be The Rightly Constituted

Guardian Of Mistress Dunning) Of The Facts Which, In Thy Opinion,

Impose On Him A Duty To Give Thee His Ward In Marriage. But Suppose,

As I Have Said, He Were To Demur To Thy Declaration, That Is To Say,

Admit The Truth Of All Thou Hast Said, But Deny That Any Obligation

Resulted Therefrom To Comply With Thy Wishes, Would Thy Condition Be

Thereby Bettered?" 

 

 

"Admitting The Facts, I See Not How He Could Do Otherwise Than Hasten

To Perform The Desire Of His Deceased Friend; But This He Will Never

Do, Forsworn And Treacherous That He Is."

  

 

"Thus May Passion Speak, But Not So The Unprejudiced Reason Concerning

Thy Difference With Master Spikeman. Might He Not Reply To Thy

Reproaches--That It Was Only When Master Dunning Was Weakened By

Sickness That He Did Yield To Importunity; But That In The Days Of

Unclouded Health, And When The Mind Sat Like A King Upon His Throne,

He Did Steadily Oppose Thy Union With His Daughter, And Then Ask Thee

Which He Was In Duty Bound To Obey--The Settled Purpose Of His Friend,

As Demonstrated By His Daily Life And Conversation, Or A Chance Word

Of Sickness, Perhaps, Of Delirium? That Edmund Dunning Did At First,

Even Till His Death-Bed, Deny Thee His Daughter, Thou Dost Admit; And

This Is A Weighty Argument, Hard To Be Overcome By A Dying Whisper.

The Reason Thereof Will Satisfy Most, For Is It Not Written, 'Be Ye

Not Unequally Yoked With Unbelievers?' Seest Thou Not That It Is Only

Thyself Who Dost Stand In The Way Of Thy Happiness? Oh! That The Light

Of Divine Truth Might Penetrate Thy Mind, And Make Thee, In All

Respects, Worthy Of The Lovely Lady."

  

 

"Eveline Dunning Would Despise Me, Were I, Even For The Sake Of Her

Hand, To Renounce The Faith Of My Fathers."

  

 

"Not For The Sake Of Her Hand, (That Would Be Only A Collateral

Blessing,) But For Other And Worthier Motives. Very Precious And

Encouraging Is The Promise In The Scripture, 'Seek Ye First The

Kingdom Of Heaven, And All Other Things Shall Be Added Unto You,'

Doubt It Not, And Consider Also How Sweet Is The Tie That Doth