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

Truth She Should Have Been Taught, She Hath Sucked Only

Error."

 

 

"That Were Indeed A Deadly Unkindness To The Poor Fawn," Said Sir

Richard, "Seeing It Would Be Imperiling Her Eternal Salvation."

 

 

 

"Better," Said Endicott, "That She Should Continue In A Darkness

Penetrated Only By The Dim Light Of Nature Than Be Made A Victim Of

Roman Superstition."

 

 

"If Any One Of Ye, Gentlemen, Will Take Her In Charge," Said Winthrop,

"Gladly Will I Resign The Child Into Your Hands; But If Not, Then

Will I Receive Her Into Mine Own Household, Where, By God's Grace, The

Tares Which The Enemy Hath Sown May Be Eradicated."

 

 

 No One Manifesting A Desire To Accept The Offer Of Winthrop, He

Ordered The Child To Be Removed To His Own House.

 

  

As The Little Girl On Her Way Out Of The Apartment Passed Nigh The

Chief, She Stopped, And With Childish Impatience Strove To Take The

Manacles From His Arms. A Sad Smile Crossed The Face Of Sassacus At

Her Vain Attempt, And He Said:

 

 

 

"They Are The Presents Of Owanux. Neebin Will Not Forget."

 

 

 "Allow No Farther Speech Between Them," Cried Winthrop, As The

Sagamore Commenced Saying Something More. "Part Them, And Take Her

Instantly Away."

 

  

"Waqua, Or Sassacus, Or Whatever Be Thy Name," Said Winthrop,

"Wherefore, Being At Peace With My People, Have You Slain Two Of My

Men."

 

  

The Chief Looked Steadily At The Questioner, But Returned No Answer.

 

 

"We Know," Said The Governor, "That Thou Hast Sufficient Knowledge Of

Our Tongue To Make Thyself Intelligible, For Thou Hast Conversed With

Me. Speak, Lest For Thy Refusal It Should Go The Harder With Thee."

 

 

 

Thus Addressed, Sassacus Surveyed With An Indignant Look His Chains,

And Then Stretching Out One Of His Arms As Far As His Bonds Permitted,

Spoke In A Bold Tone Several Sentences In His Own Language In Reply.

 

 

 

"The Spirit Of The Old Proverb," Said An Assistant, "That One May Lead

A Horse To Water, Nathless It Will Be Impossible To Compel Him To

Drink, Applies, It Seems, As Well To Indians As To Horses."

 

 

 

"Why Sit Here To Be Scorned By This Unbreeched Heathen?" Cried Dudley.

"Away With Him! He Was Taken In The Very Act, And Can Render No Excuse

For This Devilish Malignity."

 

 

 Under Favor," Said Sir Richard, "That Were But A Hasty Conclusion. It

Is Only Christian Mercy To Labor With Him A Little More."

 

  

"It May Be," Said Winthrop, "That On An Occasion So Momentous, He

Distrusts His Ability Worthily To Defend Himself In A Speech Wherewith

He Is Imperfectly Acquainted. He Must Not Be Condemned Unheard. The

Flashes Of Nobility I Have Discovered In Him Did Once Prepossess Me

Greatly In His Favor, And, Therefore, If For Nought Else, Would I Be

Indulgent. But, Besides, He Is A Man Whose Blood Is Not To Be Spilled

Like A Wild Animal's."

 

 

 Be It So," Said Dudley, "If Ye Can Make Him Speak, I Will Promise To

Listen."

 

 

"Samoset Is In The Settlement, And May Be Instantly Forthcoming,"

Suggested Master Nowell.

 

  

"Let Him Then Be Called," Said Winthrop.

 

  

But A Short Time Elapsed Before The Messenger Returned With The

Indian, Samoset, Who, In Consequence Of His Superior Acquaintance With

The English Language, Had Often Acted As Interpreter Between His

Countrymen And The White Strangers. This Knowledge He Had Acquired

From His Intercourse With The English Fishermen, Before The Wanderers

Who Erected Their Tabernacle At Shawmut Arrived In The Country. He Was

A Quick, Apprehensive Fellow, Who, On Account Of The Services He Had

Rendered The Colonists, Stood High In Their Favor, And Was Treated

With Considerable Confidence. No Sign Of Recognition Passed Betwixt

Him And Sassacus On His Entrance, But They Regarded One Another As

Strangers.

 

  

"We Have Called Thee, Samoset," Said Winthrop, "To Interpret Between

Us And This Prisoner. Ask Him If He Acknowledges Himself To Be The

Famous Chief Of The Pequots."

 

 

 "Tell Him," Replied Sassacus, "That I Am That Eagle At Whose Scream

The Narraghansetts Hide Themselves Like Little Birds In The Bushes."

  

 

"A Bold Answer," Said Winthrop. "Ask Him Now, Wherefore He Hath Been

Lurking In The Woods In The Vicinity Of Our Lodges."

 

  

"The Feet Of Sassacus," Answered The Chief, "Tread Upon The Forest

Leaves At His Pleasure. His Ancestors Never Inquired Of The Taranteens

Nor Of The Narraghansetts Where They Should Hunt, And He Will Not Ask

Permission Of The Strangers With Beards."

 

  

"Frank And Defiant," Muttered Endicott. "Come, I Like This."

 

  

"The Forests Are Very Wide," Said Winthrop, "And The Game Is Not So

Abundant In Our Immediate Neighborhood. There Must Be Some More

Particular Reason For Thy Conduct."

 

  

"Listen, O, White Chief!" Returned The Indian. "The Path Whereon The

Tongue Of Sassacus Travels Is A Straight Path. A Great Chief Disdains

To Tell A Lie. Know Then, That, For A Long, Long Time--Our Oldest Men

Cannot Recollect So Far Back, For They Heard The Legend From Their

Grandfathers, And They Again From Theirs--It Hath Been Told Among Us,

That A Race With A Skin Like The Snow Should Come To Our Land, With

Strange Manners, And Speaking A Strange Language; And When I Heard Of

Owanux, I Came To See Whether They Were The Men, For It Becomes A

Chief To Watch For His People."

 

  

"And What Said The Tradition," Asked Winthrop, "Should Be The Fate Of

The Two Races?"

 

 

 "Tell Him Not, O, Samoset! My Friend, Who Hast Eaten With Me From The

Same Pot--That The Legend, Sadder Than The Wail Of Warriors From An

Unsuccessful Expedition Over The Dead; Than The Sobs Of The Wintry

Wind Around The Grave Of My First-Born--That, Like The Cloud In The

Full Moon, We Were To Waste Away, And The Intruders To Occupy Our

Hunting Grounds."

  

 

"He Says," Said Samoset, Interpreting To Suit The Chief, "That The

Indians Were To Drive The Strangers, As The Wind Whirls The Leaves

Into Little Heaps."

 

 

"There Will Be Two Words To That Bargain," Said Dudley. "I Trow It

Will Take More Than One Powah To Make Me Believe Such A Story."

 

 

 

"It Is The Inspiration Of The Devil, Who Is Ever The Father Of Lies,"

Observed Endicott. "Go To, With Nonsense Like This, But I Do Admire

The Brave Bearing Of The Savage."

 

 

"Yet Is It An Unfortunate Belief To Prevail Among The Natives," Said

Master Bradstreet. "If Extensively Entertained, It May Be Fraught With

Great Peril."

  

 

 "A Cunning Invention Of The Powahs, No Doubt, To Sustain The Fainting

Courage Of Their Deluded Followers," Said Sir Richard.

  

 

"Give Me Three Hundred Stout And Well-Armed Fellows, Trusting In The

Lord, And Careful To Keep Their Powder Dry And Bullets Ready, And I

Will So Take The Conceit Out Of Their Red-Skins, From The Kennebec To

The Mouth Of The Connecticut, That They Will Never Tell This Story

Again," Said Endicott.

  

 

"Ask Him," Proceeded Winthrop, "If This Sir Christopher Gardiner Is

His Friend."

 

  

"Soog-U-Gest Is My Brother," Answered The Sagamore.

 

  

"Does He Know The Occasions Of Soog-U-Gest's Frequent Absences From

Home?"

 

 

 "He Hunted Sometimes With Sassacus," Was The Answer.

 

  

"And What Knows He Of The Woman?"

 

 

 "She Is The Sister Of Soog-U-Gest."

 

 

"Is She Not His Wife?" Demanded Dudley.

 

  

But Sassacus, Merely Shaking His Head, Made No Reply.

 

  

"The Proud Savage Disdains To Answer Your Question, Master Dudley,"

Observed Endicott, With A Smile.

 

  

"Nay," Answered Dudley. "It Is Because He Cannot Deny It."

 

 

 We Will See," Said Winthrop; And He Put The Question.

 

 

 

It Was As Endicott (Better Acquainted From His Longer Residence In The

Country Than The Others With The Feelings Of The Natives) Had

Suggested, For Now Sassacus Spoke Without Hesitation.

 

  

"Soog-U-Gest Is The Woman's Brother. His Wigwam Is Large. The Woman

And Neebin, The Little Sister Of Sassacus, Live In One Part, And

Soog-U-Gest And His Men In The Other."

 

  

An Expression Of Great Astonishment Was Visible In The Faces Of The

Members Of The Council, As Sassacus Avowed His Relationship To The

Little Girl, But Nothing Was Said. The Thoughtful Countenance Of

Winthrop Became Still More Grave, And A Moment Or Two Passed Before He

Asked The Next Question.

 

 

"Why Did Sassacus Give Away His Own Sister?"

 

  

"He Gave Her Not Away. She Was To Remain To Learn The Wisdom Of The

White Man, As The Little Bird Stays In The Nest Until It Is Strong

Enough To Fly."

 

 

Another Pause Ensued, For The Reply Of The Sagamore Had Furnished

Pregnant Matter For Thought, Until The Silence Was Broken By The Voice

Of Winthrop.

 

  

"Why Did Sassacus Attack My People, And Kill Two Of My Men?"

 

 

 

"A Superfluous Question, After What We Have Heard," Said Sir Richard

Saltonstall.

  

 

"Nevertheless, It Is Involved In The Purpose For Which The Indian Was

Brought Before Us, And He Shall Have The Benefit Of A Reply, Sir

Richard," Answered The Governor.

  

 

"Is It An Earnest Question The White Chief Asks," Demanded The Pequot

Chief. "Why Does The Bear Attack The Hunter Who Has Robbed Her Of Her

Cubs? Shall Sassacus Love Neebin Less Than A Bear Its Cub? Owanux

Burned The Lodge Of My Friend. They Seized His Sister And Neebin, And

Carried Them Away, And Their Chief Asks Why Sassacus Fought For His

Friends, And For The Daughter Of Many Sachems! What White Man Ever

Before Was Hurt By Sassacus? Who Ever Came To His Lodge, And He Set

Not A Meal Before Him? Who Ever Was Tired, And Sassacus Gave Him Not A

Skin Whereon To Lay His Limbs? When The White Chief Burns Our Lodges,

And Carries Away Captive Our Women And Children In The Dark, Must

Sassacus Run With A Bowl Of Succotash To Refresh Him, After His Great

Victory?"

   

"A Shrewd Retort Withal, And, According To The Law Of Nature, And Of

The Woods, An All-Sufficient Justification," Said Sir Richard

Saltonstall, Who Had Been Opposed To The Plan To Capture The Knight

From The Beginning.

 

  

"And Yet None Other Than I Expected," Said Winthrop, Whose Generous

Design In Allowing The Chief To Exculpate Himself In His Own Way Was

Only Now Understood. "Gentlemen," He Added, Desirous To Take Advantage

Of The Favorable Impression Produced By The Sagamore's Reply, "What

Remains But To Remand Our Prisoner, Unless It Be Your Intention To

Discharge Him In Consideration Of The Provocation, And That He Can

Hardly Be Said To Be As Fully Amenable To Our Laws As They Who

Understand What These Laws Are."

 

  

"I Desire To Express My Hearty Astonishment," Exclaimed Deputy Dudley,

"At The Extraordinary Proposition Of The Governor. The Consequences

Which Lie Hid Therein Are Horrible. Are Our Friends, Engaged In The

Execution Of Our Orders, To Be Slaughtered With Impunity, And Thus

Others To Be Encouraged To Like Atrocities?"

 

  

"Blood For Blood," Thundered Endicott. "If That Of Abel Fell Not To

The Ground Unavenged, Though The Slayer Knew No Law, Save That Written

In His Heart, To Forbid The Deed, So Now May Not This Savage Escape.

Besides, The Example Were Impolitic, As Hath Been Already Set Forth."

 

 

 imilar Opinions Were Uttered By Almost All Of The Assistants, Being

None Other Than Anticipated By The Wily Governor, Who Meant Not What

He Said, But Desired To Mitigate The Severer Counsels Of His

Associates.

 

  

During These Remarks, A Conversation In A Low Tone Had Been Passing

Betwixt The Sagamore And Samoset.

 

  

"Has The Heart Of Samoset Turned White?" Asked The Pequot.

 

 

 "Samoset Is An Indian," Replied The Interpreter, "And His Heart Is

Red."

 

 

 "Has He Forgotten The Time When, With Sassacus And His Paniese, He

Drank Of The Shetucket, Where It Bounds Into The River Of The Pequots,

When He Was Thirsty With Driving The Narraghansetts Over The Hills,

Like Leaves Chased By The Wind?"

 

  

"Samoset Has Not Forgotten."

 

 

 "Does He Powah With Owanux, Or Is He True To The Faith Of His

Fathers?"

 

  

"The Feet Of Samoset Will Chase The Deer And The Bear Over The Happy

Hunting Grounds, Whither His Fathers Have Gone. He Would Not Know What

To Do In The Heaven Of Owanux."

  

 

"Then Is Not Samoset My Brother, And Lies He Not Close To The Heart Of

Sassacus, As A Pappoose Nestles Up To Its Mother?"

  

 

"Samoset Will Do The Bidding Of The Great Sagamore," Said The

Interpreter, Anticipating What Was To Follow.

 

 

 "Go Then, My Friend, My Brother, Terror Of The Narraghansetts, Praise

Of The Valiant Pequots, And Find Soog-U-Gest. Tell Him That The Blood

Of Sassacus Is Running Away, Like Water From An Overturned Vessel, And

That Soon All Will Be Spilled, Unless He Comes To Set Up The Vessel.

Tell Him To Come Quickly, And Deliver The Great Sagamore Of The

Pequots, And His Sister, And The Young Man With Eyes Like The Sky."

 

 

 "The Feet Of The Blue Eyes Are Free," Said Samoset. "I Saw Him Only A

Little While Ago."

  

 

"Good!" Said The Chief. "Then Seek First My Young Friend, For He Loves

Sassacus, And Tell Him, And Do What He Says. But If They Cannot Help,

Fly, Like The Swallow Over The Hills And Streams, To The Hunting

Grounds Of My Tribe, And Say To My People That Their Sachem Is A Wolf

In A Trap, And Neebin A Slave To Owanux."

 

  

"What Says He?" Inquired Endicott, Whose Attention Had Been Attracted

By The Longer Speech, And Somewhat Raised Tone Of The Sagamore's

Voice.

 

 

 He Says," Answered Samoset,