the spirit of the border-第20节
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wielded a sledge…hammer。 The sparks flew; the anvil rang。 In another corner a
circle of braves sat around a pile of dried grass and flags。 They were
twisting and fashioning these materials into baskets。 At a bench three Indian
carpenters were pounding and sawing。 Young braves ran back and forth; carrying
pails; rough…hewn boards and blocks of wood。
Instantly struck by two things; Jim voiced his curiosity:
〃Why do these Indians all wear long hair; smooth and shiny; without
adornment?〃
〃They are Christians。 They wear neither headdress; war…bonnet; nor
scalp…lock;〃 replied Mr。 Zeisberger; with unconscious pride。
〃I did not expect to see a blacksmith's anvil out here in the wilderness。
Where did you procure these tools?〃
〃We have been years getting them here。 Some came by way of the Ohio River;
others overland from Detroit。 That anvil has a history。 It was lost once; and
lay for years in the woods; until some Indians found it again。 It is called
the Ringing Stone; and Indians come from miles around to see and hear it。〃
The missionary pointed out wide fields of corn; now growing yellow; and
hillsides doted with browsing cattle; droves of sturdy…limbed horses; and pens
of fat; grunting pigsall of which attested to the growing prosperity of the
Village of Peace。
On the way back to the cabin; while the others listened to and questioned Mr。
Zeisberger; Jim was silent and thoughtful; for his thoughts reverted to his
brother。
Later; as he walked with Nell by the golden…fringed stream; he spoke of Joe。
〃Joe wanted so much to hunt with Wetzel。 He will come back; surely he will
return to us when he has satisfied his wild craving for adventure。 Do you not
think so?〃
There was an eagerness that was almost pleading in Jim's voice。 What he so
much hoped forthat no harm had befallen Joe; and that he would returnhe
doubted。 he needed the encouragement of his hope。
〃Never;〃 answered Nell; solemnly。
〃Oh; whywhy do you say that?〃
〃I saw him look at youa strange; intent glance。 He gazed long at me as we
separated。 Oh! I can feel his eyes。 No; he will never come back。〃
〃Nell; Nell; you don not mean he went away deliberatelybecause; oh! I cannot
say it。〃
〃For no reason; except that the wilderness called him more than love for you
orme。〃
〃No; no;〃 returned Jim; his face white。 〃You do not understand。 He really
loved youI know it。 He loved me; too。 Ah; how well! He has gone becauseI
can't tell you。〃
〃Oh; Jim; I hopehe lovedme;〃 sobbed Nell; bursting into tears。 〃His
coldnesshis neglect thoselast few dayshurt meso。 If he caredas you
sayI won't besomiserable。〃
〃We are both rightyou when you say he will never return; and I when I say he
loved us both;〃 said Jim sadly; as the bitter certainty forced itself into his
mind。
As she sobbed softly; and he gazed with set; stern face into the darkening
forest; the deep; mellow notes of the church bell pealed out。 So thrilled; so
startled were they by this melody wondrously breaking the twilight stillness;
that they gazed mutely at each other。 Then they remembered。 It was the
missionary's bell summoning the Christian Indians to the evening service。
Chapter XI。
The; sultry; drowsy; summer days passed with no untoward event to mar their
slumbering tranquillity。 Life for the newcomers to the Village of Peace
brought a content; the like of which they had never dreamed of。 Mr。 Wells at
once began active work among the Indians; preaching to them through an
interpreter; Nell and Kate; in hours apart from household duties; busied
themselves brightening their new abode; and Jim entered upon the task of
acquainting himself with the modes and habits of the redmen。 Truly; the young
people might have found perfect happiness in this new and novel life; if only
Joe had returned。 His disappearance and subsequent absence furnished a theme
for many talks and many a quiet hour of dreamy sadness。 The fascination of
his personality had been so impelling that long after it was withdrawn a charm
lingered around everything which reminded them of him; a subtle and sweet
memory; with perverse and half bitter persistence; returned hauntingly。 No
trace of Joe had been seen by any of the friendly Indian runners。 He was gone
into the mazes of deep…shadowed forests; where to hunt for him would be like
striving to trail the flight of a swallow。 Two of those he had left behind
always remembered him; and in their thoughts followed him in his wanderings。
Jim settled down to his study of Indians with single…heartedness of purpose。
He spent part of every morning with the interpreters; with whose assistance he
rapidly acquired the Delaware language。 He went freely among the Indians;
endeavoring to win their good…will。 There were always fifty to an hundred
visiting Indians at the village; sometimes; when the missionaries had
advertised a special meeting; there were assembled in the shady maple grove as
many as five hundred savages。 Jim had; therefore; opportunities to practice
his offices of friendliness。
Fortunately for him; he at once succeeded in establishing himself in the good
graces of Glickhican; the converted Delaware chief。 The wise old Indian was of
inestimable value to Jim。 Early in their acquaintance he evinced an earnest
regard for the young minister; and talked with him for hours。
From Glickhican Jim learned the real nature of the redmen。 The Indian's love
of freedom and honor; his hatred of subjection and deceit; as explained by the
good old man; recalled to Jim Colonel Zane's estimate of the savage character。
Surely; as the colonel had said; the Indians had reason for their hatred of
the pioneers。 Truly; they were a blighted race。
Seldom had the rights of the redmen been thought of。 The settler pushed
onward; plodding; as it were; behind his plow with a rifle。 He regarded the
Indian as little better than a beast; he was easier to kill than to tame。 How
little the settler knew the proud independence; the wisdom; the stainless
chastity of honor; which belonged so truly to many Indian chiefs!
The redmen were driven like hounded deer into the untrodden wilds。 From
freemen of the forests; from owners of the great boundless plains; they passed
to stern; enduring fugitives on their own lands。 Small wonder that they became
cruel where once they had been gentle! Stratagem and cunning; the night
assault; the daylight ambush took the place of their one…time open warfare。
Their chivalrous courage; that sublime inheritance from ancestors who had
never known the paleface foe; degenerated into a savage ferocity。
Interesting as was this history to Jim; he cared more for Glickhican's rich
portrayal of the redmen's domestic life; for the beautiful poetry of his
tradition and legends。 He heard with delight the exquisite fanciful Indian
lore。 From these romantic legends; beautiful poems; and marvelous myths he
hoped to get ideas of the Indian's religion。 Sweet and simple as childless
dreams were these quaint talestales of how the woodland fairies dwelt in
fern…carpeted dells; how at sunrise they came out to kiss open the flowers;
how the forest walks were spirit…haunted paths; how the leaves whispered
poetry to the winds; how the rocks harbored Indian gods and masters who
watched over their chosen ones。
Glickhican wound up his long discourses by declaring he had never lied in the
whole course of his seventy years; had never stolen; never betrayed; never
murdered; never killed; save in self…defence。 Gazing at the chief's fine
features; now calm; yet showing traces of past storms; Jim believed he spoke
the truth。
When the young minister came; however; to study the hostile Indians that
flocked to the village; any conclusive delineation of character; or any
satisfactory analysis of their mental state in regard to the paleface
religion; eluded him。 Their passive; silent; sphinx…like secretiveness was
baffling。 Glickhican had taught him how to propitiate the friendly braves; and
with these he was successful。 Little he learned; however; from the unfriendly
ones。 When making gifts to these redmen he could never be certain that his
offerings were appreciated。 The jewels and gold he had brought west with him
went to the French traders; who in exchange gave him trinkets; baubles;
bracelets and weapons。 Jim made hundreds of presents。 Boldly going up to
befeathered and befringed chieftains; he offered them knives; hatchets; or
strings of silvery beads。 Sometimes his kindly offerings were repelled with a
haughty stare; at other times they would be accepted coldly; suspiciously; as
if the gifts brought some unknown obligation。
For a white man it was a never…to…be…forgotten experience to see eight or ten
of these grim; slowly stepping forest kings; arrayed in all the rich splendor
of their costume; stalking among the teepees of the Village of Peace。 Somehow;
such a p