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

Deny Them I Am Not To Be Believed, And The Denial Would Only

Bring Down Upon My Head Additional Insult; Then Why Tempt So Hard A

Fate? Tell Me What You Would Have Me Say, And I Will Endeavor To

Conform To Your Wishes."

 

 

"Woman!" Said Dudley, Sternly, "Trifle Not. Answer Me--Aye, Or Nay."

 

  

"Thou Hast Thine Answer," Said The Lady, With Some Spirit, As If

Goaded Into Resistance By The Severity Of The Treatment.

 

  

"I Am Content," Said Dudley. "Thou Knowest That Falsehood Were In

Vain."

 

  

"Madam," Now Took Up Endicott The Word, "We Have Not As Yet Been

Favored With Your Name."

 

  

"It Is Geraldine De Vaux."

 

  

"Hast Never Another?"

 

  

"What Mean You, Sir!" She Exclaimed, With A Startled Air. "What Other

Name?"

 

 

"I Mean, Plainly--Is Not Thy Name Mary Grove?"

  

 

At The Question, The Lady, Unable Longer To Control Herself, Burst

Into Tears. Quickly Recovering Herself, However, And Drying Her Eyes,

She Said:

 

  

"The Wicked Man Who First Insulted Me With The Name And The Infamy

Connected Therewith Is Dead. Dread Ye Not A Like Judgment On

Yourselves?"

 

 

 "Thou Dost Ill To Remind Us," Observed An Assistant, "That Thou Art,

According To Thine Own Opinion, In Some Sort, A Cause Of The Death Of

Our Brother, Spikeman, And To Threaten Us With His Fate."

 

 

 I Threatened Not. I Did But Repel A Wrongful Accusation," Said The

Lady, More Humbly.

 

  

"Yet Dost Thou Not Deny The Name?" Persisted Endicott.

 

 

"If It Availed, I Would Deny It; But I See That Ye Are All Leagued

Together To Persecute Me Unto The Death. Not My Will," She Sighed,

Folding Her Hands And Looking Up, "But Thine Be Done!"

 

 

 "Wilt Thou Say Nothing More Touching This Subject?" Inquired Endicott.

 

 

 "I Desire To Say Nothing Thereupon, Except To Protest Against The

Injurious Constructions You Seem Determined To Put On All That I Can

Say."

 

 

 "How Hath It Happened," Continued Endicott, "That You Have Never

Appeared With The Congregation, In The Lord's House?"

 

 

 

"Consider The Distance We Did Live In The Woods, And The Difficulty Of

The Travel," Answered The Lady, Deprecatingly. "But, Has Not Sir

Christopher Attended?"

 

 

Endicott Paid No Attention To The Question, But Went On.

 

 

 

"What Is Thy Profession Of Faith?"

 

 

 "I Am A Christian, And Most Miserable Sinner."

 

  

"Aye, But Protestant Or Catholic?"

 

  

"Protestant," Answered The Lady, With An Inflexion Of The Voice Which

Made It Difficult To Decide Whether The Word Was Intended For An

Ejaculation, A Question, Or A Declaration. "Holy Virgin!" She

Murmured, So Low As Not To Be Overheard, "Forgive Me This Half Lie.

Not For My Own Sake Do My Lips Utter It, And My Heart Abhors It."

  

 

The Answer Seemed To Take Endicott By Surprise.

  

 

"Have Heed To Thy Words," He Said. "We Are Well Advised That This

Runnigadoe And Thyself Were, Until Of Late At Least, At Rome."

 

  

"You Seem To Know All Things," Said The Lady, Scornfully, "And I

Wonder Why Ye Trouble Yourselves With Anything That An Ignorant Woman

Can Say. Have It As You Will."

 

 

 

"Hath Not Our Examination Proceeded Far Enough?" Asked Sir Richard.

"Is There Aught Else Ye Expect To Elicit?"

 

  

"The Woman, I Think, Hath Confessed The Whole," Said Dudley. "She

Openly Admits That This Gardiner, Or Whatever Else Be His Name, Is Her

Paramour; And, For The Remainder, What Hath Been Wrested From Her By

Her Own Contradictions, Sufficiently Confounds Her."

 

 

 "Base Man, It Is False!" Cried The Lady, Roused Into Indignation By

The Charge. I Have Confessed To Naught Whereof A Woman Should Be

Ashamed. There Is No Infamy Attached To My Name; And As High As Heaven

Is Above The Earth, So Far Is Sir Christopher Above Thy Craven

Nature."

 

 

 

"Heyday!" Said Dudley; "It Thunders And Lightens. I Bandy Not Words

With Thee, But The Record Of The Secretary Will Show."

 

 

 "I Find Not The Exact Word," Said The Secretary, Master Nowell, After

Examining His Minutes, "But She Doth Acknowledge This Pretended Knight

As Her Protector Since They Left England, And The Terms Are

Equivalent."

 

 

 "I Meant It Not So. I Have Acknowledged Nothing To My Disgrace,"

Exclaimed The Lady. "Ye Have Enveigled And Entrapped Me By Artful

Questions, And Then Put Constructions On My Answers Which Do Not

Belong To Them. A Worthy Business, Truly, For Grave And Learned Men To

Be Engaged In, To Set Their Wits To Work Against A Forlorn Woman, To

Pervert Her Language Into Shameful Meanings."

 

  

"Madam," Said Winthrop, "You Have Permission To Retire. Bring With

Thee," He Added, Addressing The Beadle, "The Little Indian Girl,

Without Letting Her Come To Speech With This Gentlewoman, And Also

Sassacus, Properly Guarded."

 

Chapter XXX ("Vainly, But Well, That Chief Had Fought, He Was A Captive Now; Yet Pride, That Fortune Humbles Not, Was Written On His Brow. The Scars His Dark, Broad Bosom Wore, Showed Warrior True And Brave; A Prince Among His Tri

 Bryant.

 

   

"A Manifest Papist! I Can Scent One Of Them Out As Easily As A Hound

Doth The Hare," Said Endicott, After The Lady Had Retired.

 

  

"Beyond A Peradventure," Echoed Dudley; "And The Attempt At Deception

Doth Aggravate Her Guilt."

 

  

"I, Too, Remarked," Said An Assistant, "That She Possesses Not The

Shibboleth Whereunto She Laid Claim."

 

  

"Yet, Wherefore Should They, Being Papists, Come Hither?" Said Master

Nowell. "I Understand Not The Mystery That Surrounds Them."

 

 

 A Circumstance In Itself Suspicious," Said Endicott, "Wherefore Needs

An Honest Intent To Hide Its Head?"

  

 

"On The Contrary, It Is Ever Ready To Show Itself In The Sunlight,"

Said Master Nowell. 

  

"Know You What Is Expected To Be Learned From The Child?" Asked An

Assistant, Of Dudley.

 

  

"I Surmise Our Governor Desires Something Further To Quiet His

Ever-Anxious And Doubting Mind," Answered Dudley.

 

 

 "I Lack No Light To Form A Judgment," Said Endicott, "And A Further

Inquiry Is Supererogatory."

  

 

"Nevertheless," Said Master Bradstreet, "There Be Some Of Us On Whom A

Clear Light Hath Not Yet Shined. My Charity Strongly Inclines Me To

View This Poor Woman In A Less Unfavorable Light Since She Hath Avowed

Herself Not To Be An Idolater Of Rome."

 

 

 "Well Saith The Scripture," Exclaimed Dudley, "That Charity Doth Cover

A Multitude Of Sins. The Rule Is Good In The Exercise Of Judgment In

Things Pertaining To Private Concerns, But In Public Business It Is

Naught. But Your Scruples, And Those Of Master Winthrop, Are Likely

Soon To Be Satisfied, For Here Comes The Little Canaanite."

 

 

 And As He Spoke The Door Was Opened, And The Servitor Appeared,

Bringing In The Child.

  

 

"Where Is The Other Indian?" Inquired Endicott.

 

  

"He Will Be Here Incontinently, Your Worship," Replied The Man. "As

There Was Some Delay In The Needful Preparation, I Did Think It

Expedient Not To Keep Your Worships Waiting, More Especially As It

Would Not Be Becoming That Ye Should Be Put To Inconvenience For A

Heathen Red Skin."

 

  

"Reasoned Like Aristoteles," Said Dudley, Laughing. "Give Me A Man Of

Thy Humor, Hezekiah Negus, Who Rightly Apprehends The Value Of Time,

And The Danger Of Keeping His Superiors Dependent On His Laziness."

 

  

"Bring Hither The Child," Said Winthrop.

 

  

The Servitor, In Obedience To The Order, Led The Girl To The

Governor's Seat, And Placed Her Standing By His Side.

  

 

"What Is Thy Name, Little One?" Asked Winthrop, Putting His Hand Upon

Her Head.

 

  

"Neebin," Answered The Girl, Whose Eyes, From The Moment Of Her

Entrance, Had Been Scanning The Company And The Room In That Quiet,

Covert Way, In Which The Indian Is Wont To Gratify His Curiosity While

Endeavoring To Conceal It. At The Same Time, If She Felt Fear, Neither

Her Voice Nor Manner Betrayed It.

  

 

"Neebin!" Repeated Winthrop. "A Very Pretty Name, And Hath A Pretty

Meaning In English, I Doubt Not."

 

 

The Child, Encouraged By The Gentleness Of His Voice And Looks, And

Perhaps Proud Of Showing Her Knowledge Of The Language Of The Whites,

Answered:

  

 

"Neebin Is Summer."

 

  

"Darling Neebin," Said Winthrop, Whose Countenance Really Expressed An

Interest In The Little Indian, "Hast Ever Been Taught Thy Prayers?"

 

  

"Neebin Knows Two Prayers."

  

 

"Will She Say Them For Me?" 

 

 

The Child Crossed Her Arms Upon Her Bosom, After Having First Made The

Sign Of The Cross Upon Her Brow, Her Lips, And Breast; And Then,

Letting Fall The Long, Black Lashes Of Her Eye-Lids, Commenced

Repeating The "Pater-Noster." At The Sign Of The Cross, Dudley

Started; But, As If Recollecting Himself, Sunk Back With A Groan.

After Finishing The Pater-Noster, The Little Girl Began The "Ave

Maria;" But This Was More Than The Scandalized Deputy Could Endure.

 

  "I May Not," He Cried, Starting Up, "Listen Without Sin To This

Idolatry. Better To Smite--"

 

 

 

"I Pray Thee To Have A Little Patience," Said Winthrop, Interrupting

Him. "None Of Its Guilt Attaches Itself To Us."

 

  

"I Know Not That," Replied Dudley. "I Will Not, Like Naaman The

Syrian, Bow Myself Down In The House Of Rimmon, Even Although My

Master Leaneth On My Hand. I Do Bear My Testimony Against These Popish

Incantations."

 

  

The Face Of Winthrop Flushed At The Taunt Conveyed, Both In The Manner

And In The Language; But, As His Custom Was, He Paused Before

Replying, Which Gave Opportunity To Endicott To Say:

 

  

"My Teeth, Also, As Well As Those Of Master Dudley, Are Set On Edge;

And I Think That Any Farther Inquiry On This Branch Of The Subject May

Well Be Pretermitted."

  

 

"In My Judgment," Said Sir Richard Saltonstall, "It Were Well,

Inasmuch As, Though Not Partaking To The Degree Of Their Delicacy Of

The Scruples Of The Deputy-Governor And Of Master Endicott, Yet Do I

Respect Them, Considering The Fountain Whence They Flow. I Also Highly

Approve Of And Thank The Governor For His Judicious Questions, Whereby

The Truth Hath Been Brought To Light, And What Was A Little Dark

Before Hath Been Made Plain. But The End Being Sufficiently Attained,

It Were Better, Perhaps, Not To Press In This Way After Further

Knowledge, Seeing We Neither Need Nor Desire It."

 

 

 "I Accede To Your Wishes, Gentlemen," Said Winthrop, "Though I Hardly

Approve Of This Cutting Short The Answer Of A Witness. Ye Shall Have,

However, Your Will."

  

 

"What!" Exclaimed Dudley; "Not When The Answer Is Blasphemous, Or

Idolatrous, Or Otherwise Impious?"

 

  

"We Will Have No Argument Thereupon, Master Dudley," Said Winthrop.

"Your Desire Is Granted, And That, Methinks, Should Satisfy You."

 

  

The Door Now Opened, And Sassacus Entered Between Two Soldiers,

Clanking The Fetters On His Wrists As He Moved. Alas! Confinement,

Though Short, Had Not Been Without Baleful Effect On The Sagamore. Not

That He Appeared Cast Down Or Humiliated; Not That His Gait Was

Uncertain, Or His Bearing Less Proud; But A Shadow, The Shadow Of A

Prison House, Encompassed Him. The Iron Was Evidently Beginning To

Enter His Soul. The Free Denizen Of The Boundless Forest Could No More

Live Without Liberty, Than Flame Without Air. He Was Like An Eagle

Struck Down From His Home In The Clouds,

 

  

  "Sailing With Supreme Dominion,

  Through The Azure Deep Of Air,"

 

 

 To Be Chained Upon A Stump, And Approached And Gazed At By Every

Wayfarer. The Imperial Bird Darts Round The Lightning Of His Eyes, But

He Knows Them To Be Innocuous, And His Head Droops At The

Consciousness.

 

  

"Remain Where Ye Are," Said An Assistant To The Soldiers. "The

Governor Is Engaged At This Momet."

 

  

"Can Neebin," Said Winthrop, Resuming His Interrogatories, "Tell Me

Where Is Sir Christopher Gardiner?"

 

  

"Flower Of The Forest And Of The Wild Rushing Stream," Exclaimed

Sassacus, In His Own Language, "Be To Him As The Rock To Which The

Wind Whispers An Idle Tale."

 

  

"What Says He?" Inquired The Assistants Of One Another, Not One Of

Whom Understood More Than Here And There A Word.

 

  

"Let The Chief Keep Silent," Said Winthrop, Addressing Sassacus. "He

Will Soon Have An Opportunity To Say What He Will;" And He Repeated

The Question.

 

 

But The Little Indian Showed Herself No Longer Docile As Before, But

To Every Question Returned A Stubborn Silence.

 

 

 

"We Have Made A Mistake In Bringing In The Chief," Said An Assistant.

"She Will Not Open Her Lips Again. He Hath Said Something To Frustrate

Our Inquires."

 

 

 "Thou Hast Rightly Divined," Said Winthrop, After Another Vain Attempt

To Induce The Child To Speak. "And Now What Shall Be Done? For I Hold

It Unmeet That She Should Be Sent Back To The Source Whence, Instead

Of The Gospel