to have and to hold-第20节

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ss。

〃My　lord　grows　restive；〃　he　said；　when　we　had　gone　a　little　further。　〃The　Francis　and　John；　coming　in　yesterday；　brought　court　news。　Out　of　sight；　out　of　mind。　Buckingham　is　making　hay　while　the　sun　shines。　Useth　angel　water　for　his　complexion；　sleepeth　in　a　medicated　mask　such　as　the　Valois　used；　and　is　grown　handsomer　than　ever；　changeth　the　fashion　of　his　clothes　thrice　a　week；　which　mightily　pleaseth　his　Majesty。　Whoops　on　the　Spanish　match；　too；　and；　wonderful　past　all　whooping；　from　the　prince's　detestation　hath　become　his　bosom　friend。　Small　wonder　if　my　Lord　Carnal　thinks　it's　time　he　was　back　at　Whitehall。〃

〃Let　him　go；　then；〃　I　said。　〃There's　his　ship　that　brought　him　here。〃

〃Ay；　there　's　his　ship；〃　rejoined　Master　Pory。　〃A　few　weeks　more；　and　the　Due　Return　will　be　here　with　the　Company's　commands。　D'　ye　think；　Captain　Percy；　that　there's　the　slightest　doubt　as　to　their　tenor？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　my　lord　has　but　to　possess　his　soul　with　patience　and　wait　for　the　Due　Return。　No　doubt　he'll　do　so。〃

〃No　doubt　he'll　do　so；〃　I　echoed。

By　this　we　had　reached　the　Secretary's　own　door。　〃Fortune　favor　you　with　the　Paspaheghs！〃　he　said；　with　another　mighty　yawn。　〃As　for　me；　I'll　to　bed。　Do　you　ever　dream；　Captain　Percy？　I　don't；　mine　is　too　good　a　conscience。　But　if　I　did；　I　should　dream　of　an　Italian　doctor。〃

The　door　shut　upon　his　red　face　and　bright　eyes。　I　walked　rapidly　on　down　the　street　to　the　minister's　house。　The　light　was　very　pale　as　yet；　and　house　and　garden　lay　beneath　a　veil　of　mist。　No　one　was　stirring。　I　went　on　through　the　gray　wet　paths　to　the　stable；　and　roused　Diccon。

〃Saddle　Black　Lamoral　quickly；〃　I　ordered。　〃There's　trouble　with　the　Paspaheghs；　and　I　am　off　with　Master　Rolfe　to　settle　it。〃

〃Am　I　to　go　with　you？〃　he　asked。

I　shook　my　head。　〃We　have　a　dozen　men。　There's　no　need　of　more。〃

I　left　him　busy　with　the　horse；　and　went　to　the　house。　In　the　hall　I　found　the　negress　strewing　the　floor　with　fresh　rushes；　and　asked　her　if　her　mistress　yet　slept。　In　her　soft　half　English；　half　Spanish；　she　　answered　in　the　affirmative。　I　went　to　my　own　room　and　armed　myself；　then　ran　upstairs　to　the　comfortable　chamber　where　abode　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow；　surrounded　by　luxuries　which　his　soul　contemned。　He　was　not　there。　At　the　foot　of　the　stair　I　was　met　by　Goodwife　Allen。　〃The　minister　was　called　an　hour　ago；　sir；〃　she　announced。　〃There's　a　man　dying　of　the　fever　at　Archer's　Hope；　and　they　sent　a　boat　for　him。　He　won't　be　back　until　afternoon。〃

I　hurried　past　her　back　to　the　stable。　Black　Lamoral　was　saddled；　and　Diccon　held　the　stirrup　for　me　to　mount。

〃Good　luck　with　the　vermin；　sir！〃　he　said。　〃I　wish　I　were　going；　too。〃

His　tone　was　sullen；　yet　wistful。　I　knew　that　he　loved　danger　as　I　loved　it；　and　a　sudden　remembrance　of　the　dangers　we　had　faced　together　brought　us　nearer　to　each　other　than　we　had　been　for　many　a　day。

〃I　don't　take　you；〃　I　explained；　〃because　I　have　need　of　you　here。　Master　Sparrow　has　gone　to　watch　beside　a　dying　man；　and　will　not　be　back　for　hours。　As　for　myself；　there's　no　telling　how　long　I　may　be　kept。　Until　I　come　you　are　to　guard　house　and　garden　well。　You　know　what　I　mean。　Your　mistress　is　to　be　molested　by　no　one。〃

〃Very　well；　sir。〃

〃One　thing　more。　There　was　some　talk　yesterday　of　my　taking　her　across　the　neck　to　the　forest。　When　she　awakes；　tell　her　from　me　that　I　am　sorry　for　her　to　lose　her　pleasure；　but　that　now　she　could　not　go　even　were　I　here　to　take　her。〃

〃There　's　no　danger　from　the　Paspaheghs　there；〃　he　muttered。

〃The　Paspaheghs　happen　not　to　be　my　only　foes；〃　　I　said　curtly。　〃Do　as　I　bid　you　without　remark。　Tell　her　that　I　have　good　reasons　for　desiring　her　to　remain　within　doors　until　my　return。　On　no　account　whatever　is　she　to　venture　without　the　garden。〃

I　gathered　up　the　reins；　and　he　stood　back　from　the　horse's　head。　When　I　had　gone　a　few　paces　I　drew　rein；　and；　turning　in　my　saddle；　spoke　to　him　across　the　dew…drenched　grass。　〃This　is　a　trust；　Diccon；〃　I　said。

The　red　came　into　his　tanned　face。　He　raised　his　hand　and　made　our　old　military　salute。　〃I　understand　it　so；　my　captain；〃　he　answered；　and　I　rode　away　satisfied。



CHAPTER　XIII　　IN　WHICH　THE　SANTA　TERESA　DROPS　DOWNSTREAM


AN　hour's　ride　brought　us　to　the　block　house　standing　within　the　forest；　midway　between　the　white　plantations　at　Paspahegh　and　the　village　of　the　tribe。　We　found　it　well　garrisoned；　spies　out；　and　the　men　inclined　to　make　light　of　the　black　paint　and　the　seething　village。

Amongst　them　was　Chanco　the　Christian。　I　called　him　to　me；　and　we　listened　to　his　report　with　growing　perturbation。　〃Thirty　warriors！〃　I　said；　when　he　had　finished。　〃And　they　are　painted　yellow　as　well　as　black；　and　have　dashed　their　cheeks　with　puccoon：　it's　…　l'outrance；　then！　And　the　war　dance　is　toward！　If　we　are　to　pacify　this　hornets'　nest；　it's　high　time　we　set　about　it。　Gentlemen　of　the　block　house；　we　are　but　twelve；　and　they　may　beat　us　back；　in　which　case　those　that　are　left　of　us　will　fight　it　out　with　you　here。　Watch　for　us；　therefore；　and　have　a　sally　party　ready。　Forward；　men！〃

〃One　moment；　Captain　Percy；〃　said　Rolfe。　〃Chanco；　where's　the　Emperor？〃

〃Five　suns　ago　he　was　with　the　priests　at　Uttamussac；〃　answered　the　Indian。　〃Yesterday；　at　the　full　sun　power；　he　was　in　the　lodge　of　the　werowance　of　the　Chickahominies。　He　feasts　there　still。　The　Chickahominies　and　the　Powhatans　have　buried　the　hatchet。〃

〃I　regret　to　hear　it；〃　I　remarked。　〃Whilst　they　took　each　other's　scalps；　mine　own　felt　the　safer。〃

〃I　advise　going　direct　to　Opechancanough；〃　said　Rolfe。

〃Since　he's　only　a　league　away；　so　do　I；〃　I　answered。

We　left　the　block　house　and　the　clearing　around　it；　and　plunged　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　In　these　virgin　woods　the　trees　are　set　well　apart；　though　linked　one　to　the　other　by　the　omnipresent　grape；　and　there　is　little　undergrowth；　so　that　we　were　able　to　make　good　speed。　Rolfe　and　I　rode　well　in　front　of　our　men。　By　now　the　sun　was　shining　through　the　lower　branches　of　the　trees；　and　the　mist　was　fast　vanishing。　The　forest　…　around　us；　above　us；　and　under　the　hoofs　of　the　horses　where　the　fallen　leaves　lay　thick　…　was　as　yellow　as　gold　and　as　red　as　blood。

〃Rolfe；〃　I　asked；　breaking　a　long　silence；　〃do　you　credit　what　the　Indians　say　of　Opechancanough？〃

〃That　he　was　brother　to　Powhatan　only　by　adoption？〃

〃That；　fleeing　for　his　life；　he　came　to　Virginia；　years　and　years　ago；　from　some　mysterious　land　far　to　the　south　and　west？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　replied　thoughtfully。　〃He　is　like；　and　yet　not　like；　the　people　whom　he　rules。　In　his　eye　there　is　the　authority　of　mind；　his　features　are　of　a　nobler　cast　〃　…

〃And　his　heart　is　of　a　darker；〃　I　said。　〃It　is　a　strange　and　subtle　savage。〃

〃Strange　enough　and　subtle　enough；　I　admit；〃　he　answered；　〃though　I　believe　not　with　you　that　his　friendliness　toward　us　is　but　a　mask。〃

〃Believe　it　or　not；　it　is　so；〃　I　said。　〃That　dark；　　cold；　still　face　is　a　mask；　and　that　simple…seeming　amazement　at　horses　and　armor；　guns　and　blue　beads；　is　a　mask。　It　is　in　my　mind　that　some　fair　day　the　mask　will　be　dropped。　Here's　the　village。〃

Until　our　interview　with　Chanco　the　Christian；　the　village　of　the　Paspaheghs；　and　not　the　village　of　the　Chickahominies；　had　been　our　destination；　and　since　leaving　the　block　house　we　had　made　good　speed；　but　now；　within　the　usual　girdle　of　mulberries；　we　were　met　by　the　werowance　and　his　chief　men　with　the　customary　savage　ceremonies。　We　had　long　since　come　to　the　conclusion　that　the　birds　of　the　air　and　the　fish　of　the　streams　were　Mercuries　to　the　Indians。

The　werowance　received　us　in　due　form；　with　presents　of　fish　and　venison；　cakes　of　chinquapin　meal　and　gourds　of　pohickory；　an　uncouth　dance　by　twelve　of　his　young　men　and　a　deal　of　hellish　noise；　then；　at　our　command；　led　us　into　the　village；　and　to　the　lodge　which　marked　its　centre。　Around　it　were　gathered　Opechancanough's　own　warriors；　men　from　Orapax　and　Uttamussac　and　Werowocomoco；　chosen　for　their　strength　and　cunning；　while　upon　the　grass　beneath　a　blood…red　gum　tree　sat　his　wives；　painted　and　tattooed；　with　great　strings　of　pearl　and　copper　about　their　necks。　Beyond　them　were　the　women　and　children　of　the　Chickahominies；　and　around　us　all　the　red　forest。

The　mat　that　hung　before　the　door　of　the　lodge　was　lifted；　and　an　Indian；　emerging；　came　forward；　with　a　gesture　of　welcome。　It　was　Nantauquas；　the　Lady　Rebekah's　brother；　and　the　one　Indian　…　saving　always　his　dead　sister　…　that　was　ever　to　my　liking；　a　savage；　indeed；　but　a　savage　as　brave　and　chivalrous；　as　courteous　and　truthful；　as　a　Christian　knight。

Rolfe　sprang　from　his　horse；　and　advancing　to　meet　the　young　chief　embraced　him。　Nantauquas　had　been　much　with　his　sister　during　those　her　happy　days　at　Varina；　before　she　went　with　Rolfe　that　ill…fated　voyage　to　England；　and　Rolfe　loved　him　for　her　sake　and　for　his　own。　〃I　thought　you　at　Orapax；　Nantauquas！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃I　was　there；　my　brother；〃　said　the　Indian；　and　his　voice　was　sweet；　deep；　and　grave；　like　that　of　his　sister。　〃But　Opechancanough　would　go　to　Uttamussac；　to　the　temple　and　the　dead　kings。　I　lead　his　war　parties　now；　and　I　came　with　him。　Opechancanough　i