a mountain woman(山妇)-第20节
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followed the for… tunes of a certain adventurer who found it advisable to
sail for Montreal。 Ninon had been bored back in Paris； it being dull in the
mantua…making shop of Madame Guittar。 If she had been a man she would
have taken to navigation； and might have made herself famous by sailing
to some unknown part of the New World。 Being a woman； she took a lover
who was going to New France； and for… got to weep when he found an
early and vio… lent death。 And there were others at hand； and Ninon sailed
around the cold blue lakes； past Sault St。 Marie； and made her way across
the portages to the Mississippi； and so down to the sacred rock of St。 Louis。
That was a merry place。 Ninon had fault to find neither with the wine nor
the dances。 They were all that one could have desired； and there was no
limit to either of them。 But still； after a time； even this grew tire… some to
one of Ninon's spirit； and she took the first opportunity to sail up the
Missouri with a certain young trapper connected with the great fur
company； and so found her… self at Cainsville； with the blue bluffs rising to
the east of her； and the low white stretches of the river flats undulating
down to where the sluggish stream wound its way southward capriciously。
Ninon soon tired of her trapper。 For one thing she found out that he
was a coward。 She saw him run once in a buffalo fight。 That was when the
Pawnee stood still with a blanket stretched wide in a gaudy square； and
caught the head of the mad animal fairly in the tough fabric； his mus…
tang's legs trembled under him； but he did not move； for a mustang is
the soul of an Indian； and obeys each thought； the Indian himself felt his
heart pounding at his ribs； but once with that garment fast over the baffled
eyes of the struggling brute； the rest was only a matter of judicious knife…
thrusts。 Ninon saw this。 She rode past her lover； and snatched the twisted
bullion cord from his hat that she had braided and put there； and that night
she tied it on the hat of the Pawnee who had killed the buffalo。
The Pawnees were rather proud of the episode； and as for the
Frenchmen； they did not mind。 The French have always been very
adaptable in America。 Ninon was universally popular。
And so were her soups。
Every man has his price。 Father de Smet's was the soups of
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Mademoiselle Ninon。 Fancy！ If you have an educated palate and are
obliged to eat the strong distillation of buffalo meat； cooked in a pot which
has been wiped out with the greasy petticoat of a squaw！ When Ninon
came down from St。 Louis she brought with her a great box containing
neither clothes； furniture； nor trinkets； but something much more
wonderful！ It was a marvellous compound… ing of spices and seasonings。
The aromatic liquids she set before the enchanted men of the settlement
bore no more relation to ordinary buffalo soup than Chateaubrand's Indian
maidens did to one of the Paw… nee girls； who slouched about the settle…
ment with noxious tresses and sullen slavish coquetries。
Father de Smet would not at any time have called Ninon a scarlet
woman。 But when he ate the dish of soup or tasted the hot corn…cakes that
she invariably invited him to partake of as he passed her little house； he
refrained with all the charity of a true Christian and an accomplished
epicure from even thinking her such。 And he re… membered the words of
the Saviour； 〃Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone。〃
To Father de Smet's healthy nature nothing seemed more superfluous
than sin。 And he was averse to thinking that any committed deeds of which
he need be ashamed。 So it was his habit； especially if the day was pleasant
and his own thoughts happy； to say to himself when he saw one of the wild
young trappers leaving the cabin of Mademoiselle Ninon： 〃He has been
for some of the good woman's hot cakes；〃 till he grew quite to believe that
the only attractions that the adroit Frenchwoman possessed were of a
gastronomic nature。
To tell the truth； the attractions of Made… moiselle Ninon were varied。
To begin with； she was the only thing in that wilder… ness to suggest home。
Ninon had a genius for home…making。 Her cabin； in which she cooked；
slept； ate； lived； had become a boudoir。
The walls were hung with rare and beau… tiful skins； the very floor
made rich with huge bear robes； their permeating odors subdued by heavy
perfumes brought； like the spices； from St。 Louis。 The bed； in day… time；
was a couch of beaver…skins； the fire… place had branching antlers above it；
on which were hung some of the evidences of the fair Ninon's coquetry；
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such as silken scarves； of the sort the voyageurs from the far north wore；
and necklaces made by the Indians of the Pacific coast and brought to
Ninon by but it is not polite to inquire into these matters。 There were
little moc… casins also； much decorated with porcupine… quills； one pair of
which Father de Smet had brought from the Flathead nation； and presented
to Ninon that time when she nursed him through a frightful run of fever。
She would take no money for her patient services。
〃Father；〃 said she； gravely； when he offered it to her； 〃I am not myself
virtuous。 But I have the distinction of having pre… served the only virtuous
creature in the settlement for further usefulness。 Some… times； perhaps；
you will pray for Ninon。〃
Father de Smet never forgot those prayers。
These were wild times； mind you。 No use to keep your skirts coldly
clean if you wished to be of help。 These men were sub… duing a continent。
Their primitive qualities came out。 Courage； endurance； sacrifice；
suffering without complaint； friendship to the death； indomitable hatred；
unfaltering hope； deep…seated greed； splendid gayety it takes these
things to subdue a conti… nent。 Vice is also an incidental； that is to say；
what one calls vice。 This is because it is the custom to measure these men
as if they were governed by the laws of civili… zation； where there is
neither law nor civilization。
This much is certain： gentlemen cannot conquer a country。 They tried
gentlemen back in Virginia； and they died； partly from lack of intellect； but
mostly from lack of energy。 After the yeomen have fought the conquering
fight； it is well enough to bring in gentlemen； who are sometimes clever
lawmakers； and who look well on thrones or in presidential chairs。
But to return to the winter of the small… pox。 It was then that the priest
and Ninon grew to know each other well。 They be… came acquainted first
in the cabin where four of the trappers lay tossing in delirium。 The horrible
smell of disease weighted the air。 Outside wet snow fell continuously
and the clouds seemed to rest only a few feet above the sullen bluffs。 The
room was bare of comforts； and very dirty。 Ninon looked about with
disgust。
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〃You pray；〃 said she to the priest； 〃and I will clean the room。〃
〃Not so；〃 returned the broad…shouldered father； smilingly； 〃we will
both clean the room。〃 Thus it came that they scrubbed the floor together；
and made the chimney so that it would not smoke； and washed the
blankets on the beds； and kept the wood… pile high。 They also devised
ventilators； and let in fresh air without exposing the patients。 They had no
medicine； but they continually rubbed the suffering men with bear's
grease。
〃It's better than medicine；〃 said Ninon； after the tenth day； as； wan with
watching； she held the cool hand of one of the recovering men in her own。
〃If we had had medicines we should have killed these men。〃
〃You are a woman of remarkable sense；〃 said the holy father； who was
eating a dish of corn…meal and milk that Ninon had just prepared； 〃and a
woman also of Christian
