the path of the king-第40节

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d　way；　and　dark　and　bloody　it　is；　but　that's　man's　doing　and　not　the　Almighty's。　The　land　flows　with　milk　and　honey；　he　says；　clear　water　and　miles　of　clover　and　sweet　grass；　enough　to　feed　all　the　herds　of　Basham；　and　mighty　forests　with　trees　that　thick　ye　could　cut　a　hole　in　their　trunks　and　drive　a　waggon　through；　and　sugar…maples　and　plums　and　cherries　like　you　won't　see　in　no　set　orchard；　and　black　soil　fair　crying　for　crops。　And　the　game；　Jim　says；　wasn't　to　be　told　about　without　ye　wanted　to　be　called　a　liarbig　black…nosed　buffaloes　that　packed　together　so　the　whole　placed　seemed　moving；　and　elk　and　deer　and　bar　past　counting。　。　。　。　　Wal；　neighbours；　ye've　seen　it　with　your　own　eyes　and　can　jedge　if　Jim　was　a　true　prophet。　I'm　Moses；　he　used　to　say；　chosen　to　lead　the　Children　of　Israel　into　a　promised　land；　but　I　reckon　I'll　leave　my　old　bones　on　some　Pisgah…top　on　the　borders。　He　was　a　sad　man；　Jim；　and　didn't　look　for　much　comfort　this　side　Jordan。　。　。　。　　I　wish　I　know'd　whar　he'd　gotten　to。〃

Squire　Boone；　the　speaker's　brother；　sniffed　the　air　dolefully。　〃It's　weather　that　'ud　wander　a　good　hunter。〃

〃I　tell　ye；　ye　couldn't　wander　Jim；〃　said　his　brother　fiercely。　〃He　come　into　Kaintuckee　alone　in　'52；　and　that　was　two　years　before　Finley。　He　was　on　the　Ewslip　all　the　winter　of　'58。　He　was　allus　springing　out　of　a　bush　when　ye　didn't　expect　him。　When　we　was　fighting　the　Cherokees　with　Montgomery　in　'61　he　turned　up　as　guide　to　the　Scotsmen；　and　I　reckon　if　they'd　attended　to　him　there'ud　be　more　of　them　alive　this　day。　He　was　like　a　lone　wolf；　old　Jim；　and　preferred　to　hunt　by　hisself；　but　you　never　knowed　that　he　wouldn't　come　walking　in　and　say　'Howdy'　while　you　was　reckoning　you　was　the　fust　white　man　to　make　that　trace。　Wander　Jim？　Ye　might　as　well　speak　of　wandering　a　hakk。〃

〃Maybe　the　Indians　have　got　his　sculp；〃　said　Neely。

〃I　reckon　not；〃　said　Boone。　〃Leastways　if　they　have；　he　must　ha'　struck　a　new　breed　of　redskin。　Jim　was　better　nor　any　redskin　in　Kaintuck'；　and　they　knowed　it。　I　told　ye；　neighbours；　of　our　doings　before　you　come　west　through　the　Gap。　The　Shawnees　cotched　me　and　Jim　in　a　cane…brake；　and　hit　our　trace　back　to　camp；　so　that　they　cotched　Finley　too；　and　his　three　Yadkiners　with　him。　Likewise　they　took　our　hosses；　and　guns　and　traps　and　the　furs　we　had　gotten　from　three　months'　hunting。　Their　chief　made　a　speech　saying　we　had　no　right　in　Kaintuckee　and　if　they　cotched　us　again　our　lives'ud　pay　for　it。　They'd　ha'　sculped　us　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Jim；　but　you　could　see　they　knew　him；　and　was　feared　of　him。　Wal；　Finley　reckoned　the　game　was　up；　and　started　back　with　the　Yadkiners。　Cooley　and　Joe　Holden　and　Mooneyiye　mind　them；　Squire！　But　I　was　feeling　kinder　cross　and　wanted　my　property　back；　and　old　Jimwhy；　he　wasn't　going　to　be　worsted　by　no　redskins。　So　we　trailed　the　Shawnees；　us　two；　and　come　up　with　them　one　night　encamped　beside　a　salt…lick。　Jim　got　into　their　camp　while　I　was　lying　shivering　in　the　cane；　and　blessed　if　he　didn't　snake　back　four　of　our　hosses　and　our　three　best　Deckards。　Tha's　craft　for　ye。　By　sunrise　we　was　riding　south　on　the　Warriors'　Path　but　the　hosses　was　plumb　tired；　and　afore　midday　them　pizonous　Shawnees　had　cotched　up　with　us。　I　can　tell　ye；　neighbours；　the　hair　riz　on　my　head；　for　I　expected　nothing　better　than　a　bloody　sculp　and　six　feet　of　earth。　。　。　。　　But　them　redskins　didn't　hurt　us。　And　why；　says　ye？　'Cos　they　was　scared　of　Jim。　It　seemed　they　had　a　name　for　him　in　Shawnee　which　meant　the　'old　wolf　that　hunts　by　night。　They　started　out　to　take　us　way　north　of　the　Ohio　to　their　Scioto　villages；　whar　they　said　we　would　be　punished。　Jim　telled　me　to　keep　up　my　heart；　for　he　reckoned　we　wasn't　going　north　of　no　river。　Then　he　started　to　make　friends　with　them　redskins；　and　in　two　days　he　was　the　most　popilar　fellow　in　that　company。　He　was　a　quiet　man　and　for　general　melancholious；　but　I　guess　he　could　be　amusing　when　he　wanted　to。　You　know　the　way　an　Indian　laughs　grunts　in　his　stomach　and　looks　at　the　ground。　Wal；　Jim　had　them　grunting　all　day；　and；　seeing　he　could　speak　all　their　tongues；　he　would　talk　serious　too。　Ye　could　see　them　savages　listening；　like　he　was　their　own　sachem。〃

Boone　reached　for　another　faggot　and　tossed　it　on　the　fire。　The　downpour　was　slacking；　but　the　wind　had　risen　high　and　was　wailing　in　the　sycamores。

〃Consekince　was；〃　he　went　on；　〃for　prisoners　we　wasn't　proper　guarded。　By　the　fourth　day　we　was　sleeping　round　the　fire　among　the　Shawnees　and　marching　with　them　as　we　pleased；　though　we　wasn't　allowed　to　go　near　the　hosses。　On　the　seventh　night　we　saw　the　Ohio　rolling　in　the　hollow；　and　Jim　says　to　me　it　was　about　time　to　get　quit　of　the　redskins。　It　was　a　wet　night　with　a　wind；　which　suited　his　plan；　and　about　one　in　the　morning；　when　Indians　sleep　soundest；　I　was　woke　by　Jim's　hand　pressing　my　wrist。　Wal；　I've　trailed　a　bit　in　my　day；　but　I　never　did　such　mighty　careful　hunting　as　that　night。　An　inch　at　a　time　we　crawled　out　of　the　circlewe　was　lying　well　back　on　purposeand　got　into　the　canes。　I　lay　there　while　Jim　went　back　and　fetched　guns　and　powder。　The　Lord　knows　how　he　done　it　without　startling　the　hosses。　Then　we　quit　like　ghosts；　and　legged　it　for　the　hills。　We　was　aiming　for　the　Gap；　but　it　took　us　thirteen　days　to　make　it；　travelling　mostly　by　night；　and　living　on　berries；　for　we　durstn't　risk　a　shot。　Then　we　made　up　with　you。　I　reckon　we　didn't　look　too　pretty　when　ye　see'd　us　first。〃

〃Ye　looked；〃　said　his　brother　soberly；　〃Like　two　scare…crows　that　had　took　to　walkin'。　There　was　more　naked　skin　than　shirt　about　you　Dan'l。　But　Lovelle　wasn't　complaining；　except　about　his　empty　belly。〃

〃He　was　harder　nor　me；　though　twenty　years　older。　He　did　the　leading；　too；　for　he　had　forgotten　more　about　woodcraft　than　I　ever　know'd。　。　。　。〃

The　man　Neely；　who　was　from　Virginia；　consumed　tobacco　as　steadily　as　a　dry　soil　takes　in　water。

〃I've　heerd　of　this　Lovelle；〃　he　said。　〃I've　seed　him　too；　I　guess。　　A　long　man　with　black　eyebrows　and　hollow　eyes　like　as　he　was　hungry。　He　used　ter　live　near　my　folks　in　Palmer　Country。　What　was　he　looking　for　in　those　travels　of　his？〃

〃Hunting　maybe；〃　said　Boone。　〃He　was　the　skilfullest　hunter；　I　reckon；　between　the　Potomac　and　the　Cherokee。　He　brought　in　mighty　fine　pelts；　but　he　didn't　seem　to　want　money。　Just　so　much　as　would　buy　him　powder　and　shot　and　food　for　the　next　venture；　ye　understand。　。　。　。　He　wasn't　looking　for　land　to　settle　on；　neighber；　for　one　time　he　telled　me　he　had　had　all　the　settling　he　wanted　in　this　world。　。　。　。　But　he　was　looking　for　something　else。　He　never　talked　about　it；　but　he'd　sit　often　with　his　knees　hunched　up　and　his　eyes　staring　out　at　nothing　like　a　bird's。　I　never　know'd　who　he　was　or　whar　he　come　from。　You　say　it　was　Virginny？〃

〃Aye；　Palmer　County。　I　mind　his　old　dad；　who　farmed　a　bit　of　land　by　Nelson's　Cross　Roads；　when　he　wasn't　drunk　in　Nelson's　tavern。　The　boys　used　to　follow　him　to　laugh　at　his　queer　clothes；　and　hear　his　fine　London　speech　when　he　cursed　us。　By　thunder；　he　was　the　one　to　swear。　Jim　Lovelle　used　to　clear　us　off　with　a　whip；　and　give　the　old　man　his　arm　into　the　shack。　Jim　too　was　a　queer　one；　but　it　didn't　do　to　make　free　with　him；　unless　ye　was　lookin'　for　a　broken　head。　They　was　come　of　high　family；　I've　heerd。〃

〃Aye；　Jim　was　a　gentleman　and　no　mistake；　said　Boone。　〃The　way　he　held　his　head　and　looked　straight　through　the　man　that　angered　him。　I　reckon　it　was　that　air　of　his　and　them　glowering　eyes　that　made　him　powerful　with　the　redskins。　But　he　was　mighty　quiet　always。　I've　seen　Cap'n　Evan　Shelby　roaring　at　him　like　a　bull　and　Jim　just　staring　back　at　him；　as　gentle　as　a　girl；　till　the　Cap'n　began　to　stutter　and　dried　up。　But；　Lordy；　he　had　a　pluck　in　a　fight；　for　I've　seen　him　with　Montgomery。　。　。　。　　He　was　eddicated　too；　and　could　tell　you　things　out　of　books。　I've　knowed　him　sit　up　all　night　talking　law　with　Mr。　Robertson。　。　。　。　　He　was　always　thinking。　Queer　thoughts　they　was　sometimes。〃

〃Whatten　kind　of　thoughts；　Dan'l？〃　his　brother　asked。

Boone　rubbed　his　chin　as　if　he　found　it　hard　to　explain。　〃About　this　country　of　Ameriky；〃　he　replied。　〃He　reckoned　it　would　soon　have　to　cut　loose　from　England；　and　him　knowing　so　much　about　England　I　used　ter　believe　him。　He　allowed　there　'ud　be　bloody　battles　before　it　happened；　but　he　held　that　the　country　had　grown　up　and　couldn't　be　kept　much　longer　in　short　clothes。　He　had　a　power　of　larning　about　things　that　happened　to　folks　long　ago　called　Creeks　and　Rewmans　that　pinted　that　way；　he　said。　But　he　held　that　when　we　had　fought　our　way　quit　of　England；　we　was　in　for　a　bigger　and　bloodier　fight　among　ourselves。　I　mind　his　very　words。　'Dan'l；'　he　says；　'this　is　the　biggest　and　best　slice　of　the　world　which　we　Americans　has　struck；　and　for　fifty　years　or　more；　maybe；　we'll　be　that　busy　finding　out　what　we've　got　that　we'll　have　no　time　to　quarrel。　But　there's　going　to　come　a　day；　if　Ameriky　s　to　be　a　great　nation；　when　she'll　have　to　sit　down　and　think　and　make　up　her　mind　about　one　or　two　things。　It　won't　be　easy；　for　she　won't　have　the　eddication　or　patience　to　think　deep；　and　there'll　be　plenty　selfish　and　short…sighted　folk　that　won't　think　at　all。　I　reck