to have and to hold-第41章

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he　savage。

They　gave　us　readily　enough　the　pipes　I　asked　for。　Diccon　lit　one　and　I　the　other；　and　sitting　side　by　side　we　smoked　in　a　contentment　as　absolute　as　the　Indians'　own。　With　his　eyes　upon　the　werowance；　Diccon　told　an　old　story　of　a　piece　of　Paspahegh　villainy　and　of　the　payment　which　the　English　exacted；　and　I　laughed　as　at　the　most　amusing　thing　in　the　world。　The　story　ended；　we　smoked　with　serenity　for　a　while；　then　I　drew　my　dice　from　my　pocket；　and；　beginning　to　throw；　we　were　at　once　as　much　absorbed　in　the　　game　as　if　there　were　no　other　stake　in　the　world　beside　the　remnant　of　gold　that　I　piled　between　us。　The　strange　people　in　whose　power　we　found　ourselves　looked　on　with　grim　approval；　as　at　brave　men　who　could　laugh　in　Death's　face。

The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　we　bade　the　Pamunkeys　farewell。　The　cleared　ground；　the　mulberry　trees；　and　the　grass　beneath；　the　few　rude　lodges　with　the　curling　smoke　above　them；　the　warriors　and　women　and　brown　naked　children；　…　all　vanished；　and　the　forest　closed　around　us。　A　high　wind　was　blowing；　and　the　branches　far　above　beat　at　one　another　furiously；　while　the　pendent；　leafless　vines　swayed　against　us；　and　the　dead　leaves　went　past　in　the　whirlwind。　A　monstrous　flight　of　pigeons　crossed　the　heavens；　flying　from　west　to　east；　and　darkening　the　land　beneath　like　a　transient　cloud。　We　came　to　a　plain　covered　with　very　tall　trees　that　had　one　and　all　been　ringed　by　the　Indians。　Long　dead；　and　partially　stripped　of　the　bark；　with　their　branches；　great　and　small；　squandered　upon　the　ground；　they　stood；　gaunt　and　silver　gray；　ready　for　their　fall。　As　we　passed；　the　wind　brought　two　crashing　to　the　earth。　In　the　centre　of　the　plain　something　…　deer　or　wolf　or　bear　or　man　…　lay　dead；　for　to　that　point　the　buzzards　were　sweeping　from　every　quarter　of　the　blue。　Beyond　was　a　pine　wood；　silent　and　dim；　with　a　high　green　roof　and　a　smooth　and　scented　floor。　We　walked　through　it　for　an　hour；　and　it　led　us　to　the　Pamunkey。　A　tiny　village；　counting　no　more　than　a　dozen　warriors；　stood　among　the　pines　that　ran　to　the　water's　edge；　and　tied　to　the　trees　that　shadowed　the　slow…moving　flood　were　its　canoes。　When　the　people　came　forth　to　meet　us；　the　Paspaheghs　bought　from　them；　　for　a　string　of　roanoke；　two　of　these　boats；　and　we　made　no　tarrying；　but；　embarking　at　once；　rowed　up　river　toward　Uttamussac　and　its　three　temples。

Diccon　and　I　were　placed　in　the　same　canoe。　We　were　not　bound：　what　need　of　bonds；　when　we　had　no　friend　nearer　than　the　Powhatan；　and　when　Uttamussac　was　so　near？　After　a　time　the　paddles　were　put　into　our　hands；　and　we　were　required　to　row　while　our　captors　rested。　There　was　no　use　in　sulkiness；　we　laughed　as　at　some　huge　jest；　and　bent　to　the　task　with　a　will　that　sent　our　canoe　well　in　advance　of　its　mate。　Diccon　burst　into　an　old　song　that　we　had　sung　in　the　Low　Countries；　by　camp　fires；　on　the　march；　before　the　battle。　The　forest　echoed　to　the　loud　and　warlike　tune；　and　a　multitude　of　birds　rose　startled　from　the　trees　upon　the　bank。　The　Indians　frowned；　and　one　in　the　boat　behind　called　out　to　strike　the　singer　upon　the　mouth；　but　the　werowance　shook　his　head。　There　were　none　upon　that　river　who　might　not　know　that　the　Paspaheghs　journeyed　to　Uttamussac　with　prisoners　in　their　midst。　Diccon　sang　on；　his　head　thrown　back；　the　old　bold　laugh　in　his　eyes。　When　he　came　to　the　chorus　I　joined　my　voice　to　his；　and　the　woodland　rang　to　the　song。　A　psalm　had　better　befitted　our　lips　than　those　rude　and　vaunting　words；　seeing　that　we　should　never　sing　again　upon　this　earth；　but　at　least　we　sang　bravely　and　gayly；　with　minds　that　were　reasonably　quiet。

The　sun　dropped　low　in　the　heavens；　and　the　trees　cast　shadows　across　the　water。　The　Paspaheghs　now　began　to　recount　the　entertainment　they　meant　to　offer　us　in　the　morning。　All　those　tortures　that　they　were　wont　to　practice　with　hellish　ingenuity　they　told　over；　slowly　and　tauntingly；　watching　to　see　a　lip　whiten　or　　an　eyelid　quiver。　They　boasted　that　they　would　make　women　of　us　at　the　stake。　At　all　events；　they　made　not　women　of　us　beforehand。　We　laughed　as　we　rowed；　and　Diccon　whistled　to　the　leaping　fish；　and　the　fish…hawk；　and　the　otter　lying　along　a　fallen　tree　beneath　the　bank。

The　sunset　came；　and　the　river　lay　beneath　the　colored　clouds　like　molten　gold；　with　the　gaunt　forest　black　upon　either　hand。　From　the　lifted　paddles　the　water　showered　in　golden　drops。　The　wind　died　away；　and　with　it　all　noises；　and　a　dank　stillness　settled　upon　the　flood　and　upon　the　endless　forest。　We　were　nearing　Uttamussac；　and　the　Indians　rowed　quietly；　with　bent　heads　and　fearful　glances；　for　Okee　brooded　over　this　place；　and　he　might　be　angry。　It　grew　colder　and　stiller；　but　the　light　dwelt　in　the　heavens；　and　was　reflected　in　the　bosom　of　the　river。　The　trees　upon　the　southern　bank　were　all　pines；　as　if　they　had　been　carved　from　black　stone　they　stood　rigid　against　the　saffron　sky。　Presently；　back　from　the　shore；　there　rose　before　us　a　few　small　hills；　treeless；　but　covered　with　some　low；　dark　growth。　The　one　that　stood　the　highest　bore　upon　its　crest　three　black　houses　shaped　like　coffins。　Behind　them　was　the　deep　yellow　of　the　sunset。

An　Indian　rowing　in　the　second　canoe　commenced　a　chant　or　prayer　to　Okee。　The　notes　were　low　and　broken；　unutterably　wild　and　melancholy。　One　by　one　his　fellows　took　up　the　strain；　it　swelled　higher；　louder；　and　sterner；　became　a　deafening　cry；　then　ceased　abruptly；　making　the　stillness　that　followed　like　death　itself。　Both　canoes　swung　round　from　the　middle　stream　and　made　for　the　bank。　When　the　boats　had　slipped　from　the　stripe　of　gold　into　the　　inky　shadow　of　the　pines；　the　Paspaheghs　began　to　divest　themselves　of　this　or　that　which　they　conceived　Okee　might　desire　to　possess。　One　flung　into　the　stream　a　handful　of　copper　links；　another　the　chaplet　of　feathers　from　his　head；　a　third　a　bracelet　of　blue　beads。　The　werowance　drew　out　the　arrows　from　a　gaudily　painted　and　beaded　quiver；　stuck　them　into　his　belt；　and　dropped　the　quiver　into　the　water。

We　landed；　dragging　the　canoes　into　a　covert　of　overhanging　bushes　and　fastening　them　there；　then　struck　through　the　pines　toward　the　rising　ground；　and　presently　came　to　a　large　village；　with　many　long　huts；　and　a　great　central　lodge　where　dwelt　the　emperors　when　they　came　to　Uttamussac。　It　was　vacant　now；　Opechancanough　being　no　man　knew　where。

When　the　usual　stately　welcome　had　been　extended　to　the　Paspaheghs；　and　when　they　had　returned　as　stately　thanks；　the　werowance　began　a　harangue　for　which　I　furnished　the　matter。　When　he　ceased　to　speak　a　great　acclamation　and　tumult　arose；　and　I　thought　they　would　scarce　wait　for　the　morrow。　But　it　was　late；　and　their　werowance　and　conjurer　restrained　them。　In　the　end　the　men　drew　off；　aud　the　yelling　of　the　children　and　the　passionate　cries　of　the　women；　importunate　for　vengeance；　were　stilled。　A　guard　was　placed　around　the　vacant　lodge；　and　we　two　Englishmen　were　taken　within　and　bound　down　to　great　logs；　such　as　the　Indians　use　to　roll　against　their　doors　when　they　go　from　home。

There　was　revelry　in　the　village；　for　hours　after　the　night　came；　everywhere　were　bright　firelight　and　the　rise　and　fall　of　laughter　and　song。　The　voices　of　the　women　were　musical；　tender；　and　plaintive；　and　yet　they　waited　for　the　morrow　as　for　a　gala　day。　　I　thought　of　a　woman　who　used　to　sing；　softly　and　sweetly；　in　the　twilight　at　Weyanoke；　in　the　firelight　at　the　minister's　house。　At　last　the　noises　ceased；　the　light　died　away；　and　the　village　slept　beneath　a　heaven　that　seemed　somewhat　deaf　and　blind。



CHAPTER　XXXI　　IN　WHICH　NANTAUQUAS　COMES　TO　OUR　RESCUE


A　MAN　who　hath　been　a　soldier　and　an　adventurer　into　far　and　strange　countries　must　needs　have　faced　Death　many　times　and　in　many　guises。　I　had　learned　to　know　that　grim　countenance；　and　to　have　no　great　fear　of　it。　And　beneath　the　ugliness　of　the　mask　that　now　presented　itself　there　was　only　Death　at　last。　I　was　no　babe　to　whimper　at　a　sudden　darkness；　to　cry　out　against　a　curtain　that　a　Hand　chose　to　drop　between　me　and　the　life　I　had　lived。　Death　frighted　me　not；　but　when　I　thought　of　one　whom　I　should　leave　behind　me　I　feared　lest　I　should　go　mad。　Had　this　thing　come　to　me　a　year　before；　I　could　have　slept　the　night　through；　now…　now…

I　lay；　bound　to　the　log；　before　the　open　door　of　the　lodge；　and；　looking　through　it；　saw　the　pines　waving　in　the　night　wind　and　the　gleam　of　the　river　beneath　the　stars；　and　saw　her　as　plainly　as　though　she　had　stood　there　under　the　trees；　in　a　flood　of　noon　sunshine。　Now　she　was　the　Jocelyn　Percy　of　Weyanoke；　now　of　the　minister's　house；　now　of　a　storm…tossed　boat　and　a　pirate　ship；　now　of　the　gaol　at　Jamestown。　One　of　my　arms　was　free；　I　could　take　from　within　my　doublet　the　little　purple　flower；　and　drop　my　face　upon　the　hand　that　held　it。　The　bloom　was　quite　withered；　and　scalding　tears　would　not　give　it　life　again。

The　face　that　was；　now　gay；　now　defiant；　now　pale　　and　suffering；　became　steadfastly　the　face　that　had　leaned　upon　my　breast　in　the　Jamestown　gaol；　and　looked　at　me　with　a　mournful　brightness　of　love　and　sorrow。　Spring　was　in　the　land；　and　the　summer　would　come；　but　not　to　us。　I　stretched　forth　my　hand　to　the　wife　who　was　not　there；　and　my　heart　lay　crushed　within　me。　She　had　been　my　wife　not　a　year；　it　was　but　the　other　day　that　I　knew　she　loved　me　…

After　a　while　the　anguish　lessened；　and　I　lay；　dull　and　hopeless；　thinking　of　trifling　things；　counting　the　stars　between　the　pines。　Another　slow　hour；　and；　a　braver　mood　coming　upon　me；　I　thought　of　Diccon；　who　was　in　that　plight　because　of　me；　and　spoke　to　him；　asking　him　how　he　did。　He　answered　from　the　other　side　of　the　lodge；　but　the　words　were　scarcely　out　of　his　mouth　before　our　guard　broke　in　upon　us　commanding　silence。　Diccon　cursed　them；　whereupon　a　savage　struck　him　across　the　head　with　the　handle　of　a　tomahawk；　stunning　him　for　a　time。　As　soon　as　I　heard　him　move　I　spoke　again；　to　know　if　he　were　much　hurt；　when　he　had　answered　in　the　negative　we　said　no　more。

It　was　now　moonlight　without　the　lodge　and　very　quiet。　The　night　was　far　gone；　already　we　could　smell　the　morning；　and　it　would　come　apace。　Knowing　the　swiftness　of　that　approach；　and　what　the　early　light　would　bring；　I　strove　for　a　courage　which　should　be　the　steadfastness　of　the　Christian；　and　not　the　vainglorious　pride　of　the　heathen。　If　my　thoughts　wandered；　if　her　face　would　come　athwart　the　verses　I　tried　to　remember；　the　prayer　I　tried　to　frame；　perhaps　He　who　made　her　lovely　understood　and　forgave。　I　said　the　prayer　I　used　to　say　when　I　was　a　child；　and　wished　with　all　my　heart　for　Jeremy。

Suddenly；　in　the　first　gray　dawn；　as　at　a　trumpet's　call；　the　village　awoke。　From　the　long；　communal　houses　poured　forth　men；　women；　and　children；　fires　sprang　up；　dispersing　the　mist；　and　a　commotion　arose　through　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　place。　The　women　made　haste　with　their　cooking；　and　bore　maize　cakes　and　broiled　fish　to　the　warriors　who　sat　on　the　ground　in　front　of　the　royal　lodge。　Diccon　and　I　were　loosed；　brought　without；　and　allotted　our　share　of　the　food。　We　ate　sitting　side　by　side　with　our　captors；　and　Diccon；　with　a　great　cut　across　his　head；　seized　the　Indian　g