to have and to hold-第52节

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d　of　Nantauquas；　and　the　dance　of　the　maidens；　the　noblest　buck　and　the　best　of　the　weirs〃　…

There　was　a　surging　forward　of　the　Indians；　and　a　fierce　murmur　of　dissent。　The　werowance；　standing　out　from　the　throng；　lifted　his　voice。　〃There　was　a　time；〃　he　cried；　〃when　Nantauquas　was　the　panther　crouched　upon　the　bough　above　the　leader　of　the　herd；　now　Nantauquas　is　a　tame　panther　and　rolls　at　the　white　men's　feet！　There　was　a　time　when　the　word　of　the　son　of　Powhatan　weighed　more　than　the　lives　of　many　dogs　such　as　these；　but　now　I　know　not　why　we　should　put　out　the　fire　at　his　command！　He　is　war　chief　no　longer；　for　Opechancanough　will　have　no　tame　panther　to　lead　the　tribes。　Opechancanough　is　our　head；　and　Opechancanough　kindleth　a　fire　indeed！　We　will　give　to　this　one　what　fuel　we　choose；　and　to…night　Nantauquas　may　look　for　the　bones　of　the　white　men！〃

He　ended；　and　a　great　clamor　arose。　The　Paspaheghs　would　have　cast　themselves　upon　us　again　but　for　a　sudden　action　of　the　young　chief；　who　had　stood　motionless；　with　raised　head　and　unmoved　face；　during　the　werowance's　bitter　speech。　Now　he　flung　up　his　hand；　and　in　it　was　a　bracelet　of　gold　carved　and　twisted　like　a　coiled　snake　and　set　with　a　green　stone。　I　had　never　seen　the　toy　before；　but　evidently　others　had　done　so。　The　excited　voices　fell；　and　the　Indians；　Pamunkeys　and　Paspaheghs　alike；　stood　as　though　turned　to　stone。

Nantauquas　smiled　coldly。　〃This　day　hath　　　Opechancanough　made　me　war　chief　again。　We　have　smoked　the　peace　pipe　together　…　my　father's　brother　and　I　…　in　the　starlight；　sitting　before　his　lodge；　with　the　wide　marshes　and　the　river　dark　at　our　feet。　Singing　birds　in　the　forest　have　been　many；　evil　tales　have　they　told；　Opechancanough　has　stopped　his　ears　against　their　false　singing。　My　friends　are　his　friends；　my　brother　is　his　brother；　my　word　is　his　word：　witness　the　armlet　that　hath　no　like；　that　Opechancanough　brought　with　him　when　he　came　from　no　man　knows　where　to　the　land　of　the　Powhatans；　many　Huskanawings　ago；　that　no　white　men　but　these　have　ever　seen。　Opechancanough　is　at　hand；　he　comes　through　the　forest　with　his　two　hundred　warriors　that　are　as　tall　as　Susquehannocks；　and　as　brave　as　the　children　of　Wahunsonacock。　He　comes　to　the　temples　to　pray　to　Kiwassa　for　a　great　hunting。　Will　you；　when　you　lie　at　his　feet；　that　he　ask　you；　'Where　is　the　friend　of　my　friend；　of　my　war　chief；　of　the　Panther　who　is　one　with　me　again？'　〃

There　came　a　long；　deep　breath　from　the　Indians；　then　a　silence；　in　which　they　fell　back；　slowly　and　sullenly；　whipped　hounds；　but　with　the　will　to　break　that　leash　of　fear。

〃Hark！〃　said　Nantauquas；　smiling。　〃I　hear　Opechancanough　and　his　warriors　coming　over　the　leaves。〃

The　noise　of　many　footsteps　was　indeed　audible；　coming　toward　the　hollow　from　the　woods　beyond。　With　a　burst　of　cries；　the　priests　and　the　conjurer　whirled　away　to　bear　the　welcome　of　Okee　to　the　royal　worshiper；　and　at　their　heels　went　the　chief　men　of　the　Pamunkeys。　The　werowance　of　the　Paspaheghs　was　one　that　sailed　with　the　wind；　he　listened　　to　the　deepening　sound；　and　glanced　at　the　son　of　Powhatan　where　he　stood；　calm　and　confident；　then　smoothed　his　own　countenance　and　made　a　most　pacific　speech；　in　which　all　the　blame　of　the　late　proceedings　was　laid　upon　the　singing　birds。　When　he　had　done　speaking；　the　young　men　tore　the　stakes　from　the　earth　and　threw　them　into　a　thicket；　while　the　women　plucked　apart　the　newly　kindled　fire　and　flung　the　brands　into　a　little　near…by　stream；　where　they　went　out　in　a　cloud　of　hissing　steam。

I　turned　to　the　Indian　who　had　wrought　this　miracle。　〃Art　sure　it　is　not　a　dream；　Nantauquas？〃　I　said。　〃I　think　that　Opechancanough　would　not　lift　a　finger　to　save　me　from　all　the　deaths　the　tribes　could　invent。〃

〃Opechancanough　is　very　wise；〃　he　answered　quietly。　〃He　says　that　now　the　English　will　believe　in　his　love　indeed　when　they　see　that　he　holds　dear　even　one　who　might　be　called　his　enemy；　who　hath　spoken　against　him　at　the　Englishmen's　council　fire。　He　says　that　for　five　suns　Captain　Percy　shall　feast　with　Opechancanough；　and　that　then　he　shall　be　sent　back　free　to　Jamestown。　He　thinks　that　then　Captain　Percy　will　not　speak　against　him　any　more；　calling　his　love　to　the　white　men　only　words　with　no　good　deeds　behind。〃

He　spoke　simply；　out　of　the　nobility　of　his　nature；　believing　his　own　speech。　I　that　was　older；　and　had　more　knowledge　of　men　and　the　masks　that　they　wear；　was　but　half　deceived。　My　belief　in　the　hatred　of　the　dark　Emperor　was　not　shaken；　and　I　looked　yet　to　find　the　drop　of　poison　within　this　honey　flower。　How　poisoned　was　that　bloom　God　knows　I　could　not　guess！

〃When　you　were　missed；　three　suns　ago；〃　Nantauquas　went　on；　〃I　and　my　brother　tracked　you　to　the　hut　beside　the　forest；　where　we　found　only　the　dead　panther。　There　we　struck　the　trail　of　the　Paspaheghs；　but　presently　we　came　to　running　water；　and　the　trail　was　gone。〃

〃We　walked　up　the　bed　of　the　stream　for　half　the　night；〃　I　said。

The　Indian　nodded。　〃I　know。　My　brother　went　back　to　Jamestown　for　men　and　boats　and　guns　to　go　to　the　Paspahegh　village　and　up　the　Powhatan。　He　was　wise　with　the　wisdom　of　the　white　men；　but　I；　who　needed　no　gun；　and　who　would　not　fight　against　my　own　people；　I　stepped　into　the　stream　and　walked　up　it　until　past　the　full　sun　power。　Then　I　found　a　broken　twig　and　the　print　of　a　moccasin；　half　hidden　by　a　bush；　overlooked　when　the　other　prints　were　smoothed　away。　I　left　the　stream　and　followed　the　trail　until　it　was　broken　again。　I　looked　for　it　no　more　then；　for　I　knew　that　the　Paspaheghs　had　turned　their　faces　toward　Uttamussac；　and　that　they　would　make　a　fire　where　many　others　had　been　made；　in　the　hollow　below　the　three　temples。　Instead　I　went　with　speed　to　seek　Opechancanough。　Yesterday；　when　the　sun　was　low；　I　found　him；　sitting　in　his　lodge　above　the　marshes　and　the　colored　river。　We　smoked　the　peace　pipe　together；　and　I　am　his　war　chief　again。　I　asked　for　the　green　stone；　that　I　might　show　it　to　the　Paspaheghs　for　a　sign。　He　gave　it；　but　he　willed　to　come　to　Uttamussac　with　me。〃

〃I　owe　you　my　life；〃　I　said；　with　my　hand　upon　his。　〃I　and　Diccon〃　…

What　I　would　have　said　he　put　aside　with　a　fine　gesture。　〃Captain　Percy　is　my　friend。　My　brother　　loves　him；　and　he　was　kind　to　Matoax　when　she　was　brought　prisoner　to　Jamestown。　I　am　glad　that　I　could　pull　off　this　wolf。〃

〃Tell　me　one　thing；〃　I　asked。　〃Before　you　left　Jamestown；　had　you　heard　aught　of　my　wife　or　of　my　enemy？〃

He　shook　his　head。　〃At　sunrise；　the　commander　came　to　rouse　my　brother；　crying　out　that　you　had　broken　gaol　and　were　nowhere　to　be　found；　and　that　the　man　you　hate　was　lying　within　the　guest　house；　sorely　torn　by　some　beast　of　the　forest。　My　brother　and　I　followed　your　trail　at　once；　the　town　was　scarce　awake　when　we　left　it　behind　us；　…　and　I　did　not　return。〃

By　this　we　three　were　alone　in　the　hollow；　for　all　the　savages；　men　and　women；　had　gone　forth　to　meet　the　Indian　whose　word　was　law　from　the　falls　of　the　far　west　to　the　Chesapeake。　The　sun　now　rode　above　the　low　hills；　pouring　its　gold　into　the　hollow　and　brightening　all　the　world　besides。　The　little　stream　flashed　diamonds；　and　the　carven　devils　upon　the　black　houses　above　us　were　frightful　no　longer。　There　was　not　a　menace　anywhere　from　the　cloudless　skies　to　the　sweet　and　plaintive　chant　to　Kiwassa；　sung　by　women　and　floating　to　us　from　the　woods　beyond　the　hollow。　The　singing　grew　nearer；　and　the　rustling　of　the　leaves　beneath　many　feet　more　loud　and　deep；　then　all　noise　ceased；　and　Opechancanough　entered　the　hollow　alone。　An　eagle　feather　was　thrust　through　his　scalp　lock；　over　his　naked　breast；　that　was　neither　painted　nor　pricked　into　strange　figures；　hung　a　triple　row　of　pearls；　his　mantle　was　woven　of　bluebird　feathers；　as　soft　and　sleek　as　satin。　The　face　of　this　barbarian　was　dark；　cold；　and　impassive　as　death。　Behind　that　　changeless　mask；　as　in　a　safe　retreat；　the　supersubtle　devil　that　was　the　man　might　plot　destruction　and　plan　the　laying　of　dreadful　mines。　He　had　dignity　and　courage；　…　no　man　denied　him　that。　I　suppose　he　thought　that　he　and　his　had　wrongs：　God　knows！　perhaps　they　had。　But　if　ever　we　were　hard　or　unjust　in　our　dealings　with　the　savages；　…　I　say　not　that　this　was　the　case；　…　at　least　we　were　not　treacherous　and　dealt　not　in　Judas　kisses。

I　stepped　forward；　and　met　him　on　the　spot　where　the　fire　had　been。　For　a　minute　neither　spoke。　It　was　true　that　I　had　striven　against　him　many　a　time；　and　I　knew　that　he　knew　it。　It　was　also　true　that　without　his　aid　Nantauquas　could　not　have　rescued　us　from　that　dire　peril。　And　it　was　again　the　truth　that　an　Indian　neither　forgives　nor　forgets。　He　was　my　saviour；　and　I　knew　that　mercy　had　been　shown　for　some　dark　reason　which　I　could　not　divine。　Yet　I　owed　him　thanks；　and　gave　them　as　shortly　and　simply　as　I　could。

He　heard　me　out　with　neither　liking　nor　disliking　nor　any　other　emotion　written　upon　his　face；　but　when　I　had　finished；　as　though　he　suddenly　bethought　himself；　he　smiled　and　held　out　his　hand；　white…man　fashion。　Now；　when　a　man's　lips　widen　I　look　into　his　eyes。　The　eyes　of　Opechancanough　were　as　fathomless　as　a　pool　at　midnight；　and　as　devoid　of　mirth　or　friendlines