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

Captain Sparhawk, Who Seemed Objecting

To The Preparations. 

 

 

"If They Were Good Christians," He Said, "The Sail Would Fit Better To

The Yard. If They Were Even Your Frog-Eating Mounseers, With Their

Popery And D----D Wooden Shoes, ('I Hope,' He Added, 'A Man May Curse

The Pope,') I Wouldn't Care About Touching Off A Culverin Or Two By

Way Of Good Fellowship; But As For These Whopping Red Skins, It Will

All Be No Better Than So Much Powder Thrown Away."

 

  

"Canst Not Let The Indians Alone, Captain?" Cried Mine Host. "Ahem!

For My Part I Believe There's Many A Proper Man Among Them, Though

'Tis A Grievous Pity," He Added, Sighing, "That They Be'nt

Christians."

  

 

"Avast, And Belay There With A Double Turn, Goodman Host," Exclaimed

The Captain. "Of What Use Do Ye Think Would It Be To Make The Red

Skins Christians? Keep Your Weather Eye Open, And Tell Us If Ye Don't

See Breakers Ahead. Hark Ye! Do Ye Think It Would Be So Very Pleasant

To Have The Sharks Swim Into Heaven And Go Jumping And Yelling Round

Like So Many Red Devils As They Are?"

 

  

"But, Captain, If Divine Grace Once Entered Their Hearts, They Would

Give Up All Such Ways, You Know," Sighed The Host.

 

  

"Tell That To A Landsman," Answered The Captain, "And Not To A Man Who

Was With Jacob Le Maire The First Time When Them Harricanes That

Dances The Devil's Hornpipe The Whole Year Round Cape Horn Ever Had A

Chance To Split An English Jib. (Old Jacob--The Dutch, Do Ye See, The

Ignorant Beggars, Capsize It Into Yacob),--Old Jacob, Or Yacob, As The

Mynheers Spoil It, Was A Stout Fellow, If He Was A Dutchman. He Was

Like A Grampus When He Set His Teeth, And A Southwester Couldn't Blow

Harder If He Chose. But Where Away Was I When I Begun Chase After Old

Jacob Le Maire? Aye, Aye, Here Away With Indians On The Weather Bow,

Bearing Up Into Heaven. What Does The Scriptures Say, Goodman Nettles,

About An Ethiopian Changing His Spots?"

  

 

But Mine Host Was At The Moment Too Busily Engaged With New Guests To

Attend To Questions Of Theology.

 

  

"You're Out O' Your Reckoning There, Captain," Said Bill Pantry. "It

Is A Leopard--A Sort O' Wild Beast, As One May Say, That Finds It

Unhandy To Get Rid Of His Spots. They Are Pricked In By Natur', I Take

It, In A Manner, With Indy Ink, So That It Isn't Scrubbing Will Take

'Em Out."

  

 

"And Why Should Not An Ethiopian Have A Right To Spots As Well As A

Leopard, Or Yourself, Bill, With A Big Anchor Settling In The Mud, On

Your Right Arm, And The Union Jack Flying On 'Tother. Answer Me That,

Man, Before You Interrupt Your Superior Officer Again."

 

  

"Why, Do Ye See, Captain," Bill Began.

 

  

But The Impatient Sailor Waited For No Answer To His Question, For

Looking Round, His Eyes Happened To Fall On Arundel, With The Indian

Near Him, And Immediately Rising, He Approached Them.

 

  

"How Are Ye, Once More, My Hearty?" He Inquired, Extending His Hand To

Arundel, While He Looked At The Indian. "Is This One Of The

Plenipo-Po-Pothecaries? That's Not It, But It's As Much Like As

Children Generally Are To Their Fathers."

  

 

"Plenipotentiaries You Mean," Answered The Young Man, With A Smile.

"No, This Is Not A Taranteen; He Is One Of Our Own Massachusetts Bay

Countrymen."

 

  

"I Thought," Said The Captain, "He Looked Too Young For Such A Line Of

Business, Though He Looms Up As Grand As A King's Ship. But These

Indians, If They Be Heathens, Have Some Wit As Well As Other Folk, And

They Know That Older Chaps Are Fitter For The Like Of This Here

Navigation. Howsoever, There's Something That Pleases Me In The Cut Of

Your Dark Colored Friend's Jib. Would It Be Asking Too Much For The

Honor Of An Introduction?"

  

 

"Captain Sparhawk," Said Arundel, "This Is My Noble Friend Waqua, To

Whom I Am Under The Greatest Obligations." 

 

 

The Captain Offered His Hand To The Savage, Who, Acquainted With This

Custom Of The Whites, Extended His Own. As For What The Seaman Had

Been Saying, Waqua Had But An Imperfect Conception Of It.

 

 

"Do Ye See, Master Arundel," Said The Captain, "I Think There Is Some

Difference Between The Red Skins And The Blackamoors. To Be Sure They

Are All Heathens, And For That Reason Not Much Better Than So Many Big

Monkeys; And There's A Comfort In That, Do Ye See, Because That Gives

Us A Right To Catch And Make Them Do Our Disagreeable Work. Anyhow,

I've Read In Scripture That Ham, Who Was The Old Ringleader Of The

Niggars, Was Made Black On Purpose. Now, According To My Notion, These

Red Skins Are A Sort O' Cross Betwixt Ham's And Japhet's Children, Who

Were Cousins, You Know, For Do Ye See, Though They're Darkish, They

Have Got Long Hair Like Us White Men. But Come, Let Us Sit Down And

Splice The Main Brace To Better Acquaintance."

 

  

Arundel Accepted The Invitation To A Seat, For He Knew Not How Better

To Pass The Time Than In Watching The Humors Around Him, But Declined

Participating In Any Potations. The Indian Too, Much To The Surprise

Of The Captain And Of Arundel, Refused To Drink, And To The Pressing

Entreaties Of The Former Only Answered,

  

 

"Waqua Is Not Thirsty."

 

 

 "I Believe," Said The Captain, Peevishly, "That The Bad Manners Of

These Crop Ears Will Spoil The Very Heathens Themselves At Last.

Whoever Heard Of An Indian Before Who Refused Drink When He Could Get

It?"

 

  

"Noble Captain," Said Arundel, "Be Not Offended At Our Friend, Who Is

Not Accustomed To Wine, And Therefore Is Probably Afraid Of The Effect

Upon Himself; Nor With Me, Who Never Could Bear More Than Half A Dozen

Glasses, And Have Already Sufficiently Indulged."

 

  

"Well, If There Is Anything I Pray For More Than For Another,"

Exclaimed The Disappointed Captain, "It Is That I May Never Become A

Milksop (Saving Your Presence, Master Arundel)."

 

  

"There Is Not Much Danger Of That," Said The Young Man, Laughing. "But

What Is The Difficulty Across The Room?"

 

  

A Group Of Some Dozen Persons Had Been Engaged For A Considerable Time

In Animated Conversation, The Tones Of Which Had Gradually Been

Growing Louder, Until At Last They Could Be Heard Above All Other

Noises. As The Sounds Increased, The General Hum Of Conversation Died

By Degrees Away, Until The Whole Interest Was Centered In The Group

Above Mentioned.

 

  

"I Will Stand By Stout Capt. Endicott," Said A Strongly Built Man In

Citizen's Dress, And Holding A Musket In His Hand, "Resting Assured

That He Does Nothing Without A Reason, And That His Conduct Doth

Spring From A Godly Zeal."

 

 

"And I Will Maintain, In Any Proper Mode," Replied An Officer-Looking

Personage, "That It Was A Deed Insulting To His Majesty, And

Disgraceful To A British Subject. If Not Treason, It Is Something Very

Like."

 

 

"Bethink You, Colonel Mcmahon," Said The First Speaker, "That This Is

Not England. I Trow We Left Her To But Little Purpose, If We Are To

Enjoy No More Liberty Here Than There."

  

 

"What Kind Of A Liberty Call You That, Capt. Larkham," Demanded The

Other, "Which Authorizes Endicott, Or Any Other Man, To Cut Out The

Cross From The King's Colors? Call You Yourselves Loyal Subjects Who

Tolerate Such An Outrage?"

  

 

"And By What Authority," Retorted Larkham, "Was The Papistical Sign

Foisted Into The Standard Of England, Except By That Of The Scarlet

Woman, Whose Robes Are Red With The Blood Of The Saints?"

  

 

"Methinks," Said The Colonel, "That The Flag Which Waved At Cressy And

Poitiers Deserved A Better Fate."

  

 

"I Pray Thee To Take To Heart And Perpend," Answered Larkham, With

Some Solemnity, "That I Will Yield In Loyalty To No Man, And That The

Last Drop Of Blood I Have Is At The Service Of My Country. In This

Matter A Distinction Is To Be Taken. It Was Not As A Contemner Of The

Flag Of England, And Of The Glorious Memories Connected Therewith (He

Would Deserve My Dagger In His Heart If It Were So,) That Capt.

Endicott Cut Out The Cross, But As One Who Is Zealous Against

Error--What! Is It Reasonable To Ask Us To March To Battle With The

Sign Of Rome Flaunting Over Our Heads? Shall We Do Anything Which May

Induce The Poor Savages (Whom, As I Am Told, The Emissaries Of Rome

Are Deluding, Taking Good Care To Keep Out Of Our Reach) To Recognize

Her Errors, And Admit Her Power?"

 

  

"Such Scruples," Said The Colonel, "Neither You Nor I Ever Heard At

Home. It Required A Foreign Soil To Give Birth To Them," And As He

Uttered The Word Foreign, He Threw An Emphasis On It Which Offended

The Other.

 

  

"I Shall Entreat Of Your Courtesy," Said Larkham, Slowly, "To Weigh

Well The Words Which It May Be Your Pleasure To Apply To Any Opinions

Of Mine, I Will Resent Any Imputations Upon The Loyalty Of The Colony,

Or Upon Mine Own."

  

 

"Think Not To Affect Me By Any Threats, Sir," Answered The Colonel,

Standing Up, And Looking Sternly At His Opponent. "I Say That It Was

The Act Of A Rebel, And Will Avouch My Words Against You, Though The

Whole Colony Were At Your Back."

  

 

The Last Sentence Was Spoken In A Defiant Tone, And Some Mischief

Might Have Been The Consequence, Had Not Master Prout, Who For Some

Time Had Been Listening To The Conversation, Placed Himself With His

Long Staff In Hand, Between The Two, And Commanded The Peace.

  

 

"I Pray Ye, Gentlemen," He Said, Addressing Them In A Manner Very

Different (As Becoming Their Quality) From The Style He Had Adopted

Toward Capt. Sparhawk, "To Consider The Great Scandal Ye Occasion By

This Unseemly Altercation. Who Is There Doubts The Godly Zeal Of Col.

Mcmahon, Or The Loyalty Of Capt. Larkham, Or The Valor Of Either?

There Is No Cause Of Enmity Betwixt Ye, But Contrariwise Of Peace And

Good Will. How Sweet It Is For Brethren To Dwell Together In Unity! It

Is Like The Precious Oil That Ran Down Aaron's Beard, Yea, Even To The

Skirts Of His Garment. I Pray Ye To Be Reconciled One To The Other."

 

  

Master Prout Was Exceedingly Fond Of Hearing Himself Talk, And A

Shrewd Man Withal, He Had Purposely Applied To Each Gentleman The

Quality In Which He Was Deficient, And Spun Out His Speech With Great

Deliberation, In Order To Give Time For The Passion Of The Opponents

To Subside. At Its Conclusion He Was Startled To Hear A Voice Just

Behind Him Exclaim,

 

 

 "Well Done, Master Prout. A Word Fitly Spoken Is Like Apples Of Gold

In Pictures Of Silver."

  

 

All Turned To The Voice, And There Stood Endicott Himself, Who, In The

Height Of The Interest Excited By The Controversy, Had Entered

Unobserved, And Overheard A Part Of The Dispute. There He Stood, With

His Left Hand Caressing The Tuft Of Hair On His Chin, Looking Grimly

Round Him.

  

 

"Capt. Larkham," He Said, As Soon As The Commotion Occasioned By His

Sudden Appearance Abated, "I Do Appreciate Thy Well Meaning Love, But

Hold It An Unprofitable Thing To Engage In Debates Which Can Lead To

No Useful Results. What I Have Done, I Have Done, And That Not In The

Inconsiderate Heat Of Youthful Blood, But With The Thoughtful

Deliberation That Becometh Manhood. If There Be Any Who Impeach The

Deed, They Do It Ignorantly, As Not Understanding The Meaning On

Bearing Thereof."

 

  

"I Impeach It," Cried The Impetuous Colonel, "And Shame It Is That So

Unsoldierly And Disloyal An Act Should Pass Unpunished."

 

  

Here Master Prout Advanced, First Looking At Endicott For Approval, As

If About To Arrest The Audacious Speaker.

  

 

"Nay, Good Master Prout, By Thy Leave I Desire No Offices Of Thine,"

Said Endicott, Putting Him Aside. "I Might, With Justice, Take Offence

At Thy Language, Which Is Harsh," He Continued, Addressing The

Colonel; "But I Will Not, Seeing That It Springs Out Of An Honorable

But Misguided Apprehension Of The Matter. Is It Possible That A

Gentleman Of Col. Mcmahon's Intelligence, And Whose Spirit Hath Been

Enlightened To See The Truth, Even To Casting In His Lot With Ours,

Should Condemn An Act Which Me-Seems Ought To Command His Sanction?

Had It Been Told Me By Another, I Would Have Disbelieved What But Now

Mine Own Ears Have Heard."

  

 

"I Repeat," Said The Colonel, "It Appears To Me No Better Than

Treason." 

 

 

"If Thou Dost Esteem Me A Traitor, Step Forward And Arrest Me In The

King's Name. But No; Surely Thou Dost Speak Hastily. For The Sake Of

The Respect I Feel For Thee, I Will Explain The Motives Of My Conduct.

Not From Any Disrespect To King Charles; Not Because I Honor Not The

Flag Of My Country; But Because I Owe A Higher Allegiance, Even To The

King Of Kings, Cut I Out The Sign Of Papistical Idolatry; Not As

Designing To Be Deficient In Any Earthly Duty, But As Intending To

Make