The Knight of the Golden Melice Part 21

"They say that they suppose they are following the footsteps of Pieskaret."

"If such be their belief, then farewell to any treaty or relations of amity with them. They will soon turn their backs upon both our hospitality and friendship."

The words of the Deputy Governor were indeed prophetic, for the Taranteens, now stooping down, raised their friends' corpse from the ground, and bearing it in their arms, proceeded to their canoes, which were lying at a little distance on the beach. In one of them (not without efforts on the part of the whites to induce them to change their determination) they deposited the body, and covering it with skins, took their paddles into their hands and pushed from the sh.o.r.e.

"They are gone," said Dudley, as they receded from view; "and many a weeping wife and mother may rue this miserable day. Better that the tawny heathen had remained in their trackless forests, listening to the deluding lies of the French emissaries, than come hither as spies upon our condition, and to take advantage of our supposed weakness."

"Is it possible," inquired the Knight, "that thou believest not in the sincerity of the professions of peace made by these poor savages?"

"I trust them not," answered the suspicious Dudley. They are of the seed of the serpent; and as well might one expect light from the caverns of the earth, as fidelity and truth from Indians."

"I pray thee, be not so harsh of judgment," said Sir Christopher. "I have some knowledge of the tribes, and have observed that they are ever mindful of favor, however studious of revenge; nor is it their wont, without provocation, to break their word. Canst thou say that the Taranteens have departed without seeming justification?"

"I suspect that these savages know more of the fate of their companions, and of the cause of the death of this Pieskaret than they choose to disclose. The longer my mind broods over the subject, the more am I convinced that, without fault on their part, they would not have drawn upon themselves destruction."

But this was a view of the case which seemed to find no favor with Sir Christopher. With a courtly grace and insinuating address, without contradicting the other, but rather by the recital of acts of generosity and evidences of n.o.bleness of spirit which had fallen under his own observation among the Indians, he endeavored to dispose the Deputy Governor to a milder judgment. But the prejudices of Dudley were too deeply rooted to be removed by persuasive manners, or tales however skilfully framed.

The unfortunate result of the emba.s.sy was deeply regretted by the colonists. They had looked forward to it as a means of increasing their security, and establishing a trade from which they hoped to derive large profits. They must now renounce both expectations.

Henceforth their cabins were to be guarded with greater vigilance than ever, and the courted trade was to remain monopolized by the French.

Moreover, the evil would probably not end there, but distrust and apprehension spread among the tribes; and if such a feeling were to become universal, and a general union be the consequence, the condition of the colony might become one of extreme danger. The character which the whites would then sustain would be that of men disregardful of the most sacred obligations; of wretches who, after offering the rights hospitality, had taken advantage of the unsuspecting confidence of their guests to murder them. It was true, that the whole twelve amba.s.sadors might have been destroyed, and a part were suffered to leave; but it was feared that the undiscriminating minds of the savages might not give proper weight to the consideration, or might ascribe it to some policy which was the more dreadful because so mysterious. It was seen now how great had been the mistake in permitting Sa.s.sacus, the terrible chief of the Pequots, the most dreaded and implacable foe of the Taranteens, to be present at the council. Him the Taranteens had seen in apparent good understanding with the English, and been made the subject of his taunts in their presence. Might they not justly consider this a strange way of courting an alliance? True, the English knew not that Waqua was Sa.s.sacus, but would the Indians believe it? Nor had they known, until the interpreter explained, and until it was too late to seize the offender, what he had uttered; but would the Taranteens, amid the excitement of feeling mourning over the loss of friends, much regard that?

CHAPTER XV.

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods.

CHILDE HAROLD.

When Arundel awoke after that fierce night, Sa.s.sacus had already left his couch and was preparing their breakfast. The young man stepped to the door-way of the lodge, and looked out upon the sylvan scene.

Nothing to remind of what had occurred was visible. A shower had fallen at daylight, and obliterated all traces of violence. The rays of the early sun were shining in the rain drops glistening on the leaves or falling in showers to the ground, as the branches were agitated by the breeze, or shaken by a bird flying from one perch to another. No sounds other than those made by the feathered musicians, or the rattling drops, disturbed the tranquillity of the forest. After gazing round a few moments, while the contrast betwixt the serenity of Nature and the pa.s.sions of man forced itself on his mind, he threw himself down by his red friend, and together they shared the morning repast. The curiosity of Arundel induced him to inquire, what had become of the Indians, who had rendered so timely a service the night before.

"The breath of Sa.s.sacus," replied the chief, "called them out of the ground, and his breath bade them depart. My brother will forget what he saw in the dark. It will be to him like a dream."

Arundel understood by this, that he was desired to be silent respecting what had happened, and indeed no caution was necessary. He, therefore, said, in answer:

"None shall know the exploits of Sa.s.sacus till he tells them himself."

"If Soog-u-gest asks, my brother may tell. He and Sa.s.sacus lie under one skin."

Thus betrayed itself the simple vanity of the savage, who, with all his caution, was unwilling that his prowess should remain concealed; yet preferred its announcement from some tongue other than his own. It was the first intimation to Arundel that the Knight and chief were acquainted, though Sa.s.sacus had once before spoken of Sir Christopher.

But the words of the Pequot implied more, viz: that an intimacy existed between them, and this stimulated his curiosity. The anxiety of Sir Christopher that the Indian should be warned of the danger which threatened him, was now explained. They were friends, but why should the Knight conceal the fact?

"Has my brother been long acquainted with Soog-u-gest," inquired Arundel.

"Ne-ka-tunch nee-zusts," (six moons), replied the Indian, holding up six fingers.

"Will the chief tell me what he pleases about him?" said the young man, whose ingenuous nature revolted at any attempt by insidious questions to extract from the savage a knowledge which he desired to conceal. It appeared unworthy of himself, and a wrong to both his friends. "I know little of Soog-u-gest, and would like to learn more."

The fine, bold face of the Indian looked pleased at the frankness of Arundel, and, it is probable, that he was more communicative than if he had been adroitly questioned. His native subtlety might then have taken alarm, and cunning been met by cunning. But Sa.s.sacus felt no desire, on his own account, for concealment. The two young men had been strongly attached to each other from the first, and on the side of the Indian, at least, was springing up a friendship for the other, more like that which Plato celebrates among the Greeks, or Cicero dilates upon, than the feeling of modern times.

"Listen, my brother," said the chief. "It is more than six moons since Soog-u-gest came into the woods. Sa.s.sacus was laughing when he said that six moons only had lighted the path betwixt him and Soog-u-gest, but he is not laughing now. The white chief built his wigwam in the woods because he loves the Indians and the sound of their language, and Sa.s.sacus loves him for that reason, and because he has sat in the lodge on the pleasant bank of the Pequot river, and ate venison with Sa.s.sacus from the same fire. All Indians love to hear him tell how great and happy they might be. He knows more of the tribes than any other white man, and has been far toward the setting sun, even beyond the country of the Maquas. Soog-u-gest is very wise, and his eyes pierce far into the darkness. And now let my brother bend down his head, so that not one of my words may be lost. Soog-u-gest has promised to teach the Indians to become wise and powerful like the white men. Perhaps now that my brother knows that, he will help."

"But Governor Winthrop and the ministers will teach all that can be taught you, and so will all the English."

"My brother is mistaken," said Sa.s.sacus, earnestly. "Sachem Winthrop's men are jealous of their great Manito, and do not wish to teach the Indians how to talk with him, lest he should like us better than themselves. Now, we want to know how to talk with the Manito who instructed them in so many things. If they are good for Owanux, they may be good for us too."

"Certain am I, Sa.s.sacus," said Arundel, "nothing would delight the n.o.ble heart of the Governor more than to have you Christians."

"Sa.s.sacus wishes not to be a Christian. He was born an Indian, and will live and die true to the traditions of his race. Christian is good for Owanux, but is very bad for the red men. The beavers build dams in the streams, while the eagle flies among the clouds. The English are beavers, but Sa.s.sacus is an eagle."

"But how can you attain to the knowledge of the white men, without becoming like them?"

"My brother must not be angry when Sa.s.sacus says, that is a pappoose question. See! I can teach my brother to make bows and shoot arrows.

Can he not instruct Sa.s.sacus how to make guns, and the little black seeds which cause the lightning?"

"That is not so easy as thou thinkest. I know not myself how to make guns, and the powder which thou callest seeds."

"Toh!" replied the Indian, shaking his head, "my brother is afraid Sa.s.sacus might hurt himself with the lightning."

"Why should the chief doubt my word? I tell thee that only certain men among us make guns. They are all brought from a great island beyond the sea."

"The English are very cunning. They make them in secret, so that the Indians may not learn."

"It grieves me that my friend thinks I speak to him with two tongues.

But I will not be offended. Are we not brothers?"

"When my brother loves Sa.s.sacus more he will tell him all about these things, and they will then have one head and one heart."

"They both belong to Sa.s.sacus now. But what does he intend to do? Will he return with me to Boston?"

"Let my brother go to Shawmut, and if there is any danger he will let me know, Sa.s.sacus will remain."

"You judge rightly. There were peril in showing thyself there now. But how shall I find thee again?"

"When my brother journeys in the forest, and would see Sa.s.sacus, let him make a noise like the Gues-ques-kes-cha, and Sa.s.sacus, or one of his sanops will find him." He whistled the peculiar note of the bird, (the robin,) and smiled at the awkward imitation of Arundel.

"Good for Indian. My sanops, when they hear, will know who is the Gues-ques-kes-cha."

Thus parted the two friends. As Arundel pursued his lonely way, he kept running over in his mind the events of the day before, and of the past night. He admired the sagacity and courage of the Pequot Sachem, who, a.s.sisted either by his own men, or friendly Aberginians, had been able to take a b.l.o.o.d.y revenge for the attempt on his life. But no satisfactory reason occurred to him why the body of Pieskaret should have been fastened to the raft. It seemed a wanton act of bravado, which he could not reconcile with the known qualities of Sa.s.sacus.

Concealment and not exposure, he thought, should have been the policy, but on the contrary, the very course had been adopted most likely to lead to discovery. Why again, he thought, is the chief of a distant tribe lurking in these woods? He surely can cherish no evil design against the colony, for there is no misunderstanding betwixt the English and the Pequots.

His thoughts then dwelt upon the Knight, and upon his connection with the savage. Who was this man, who, in the flower of his age, and with all the accomplishments of a gentleman, chose to retire from the world, and with his sad companion, immure himself in the woods? He was no sour anchorite, who regarded with displeasure the innocent enjoyments of life, nor did he appear to be an unprincipled adventurer, who had fled from restraint in the old world, in order to give license to his pa.s.sions in the new. He was evidently a man of consideration in the colony. He was treated with attention by all, courted by the whites, and held in high estimation by the Indians.

That such a man as Sir Christopher Gardiner should adopt that wild life of seclusion, did not indeed strike the mind of Arundel with the degree of surprise wherewith our own are affected, for it was a time of adventure and romance; the poetry of life was not bound up princ.i.p.ally in books, but was acted out in deeds; and the occurrence of daily wonders, while it destroyed their singularity, abated curiosity on their account. Hence men expressed no astonishment at the course of life of the Knight; hence, when Arundel became acquainted with him, he felt none, and it was only upon more intimate acquaintance--after Sir Christopher began to take an interest in him; after he had noted the influence exercised by the Knight over the amba.s.sadors; and after he had discovered, as he supposed, a community of aims betwixt the Knight and Sa.s.sacus, that his curiosity awoke. To judge from the communication of the Indian chief, it would seem as if the Knight were a sort of missionary among the natives, to teach them the arts and practices of civilized life; but nothing that Arundel himself had noticed, justified any such suspicion. All he knew of Sir Christopher was, that he was pa.s.sionately fond of the chase, which frequently led him deep into the forest, and had been known in some instances to detain him several days away from home.