to have and to hold-第53章

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〃You've　not　looked　at　him　closely。　Look　again。〃

I　did　as　he　told　me；　and　lowered　my　musket。　It　was　not　for　me　to　send　that　Indian　leader　to　his　account。　Rolfe's　lips　tightened　and　a　sudden　pallor　overspread　his　face。　〃Nantauquas？〃　he　muttered　in　my　ear；　and　I　nodded　yes。

The　volley　that　we　fired　full　into　the　ranks　of　our　foe　was　deadly；　and　we　looked　to　see　them　turn　and　flee；　as　they　had　fled　before。　But　this　time　they　were　led　by　one　who　had　been　trained　in　English　steadfastness。　Broken　for　the　moment；　they　rallied　and　came　on　yelling；　bearing　logs；　thick　branches　of　trees；　oars　tied　together；　…　anything　by　whose　help　they　could　hope　to　surmount　the　palisade。　We　fired　again；　but　they　had　planted　their　ladders。　Before　we　could　snatch　the　loaded　muskets　from　the　women　a　dozen　painted　figures　appeared　above　the　sharpened　stakes。　A　moment；　and　they　and　a　score　behind　them　had　leaped　down　upon　us。

It　was　no　time　now　to　skulk　behind　a　palisade。　At　all　hazards；　that　tide　from　the　forest　must　be　　stemmed。　Those　that　were　amongst　us　we　might　kill；　but　more　were　swarming　after　them；　and　from　the　neck　came　the　exultant　yelling　of　madly　hurrying　reinforcements。

We　flung　open　the　gates。　I　drove　my　sword　through　the　heart　of　an　Indian　who　would　have　opposed　me；　and；　calling　for　men　to　follow　me；　sprang　forward。　Perhaps　thirty　came　at　my　call；　together　we　made　for　the　opening。　A　party　of　the　savages　in　our　midst　interposed。　We　set　upon　them　with　sword　and　musket　butt；　and　though　they　fought　like　very　devils　drove　them　before　us　through　the　gateway。　Behind　us　were　wild　clamor；　the　shrieking　of　women；　the　stern　shouts　of　the　English；　the　whooping　of　the　savages；　before　us　a　rush　that　must　be　met　and　turned。

It　was　done。　A　moment's　fierce　fighting；　then　the　Indians　wavered；　broke；　and　fled。　Like　sheep　we　drove　them　before　us；　across　the　neck；　to　the　edge　of　the　forest；　into　which　they　plunged。　Into　that　ambush　we　cared　not　to　follow；　but　fell　back　to　the　palisade　and　the　town；　believing；　and　with　reason；　that　the　lesson　had　been　taught。　The　strip　of　sand　was　strewn　with　the　dead　and　the　dying；　but　they　belonged　not　to　us。　Our　dead　numbered　but　three；　and　we　bore　their　bodies　with　us。

Within　the　palisade　we　found　the　English　in　sufficiently　good　case。　Of　the　score　or　more　Indians　cut　off　by　us　from　their　mates　and　penned　within　that　death　trap；　half　at　least　were　already　dead；　run　through　with　sword　and　pike；　shot　down　with　the　muskets　that　there　was　now　time　to　load。　The　remainder；　hemmed　about；　pressed　against　the　wall；　were　fast　meeting　with　a　like　fate。　They　stood　no　chance　　against　us；　we　cared　not　to　make　prisoners　of　them；　it　was　a　slaughter；　but　they　had　taken　the　initiative。　They　fought　with　the　courage　of　despair；　striving　to　spring　in　upon　us；　striking　when　they　could　with　hatchet　and　knife；　and　through　it　all　talking　and　laughing；　making　God　knows　what　savage　boasts；　what　taunts　against　the　English；　what　references　to　the　hunting　grounds　to　which　they　were　going。　They　were　brave　men　that　we　slew　that　day。

At　last　there　was　left　but　the　leader；　…　unharmed；　unwounded；　though　time　and　again　he　had　striven　to　close　with　some　one　of　us；　to　strike　and　to　die　striking　with　his　fellows。　Behind　him　was　the　wall：　of　the　half　circle　which　he　faced　well…nigh　all　were　old　soldiers　and　servants　of　the　colony；　gentlemen　none　of　whom　had　come　in　later　than　Dale；　…　Rolfe；　West；　Wynne；　and　others。　We　were　swordsmen　all。　When　in　his　desperation　he　would　have　thrown　himself　upon　us；　we　contented　ourselves　with　keeping　him　at　sword's　length；　and　at　last　West　sent　the　knife　in　the　dark　hand　whirling　over　the　palisade。　Some　one　had　shouted　to　the　musketeers　to　spare　him。

When　he　saw　that　he　stood　alone；　he　stepped　back　against　the　wall；　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　and　folded　his　arms。　Perhaps　he　thought　that　we　would　shoot　him　down　then　and　there；　perhaps　he　saw　himself　a　captive　amongst　us；　a　show　for　the　idle　and　for　the　strangers　that　the　ships　brought　in。

The　din　had　ceased；　and　we　the　living；　the　victors；　stood　and　looked　at　the　vanquished　dead　at　our　feet；　and　at　the　dead　beyond　the　gates；　and　at　the　neck　upon　which　was　no　living　foe；　and　at　the　blue　sky　bending　over　all。　Our　hearts　told　us；　and　told　us　truly；　that　the　lesson　had　been　taught；　that　no　more　　forever　need　we　at　Jamestown　fear　an　Indian　attack。　And　then　we　looked　at　him　whose　life　we　had　spared。

He　opposed　our　gaze　with　his　folded　arms　and　his　head　held　high　and　his　back　against　the　wall。　Many　of　us　could　remember　him；　a　proud；　shy　lad；　coming　for　the　first　time　from　the　forest　with　his　sister　to　see　the　English　village　and　its　wonders。　For　idleness　we　had　set　him　in　our　midst　that　summer　day；　long　ago；　on　the　green　by　the　fort；　and　had　called　him　〃your　royal　highness；〃　laughing　at　the　quickness　of　our　wit；　and　admiring　the　spirit　and　bearing　of　the　lad　and　the　promise　he　gave　of　a　splendid　manhood。　And　all　knew　the　tale　I　had　brought　the　night　before。

Slowly；　as　one　man；　and　with　no　spoken　word；　we　fell　back；　the　half　circle　straightening　into　a　line　and　leaving　a　clear　pathway　to　the　open　gates。　The　wind　had　ceased　to　blow；　I　remember；　and　a　sunny　stillness　lay　upon　the　sand；　and　the　rough…hewn　wooden　stakes；　and　a　little　patch　of　tender　grass　across　which　stretched　a　dead　man's　arm。　The　church　bells　began　to　ring。

The　Indian　out　of　whose　path　to　life　and　freedom　we　had　stepped　glanced　from　the　line　of　lowered　steel　to　the　open　gates　and　the　forest　beyond；　and　understood。　For　a　full　minute　he　waited；　moving　not　a　muscle；　still　and　stately　as　some　noble　masterpiece　in　bronze。　Then　he　stepped　from　the　shadow　of　the　wall　and　moved　past　us　through　the　sunshine　that　turned　the　eagle　feather　in　his　scalp　lock　to　gold。　His　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　forest；　there　was　no　change　in　the　superb　calm　of　his　face。　He　went　by　the　huddled　dead　and　the　long　line　of　the　living　that　spoke　no　word；　and　out　of　the　gates　and　across　the　neck；　walking　slowly　that　we　might　yet　shoot　him　down　if　we　　saw　fit　to　repent　ourselves；　and　proudly　like　a　king's　son。　There　was　no　sound　save　the　church　bells　ringing　for　our　deliverance。　He　reached　the　shadow　of　the　trees：　a　moment；　and　the　forest　had　back　her　own。

We　sheathed　our　swords　and　listened　to　the　Governor's　few　earnest　words　of　thankfulness　and　of　recognition　of　this　or　that　man's　service；　and　then　we　set　to　work　to　clear　the　ground　of　the　dead；　to　place　sentinels；　to　bring　the　town　into　order；　to　determine　what　policy　we　should　pursue；　to　search　for　ways　by　which　we　might　reach　and　aid　those　who　might　be　yet　alive　in　the　plantations　above　and　below　us。

We　could　not　go　through　the　forest　where　every　tree　might　hide　a　foe；　but　there　was　the　river。　For　the　most　part；　the　houses　of　the　English　had　been　built；　like　mine　at　Weyanoke；　very　near　to　the　water。　I　volunteered　to　lead　a　party　up　river；　and　Wynne　to　go　with　another　toward　the　bay。　But　as　the　council　at　the　Governor's　was　breaking　up；　and　as　Wynne　and　I　were　hurrying　off　to　make　our　choice　of　the　craft　at　the　landing；　there　came　a　great　noise　from　the　watchers　upon　the　bank；　and　a　cry　that　boats　were　coming　down　the　stream。

It　was　so；　and　there　were　in　them　white　men；　nearly　all　of　whom　had　their　wounds　to　show；　and　cowering　women　and　children。　One　boat　had　come　from　the　plantation　at　Paspahegh；　and　two　from　Martin…Brandon；　they　held　all　that　were　left　of　the　people。　。　。　。　A　woman　had　in　her　lap　the　body　of　a　child；　and　would　not　let　us　take　it　from　her；　another；　with　a　half…severed　arm；　crouched　above　a　man　who　lay　in　his　blood　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。

Thus　began　that　strange　procession　that　lasted　　throughout　the　afternoon　and　night　and　into　the　next　day；　when　a　sloop　came　down　from　Henricus　with　the　news　that　the　English　were　in　force　there　to　stand　their　ground；　although　their　loss　had　been　heavy。　Hour　after　hour　they　came　as　fast　as　sail　and　oar　could　bring　them；　the　panic…stricken　folk；　whose　homes　were　burned；　whose　kindred　were　slain；　who　had　themselves　escaped　as　by　a　miracle。　Many　were　sorely　wounded；　so　that　they　died　when　we　lifted　them　from　the　boats；　others　had　slighter　hurts。　Each　boatload　had　the　same　tale　to　tell　of　treachery；　surprise；　and　fiendish　butchery。　Wherever　it　had　been　possible　the　English　had　made　a　desperate　defense；　in　the　face　of　which　the　savages　gave　way　and　finally　retired　to　the　forest。　Contrary　to　their　wont；　the　Indians　took　few　prisoners；　but　for　the　most　part　slew　outright　those　whom　they　seized；　wreaking　their　spite　upon　the　senseless　corpses。　A　man　too　good　for　this　world；　George　Thorpe；　who　would　think　no　evil；　was　killed　and　his　body　mutilated　by　those　whom　he　had　taught　and　loved。　And　Nathaniel　Powel　was　dead；　and　four　others　of　the　Council；　besides　many　more　of　name　and　note。　There　were　many　women　slain　and　little　children。

From　the　stronger　hundreds　came　tidings　of　the　number　lost；　and　that　the　survivors　would　hold　the　homes　that　were　left；　for　the　time　at　least。　The　Indians　had　withdrawn；　it　remained　to　be　seen　if　they　were　satisfied　with　the　havoc　they　had　wrought。　Would　his　Honor　send　by　boat　…　there　could　be　no　traveling　through　the　woods　…　news　of　how　others　had　fared；　and　also　powder　and　shot？

Before　the　dawning　we　had　heard　from　all　save　the　remoter　settlements。　The　blow　had　been　struck；　and　　the　hurt　was　deep。　But　it　was　not　beyond　remedy；　thank　God！　It　is　known　what　measures　we　took　for　our　protection；　and　how　soon　the　wound　to　the　colony　was　healed；　and　what　vengeance　we　meted　out　to　those　who　had　set　upon　us　in　the　dark；　and　had　failed　to　reach　the　heart。　These　things　belong　to　history；　and　I　am　but　telling　my　own　story；　…　mine　and　another's。

In　the　chill　and　darkness　of　the　hour　before　dawn　something　like　quiet　fell　upon　the　distracted；　breathless　town。　There　was　a　pause　in　the　coming　of　the　boats。　The　wounded　and　the　dying　had　been　cared　for；　and　the　noise　of　the　women　and　the　children　was　stilled　at　last。　All　was　well　at　the　palisade；　the　strong　party　encamped　upon　the　neck　reported　the　forest　beyond　them　as　still　as　death。

In　the　Governor's　house　was　held　a　short　council；　subdued　and　quiet；　for　we　were　all　of　one　mind　and　our　words　were　few。　It　was　decided　that　the　George　should　sail　at　once　with　the　tidings；　and　with　an　appeal　for　arms　and　powder　and　a　supply　of　men。　The　Esperance　would　still　be　with　us；　besides　the　Hope…in…God　and　the　Tiger；　the　Margaret　and　John　would　shortly　come　in；　being　already　overdue。

〃My　Lord　Carnal　goes　upon　the　George；　gentlemen；〃　said　Master　Pory。　〃He　sent　but　now　to　demand　if　she　sailed　to…morrow。　He　is　ill；　and　would　be　at　home。〃

One　or　two　glanced　at　me；　but　I　sat　with　a　face　like　stone；　and　the　Governor；　rising；　broke　up　the　council。

I　left　the　house；　and　the　street　that　was　lit　with　torches　and　noisy　with　going　to　and　fro；　and　went　down　to　the　river。　Rolfe　had　been　detained　by　the　Governor；　West　commanded　the　party　at　the　neck。　　There　were　great　fires　burning　along　the　river　bank；　and　men　watching　for　the　incoming　boats；　but　I　knew　of　a　place　where　no　guard　was　set；　and　where　one　or　two　canoes　were　moored。　There　was　no　firelight　there；　and　no　one　saw　me　when　I　entered　a　canoe　and　cut　the　rope　and　pushed　off　from　the　land。

Well…nigh　a　day　and　a　nig