the spirit of the border-第51节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
try to get into the church。〃
〃I'll join you there as soon as I see Williamson。〃
Jim walked rapidly across the clearing to the cabin where Captain Williamson
had quarters。 The frontiersmen stood in groups； watching the savages with an
interest which showed little or no concern。
〃I want to see Captain Williamson；〃 said Jim to a frontiersman on guard at the
cabin door。
〃Wal； he's inside；〃 drawled the man。
Jim thought the voice familiar； and he turned sharply to see the sun…burnt
features of Jeff Lynn； the old riverman who had taken Mr。 Wells' party to Fort
Henry。
〃Why； Lynn！ I'm glad to see you；〃 exclaimed Jim。
〃Purty fair to middlin'；〃 answered Jeff； extending his big hand。 〃Say； how's
the other one； your brother as wus called Joe？〃
〃I don't know。 He ran off with Wetzel； was captured by Indians； and when I
last heard of him he had married Wingenund's daughter。〃
〃Wal； I'll be dog…goned！〃 Jeff shook his grizzled head and slapped his leg。 〃I
jest knowed he'd raise somethin'。〃
〃I'm in a hurry。 Do you think Captain Williamson will stand still and let all
this go on？〃
〃I'm afeerd so。'
Evidently the captain heard the conversation； for he appeared at the cabin
door； smoking a long pipe。
〃Captain Williamson； I have come to entreat you to save the Christians from
this impending massacre。〃
〃I can't do nuthin'；〃 answered Williamson； removing his pipe to puff forth a
great cloud of smoke。
〃You have eighty men here！〃
〃If we interfered Pipe would eat us alive in three minutes。 You preacher
fellows don't understand this thing。 You've got Pipe and Girty to deal with。
If you don't know them； you'll be better acquainted by sundown。〃
〃I don't care who they are。 Drunken ruffians and savages！ That's enough。 Will
you help us？ We are men of your own race； and we come to you for help。 Can you
withhold it？〃
〃I won't hev nuthin' to do with this bizness。 The chiefs hev condemned the
village； an' it'll hev to go。 If you fellars hed been careful； no white blood
would hev been spilled。 I advise you all to lay low till it's over。〃
〃Will you let me speak to your men； to try and get them to follow me？〃
〃Heckewelder asked that same thing。 He was persistent； and I took a vote fer
him just to show how my men stood。 Eighteen of them said they'd follow him；
the rest wouldn't interfere。〃
〃Eighteen！ My God！〃 cried Jim； voicing the passion which consumed him。 〃You
are white men； yet you will stand by and see these innocent people murdered！
Man； where's your humanity？ Your manhood？ These converted Indians are savages
no longer； they are Christians。 Their children are as good； pure； innocent as
your own。 Can you remain idle and see these little ones murdered？〃
Williamson made no answer； the men who had crowded round were equally silent。
Not one lowered his head。 many looked at the impassioned missionary； others
gazed at the savages who were circling around the trees brandishing their
weapons。 If any pitied the unfortunate Christians； none showed it。 They were
indifferent； with the indifference of men hardened to cruel scenes。
Jim understood； at last； as he turned from face to face to find everywhere
that same imperturbability。 These bordermen were like Wetzel and Jonathan
Zane。 The only good Indian was a dead Indian。 Years of war and bloodshed； of
merciless cruelty at the hands of redmen； of the hard； border life had
rendered these frontiersmen incapable of compassion for any savage。
Jim no longer restrained himself。
〃Bordermen you may be； but from my standpoint； from any man's； from God's； you
are a lot of coldly indifferent cowards！〃 exclaimed Jim； with white； quivering
lips。 〃I understand now。 Few of you will risk anything for Indians。 You will
not believe a savage can be a Christian。 You don't care if they are all
murdered。 Any man among youany man； I saywould step out before those
howling fiends and boldly demand that there be no bloodshed。 A courageous
leader with a band of determined followers could avert this tragedy。 You might
readily intimidate yonder horde of drunken demons。 Captain Williamson； I am
only a minister； far removed from a man of war and leader； as you claim to be；
but； sir； I curse you as a miserable coward。 If I ever get back to
civilization I'll brand this inhuman coldness of yours； as the most infamous
and dastardly cowardice that ever disgraced a white man。 You are worse than
Girty！〃
Williamson turned a sickly yellow； he fumbled a second with the handle of his
tomahawk； but made no answer。 The other bordermen maintained the same careless
composure。 What to them was the raving of a mad preacher？
Jim saw it and turned baffled； fiercely angry； and hopeless。 As he walked away
Jeff Lynn took his arm； and after they were clear of the crowd of frontiersmen
he said：
〃Young feller； you give him pepper； an' no mistake。 An' mebbe you're right
from your side the fence。 But you can't see the Injuns from our side。 We
hunters hevn't much humanityI reckon that's what you called itbut we've
lost so many friends an' relatives； an' hearn of so many murders by the reddys
that we look on all of 'em as wild varmints that should be killed on sight。
Now； mebbe it'll interest you to know I was the feller who took the vote
Williamson told you about； an' I did it 'cause I had an interest in you。 I wus
watchin' you when Edwards and the other missionary got shot。 I like grit in a
man； an' I seen you had it clear through。 So when Heckewelder comes over I
talked to the fellers； an' all I could git interested was eighteen； but they
wanted to fight simply fer fightin' sake。 Now； ole Jeff Lynn is your friend。
You just lay low until this is over。〃
Jim thanked the old riverman and left him。 He hardly knew which way to turn。
He would make one more effort。 He crossed the clearing to where the renegades'
teepee stood。 McKee and Elliott were sitting on a log。 Simon Girty stood
beside them； his hard； keen； roving eyes on the scene。 The missionary was
impressed by the white leader。 There was a difference in his aspect； a wilder
look than the others wore； as if the man had suddenly awakened to the fury of
his Indians。 Nevertheless the young man went straight toward him。
〃Girty； I come…〃
〃Git out！ You meddlin' preacher！〃 yelled the renegade； shaking his fist at
Jim。
Simon Girty was drunk。
Jim turned from the white fiends。 He knew his life to them was not worth a
pinch of powder。
〃Lost！ Lost！ All lost！〃 he exclaimed in despair。
As he went toward the church he saw hundreds of savages bounding over the
grass； brandishing weapons and whooping fiendishly。 They were concentrating
around Girty's teepee； where already a great throng had congregated。 Of all
the Indians to be seen not one walked。 They leaped by Jim； and ran over the
grass nimble as deer。
He saw the eager； fire in their dusky eyes； and the cruelly clenched teeth
like those of wolves when they snarl。 He felt the hissing breath of many
savages as they raced by him。 More than one whirled a tomahawk close to Jim's
head； and uttered horrible yells in his ear。 They were like tigers lusting for
blood。
Jim hurried to the church。 Not an Indian was visible near the log structure。
Even the savage guards had gone。 He entered the open door to be instantly
struck with reverence and awe。
The Christians were singing。
Miserable and full of sickening dread though Jim was； he could not but realize
that the scene before him was one of extraordinary beauty and pathos。 The
doomed Indians lifted up their voices in song。 Never had they sung so
feelingly； so harmoniously。
When the song ended Zeisberger； who stood upon a platform； opened his Bible
and read：
〃In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment； but with everlasting
kindness will I have mercy on thee； saith the Lord； thy Redeemer。〃
In a voice low and tremulous the venerable missionary began his sermon。
The shadow of death hovered over these Christian martyrs； it was reflected in
their somber eyes； yet not one was sullen or sad。 The children who were too
young to understand； but instinctively feeling the tragedy soon to be enacted
there； cowered close to their mothers。
Zeisberger preached a touching and impressive； though short； sermon。 At its
conclusion the whole congregation rose and surrounded the missionary。 The men
shook his hands； the women kissed them； the children clung to his legs。 It was
a wonderful manifestation of affection。
Suddenly Glickhican； the old Delaware chief； stepped on the platform； raised
his hand and shouted one Indian word。
A long； low wail went up from the children and youths； the women slowly；
meekly bowed their heads。 The men； due to the stoicism of their nature and the
Christianity they had learned； stood proudly erect awaiting the death that had
been decreed。
Glickhican p
