The Knight of the Golden Melice Part 19

The hitherto undisturbed mien of Waqua changed at these last words, as by magic. With a clear, steady voice, while his stature seemed to increase, he suddenly cried out:

"Pieskaret, if that be the name of the scolding squaw, is a liar. He knows that when the Taranteens hear the steps of a Pequot they run like wood-chucks to their holes. Sa.s.sacus says that they are old women."

Of course, the whole of these speeches was unintelligible, except to the interpreter, to whom no opportunity was given to translate them, and to the Indians. Great surprise, therefore, was felt as the Taranteens all sprung to their feet at the name of Sa.s.sacus, and attempted to push through the dense circle that surrounded them. So solid, however, was the ma.s.s, that this was a work of some difficulty; even although the politeness of the angry warriors had restrained them less than it did from jostling others out of the way; and, by the time when the foremost Indian had reached the spot where Waqua or Sa.s.sacus had stood, the Pequot had vanished. They returned, disappointed, to their places, snorting the name of the redoubtable warrior who had ventured from his distant river to intrude upon a council of his enemies, and shaking their heads with resentment. When Mr. Eliot had explained to the Governor and a.s.sistants the cause of the excitement, Winthrop endeavored to appease their indignation by expressions of regret, and protestations that he was ignorant that the famous head-sachem of the Pequots was among them; but his words were not attended with much effect, and it seemed that the council was about to be broken up, when Sir Christopher asked permission to speak to the Indians. It was granted; and to the surprise of all the Knight began, with great fluency, to address them in their own language. The tones of his voice were as sweet as those of a bubbling spring, and they seemed to fall with a soothing effect upon the irritated spirits of the sons of the forest. What he said Eliot himself could not understand, for the Knight spoke in the peculiar dialect of the Taranteens, which varies considerably from the Algonquin tongue before used. For, besides the general language which received from the French the name of Algonquin, and was nearly universally spoken all along the border of the Atlantic and far into the interior, the various tribes had dialects of their own, intelligible indeed to a native familiar with the parent speech, but strange to one who, like Eliot, had only an imperfect knowledge of it. As the Knight proceeded, those whom he addressed became more and more quiet; and when he ended, they signified their satisfaction at what he had said by the usual, and now unmistakable "ugh."

By this time, the last red rays of the setting sun were lighting up the calm, green surface of Boston harbor, and the council shortly broke up, to resume its sitting on the morrow. The procession was formed again, and in the order in which they came, Winthrop, attended by the Taranteens, was escorted to his house. As Arundel was departing, he felt his arm grasped by some one, and turning round, he beheld the Knight.

"Where is Waqua?" he inquired, in a low tone. "He was standing near thee when he spoke."

"I know no better than thyself," answered the young man, "and would gladly be informed. He vanished suddenly, and without warning."

"I know thee to be his friend, and how thou becamest so. Thou hast now an opportunity to requite him in kind."

"Show me the way."

"Hie thee, then, to his wigwam, for there likeliest mayest thou find him, and warn him against peril from these Taranteens, and, it may be, from the Governor himself."

"Be pleased to explain more clearly, Sir Christopher."

"Waqua is Sa.s.sacus, the great head-sachem of the Pequots, between whom and the Eastern Indians is perpetual hostility. He has given them deadly cause of offence, and I fear that they mean to revenge themselves, or that he may commit another imprudent act. It were better that Sa.s.sacus should remove himself away for the present. But I may not stay longer talking with thee. Adieu."

Arundel, satisfied of the friends.h.i.+p of the Knight to the Indian, determined at once to follow his counsel. As, however, Sa.s.sacus had undoubtedly sought the forest, he considered it most prudent to retrace his steps to his lodging, to procure his gun before venturing into its recesses, where, the prospect was, that he would have to pa.s.s the night. This occasioned some delay, and it was not until the twilight of the summer evening had faded, and stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky, that he found himself on the verge of the woods.

CHAPTER XIII.

For thou wert monarch born. Tradition's pages Tell not the planting of thy parent tree, But that the forest tribes have bent for ages To thee and to thy sires the subject knee.

HALLECK.

The young man knew not whither to turn his steps, except to the hut of Sa.s.sacus, which, however, he felt doubtful of his ability to find at night. No better plan occurred to him than to make the attempt; he, therefore, pressed forward, guiding himself as well as he could by the stars, glimpses of which he caught from time to time through the branches. He had, however, proceeded but a short distance, when, without a warning sound, silent as a shadow, the Indian stood at his side.

"I sought the great chief," said Arundel, contemplating the renowned warrior, whose name was a synonym with whatever was generous and daring, with more curiosity than he had regarded the obscure Waqua--"to warn him of danger."

"Sa.s.sacus fears no danger," replied the Indian; "it is for the Taranteens to tremble when they are in his neighborhood."

"What will the chief do?"

"He will return to his wigwam, but his brother must not go with him; for the Taranteens desire to carry back with them to-night the scalp of Sa.s.sacus."

"Nay, I will go with thee to partake the danger, if there be any, but I see no probability thereof. The Taranteens will not seek the scalp of Sa.s.sacus, if he hunts not for theirs."

"My brother knows not that they are owls who fly in the night. The eyes of Sa.s.sacus can pierce the skin on the bosoms of his enemies, and he saw in them men wandering in the dark, and looking for the chief of the Pequots."

"But how are these strangers to find the way?"

"When did Sa.s.sacus ever make a secret of his lodge? He is not a beaver, or a wretched wood-chuck, to burrow in the ground, but an eagle who makes his nest on the highest trees."

From this reply Arundel could only understand, that the place where the hut stood was too well known to make it difficult for the Indians to discover it. There was no knowing what their audacity, thirst for revenge for the insult, and the opportunity to capture or destroy so famous an enemy, might tempt them to undertake; but he trusted that the want of a medium of communication (for only the Knight and Eliot, among the whites, as he supposed, could make themselves intelligible; and the Aberginians were not likely to approach the Taranteens) would be an insuperable obstacle in the way of their purpose, should they entertain any such as that intimated by his companion. It was evident, however, that Sa.s.sacus expected an attack during the night, and that so far from shunning the danger, he rather courted it; for it was easily to be avoided, by leaving the wigwam to its fate. There would not be much loss in that, the cabin being rudely built of bark: and the few articles of value which it contained might, in a short time, be removed to a place of safety. Arundel could scarcely be expected to partic.i.p.ate in the feelings of the wild warrior in the contemplation of a fight with savages in the dark. Besides, he knew not by how many they might be attacked; and the prospect of a contest betwixt himself and Sa.s.sacus, on the one side, and half-a-dozen or more Taranteens, on the other, may well be conceived to have had in it nothing alluring.

He would not, however, desert his friend; and, despairing of changing the chief's resolution, he walked in silence after him, turning over in his mind the possibilities of a night skirmish. Sa.s.sacus had, probably, an idea of his thoughts, for presently he resumed his attempt to dissuade Arundel from accompanying him.

"My brother," he said, "has no quarrel with the Taranteens. They have come to smoke the calumet with his people, and not to plunder his villages and burn his corn fields. Why should my brother expose his life?"

It was partly to try the courage of the young man, perhaps, and partly to ascertain how far he might be depended on, if there should be a fight, that the Indian asked the question. At any rate, a suspicion of the kind pa.s.sed through Arundel's mind, and he answered:

"My life belongs to Sa.s.sacus. It is no longer mine."

"Sa.s.sacus gives his brother back his life. Will he not now return to his big lodge, where he will hear no war-whoop, but only the pleasant song of the gues-ques-kes in the morning?"

"Cease," said Arundel. "Not if there were as many Taranteens in the woods as there are leaves on the trees will I desert thee."

"It is well; and my brother shall see the difference between a Pequot and a wretched Taranteen."

All this time they had been walking without haste in a straight line, the Indian leading the way, and seeming to follow a particular course by instinct; for he looked not at the stars nor at any signs, so far as his companion could judge, to direct his steps. In this manner, they continued to advance, not much conversation pa.s.sing until they reached the hut of Sa.s.sacus. This they entered: and, to the surprise of Arundel, the Indian, after throwing down a few skins for seats, began leisurely to prepare a meal. He lighted a fire outside of the lodge, which, of course, threw a light all around, and served to guide the steps of any wanderers, whether friends or prowling enemies; and waiting until the wood was reduced to glowing coals, threw upon them pieces of meat, whose pleasant odor soon pervaded the atmosphere. The confident bearing of the Indian had, by this time, produced such an effect upon Arundel, that he did not even ask him why he so unnecessarily exposed the place of his retreat, but partook of the viands from the coals, and of the parched corn, which his host produced from the wigwam, with a hearty appet.i.te. His entertainer observed his execution upon the meal with marked satisfaction; and, upon its conclusion, presented him with a pipe, and, taking one himself, was soon under its soothing influence. Arundel, unaccustomed to the use of tobacco, could only inspire a few whiffs, out of compliment to the other, and then sat watching him. The fire light shone full upon the face of the bronze statue--"the stoic of the woods, the man without a tear"--before him, but no ferocity was discoverable in its lineaments. It seemed impossible to suppose that thoughts of bloodshed were pa.s.sing at that moment through the mind of the handsome youth, dreamily closing and opening his eyes, as the clouds from the pipe floated away over his head, apparently unconscious of danger, intending no ill to others, and not antic.i.p.ating it for himself.

After smoking his pipe, the Indian, instead of extinguis.h.i.+ng the fire, threw additional wood, in considerable quant.i.ties, upon it; thereby still further increasing the wonder of Arundel. He next invited the guest into the wigwam, and heaping up several skins in a corner for a couch, said, that he was about to be absent for a short time, but that his brother might sleep meanwhile in perfect security. With these words the Pequot departed, leaving the young man reclined upon his bed, but not to slumber.

Sa.s.sacus was gone, it might be an hour, and on his return he threw himself upon the ground; and, in a short time, as was evident from his breathing, was asleep. Arundel could not understand how any one, who was antic.i.p.ating an attack from enemies from whom he could expect no mercy, was able to rest so calmly. Had he entrusted the keeping of his life--for in a struggle he could expect no more quarter for himself than for his companion--to any other one than the bold and adroit warrior whose fame for cunning was as great as for bravery; or had the relations betwixt himself and the savage been different, he would not have remained in the cabin a moment longer. But he shrunk from the betrayal of a want of confidence, and preferred even to risk life upon the judgment of his wild friend. There lay the chief, softly breathing, his limbs dissolved in sleep, and wearing in the subdued light from the fire outside a placid expression, more like that of the timid deer than of the cougar, whose nature his own resembled. As for Arundel, so highly were his nerves wrought up, that had he ever so much desired it, he would have been unable to sleep. Interminable seemed the anxious hours, and, as the night waned, he became at last almost incapable of mastering his apprehensions. But as more than once he was on the point of waking the sachem, the thought arose that it might look like cowardice, and he forbore.

At last he heard a sound, which seemed to come from just by the side of the wigwam, like the whirring noise which the night hawk makes with its wings. Instantly Sa.s.sacus sat up on his couch, and listened. The sound was repeated, and he rose. He looked toward Arundel, and with a smile, inquired how he had rested. The young man, unwilling to confess the state of his mind, answered in an evasive manner, and the Pequot, after regarding him a moment with a pleased expression, stepped to the entrance and cast his eyes up to the stars. After considering them he returned, and motioning to Arundel to arise, said, with some humor, that he was sorry to disturb his brother, but that the skunks he had spoke about were coming, and as he knew that his brother did not like their smell, he would ask his brother to go a little way off. Arundel, without altogether understanding the purpose of his companion, got up, and after examining the priming of his piece, followed his steps.

The chief led him in a direction opposite to that from which they came, to a distance of near a hundred rods, when their course was arrested by the river Charles. Here he stopped, and said--

"My white brother will remain here, while Sa.s.sacus goes back to give the welcome of a great chief to the Taranteens."

Arundel now comprehended the design of the other, but it was far from being agreeable to him. The idea of letting the Pequot fight the battle alone was derogatory to his honor, and besides, his curiosity was stimulated to witness the conduct of the savage, and he therefore answered with some asperity--

"For what does the chief take me? Am I a deer to be frightened at the whizzing of an arrow, or the sight of a tomahawk?"

"Sa.s.sacus would be grieved should his brother lose his scalp."

"No more. Where the chief is I will be. I am a warrior as well as Sa.s.sacus," replied the young man, beginning to retrace his steps.

"It is well," said the Indian, following after him; but when the Pequots go to war in the night they make no noise. My brother must not make thunder (and he touched the gun).

"As thou wilt. I have my dagger."

"It is enough. Sa.s.sacus is a great chief, and my brother will obey him for one night."

"In all things, save deserting thee."

"Let my brother come, then," said the chief; "the arrows of the Taranteens shall pierce my bosom before they reach his."

The two now returned together, and upon re-entering the wigwam, Sa.s.sacus again invited Arundel to repose, but not before he had removed the skins on which his guest had been lying, into the back part of the lodge, while he made his own couch near the entrance.

Determined to see the adventure, if there was to be one, to its termination, Arundel laid himself down to wait for what should happen, while the chief stretched himself out, with his face to the opening.