CHAPTER XXIV.
"My love is young--but other loves are young; And other loves are fair, and so is mine; An air divine discloses whence he sprung; He is my love that boasts that air divine."--SHENSTONE.
A more rude and violent interruption of a scene in which the more gentlequalities love to show themselves, never occurred. I, who knew the wholeof the past, saw at once that we had very serious prospects before us;but Dus at first felt only the consciousness and embarrassment of awoman who has betrayed her most sacred secret to vulgar eyes. That verypassion, which a month later, and after the exchange of the marriagevows, it would have been her glory to exhibit in face of the wholecommunity, on the occurrence of any event of moment to myself, she nowshrunk from revealing; and I do believe that maiden bashfulness gave hermore pain, when thus arrested, than any other cause. As for thesquatters, she probably had no very clear conceptions of their truecharacters; and it was one of her liveliest wishes to be able to joinher uncle. But, Thousandacres soon gave us both cause to comprehend howmuch he was now in earnest.
"So, my young major, you're catched in the same nest, be you! You'veyour ch'ise to walk peaceably back where you belong, or to be tied andcarried there like a buck that has been killed a little out in thewoods. You never know'd Thousandacres and his race, if you reallythought to slip away from him, and that with twenty miles of woodsaround you!"
I intimated a wish not to be tied, and professed a perfect willingnessto accompany my captors back to their dwellings, for nothing would havetempted me to desert Dus, under the circumstances. The squatters mighthave declared the road open to me, but the needle does not point moreunerringly to the pole than I should have followed my magnet, though atliberty.
Little more was said until we had quitted the woods, and had reached theopen fields of the clearing. I was permitted to assist my companionthrough the bushes, and in climbing a fence or two; the squatters, whowere armed to a man, forming a circle around us, at a distance thatenabled me to whisper a few words to Dus, in the way of encouragement.She had great natural intrepidity for a woman, and I believe I ought toescape the imputation of vanity, if I add that we both felt so happy atthe explanations which had so lately been had, that this new calamitycould not entirely depress us, so long as we were not separated.
"Be not downhearted, dearest Dus," I whispered, as we approached thestorehouse; "after all, these wretches will not dare to transgressagainst the law, very far."
"I have few fears, with you and uncle Chainbearer so near me, Mordaunt,"was her smiling answer, "It cannot be long before we hear from Frank,who is gone, as you must have been told, to Ravensnest, for authorityand assistance. He left our huts at the same time we left them to comehere, and must be on his return long before this."
I squeezed the hand of the dear girl, receiving a gentle pressure inreturn, and prepared myself to be separated from her, as I took it forgranted that Prudence and her daughters would hold watch and ward overthe female prisoner. I had hesitated, ever since quitting the woods,about giving her notice of the trial that probably awaited her; but, asno attempt to coerce a marriage could be made until the magistratearrived, I thought it would be rendering her unnecessarily unhappy. Thetrial, if it did come at all, would come soon enough of itself; and Ihad no apprehension that one of Dus's spirit and character, and who hadso recently and frankly admitted that her whole heart was mine, could befrightened into a concession that would give Zephaniah any claim to her.To own the truth, a mountain had been removed from my own breast, and Iwas too happy on this particular account, to be rendered very miserableon any other, just at that time. I do believe Dus was a little sustainedby some similar sentiment.
Dus and I parted at the door of the first house, she being transferredto the keeping of Tobit's wife, a woman who was well bestowed on herbrutal and selfish husband. No violence was used, however, toward theprisoner, who was permitted to go at large; though I observed that oneor two of the females attached themselves to her person immediately, nodoubt as her keepers.
In consequence of our having approached the dwelling of the squatters bya new path, Chainbearer knew nothing of the arrest of his niece, untilthe fact was communicated by me. He was not even aware of my beingretaken, until he saw me about to enter the prison again; though heprobably anticipated that such might be my fate. As for Susquesus, heseldom manifested surprise or emotion of any sort, let what would occur.
"Well, Mortaunt, my lat, I knowet you had vanishet py hook or py crook,ant nopoty knowet how; put I t'ought you would find it hart to t'rowt'ese rascally squatters off your trail," cried Andries, giving me ahearty shake of the hand as I entered the prison. "Here we are, allt'ree of us, ag'in; and it's lucky we're such goot frients, as ourquarters are none of t'e largest or pest. The Injin fount I was alone,so he took pack his parole, and ist a close prisoner like t'e rest ofus, put in one sense a free man. You can tig up t'e hatchet ag'in t'esesquatters whenever you please now; is it not so, Sureflint?"
"Sartin--truce done--Susquesus prisoner like everybody. GiveT'ousandacres p'role back ag'in--Injin free man, now."
I understood the Onondago's meaning well enough, though his freedom wasof a somewhat questionable character. He merely wished to say that,having given himself up to the squatters, he was released from theconditions of his parole, and was at liberty to make his escape, or towage war on his captors in any manner he saw fit. Luckily Jaap hadescaped, for I could see no signs of even his presence being known toThousandacres or to his sons. It was something to have so practised awoodsman and so true a friend still at large, and near us; and theinformation he could impart, should he fall in with Frank Malbone, withthe constable and the posse, might be of the utmost service to us. Allthese points Chainbearer and I discussed at large, the Indian sittingby, an attentive but a silent listener. It was our joint opinion thatMalbone could not now be very far distant with succor. What would be theeffect of an attack on the squatters it was not easy to predict, sincethe last might make battle; and, small as was their force, it would belikely to prove very available in a struggle of that nature. The femalesof such a family were little less efficient than the males, when postedbehind logs; and there were a hundred things in which their habits,experience, and boldness might be made to tell, should matters be pushedto extremities.
"Got knows--Got only knows, Mortaunt, what will come of it all,"rejoined Chainbearer to one of my remarks, puffing coolly at his pipe atintervals, in order to secure the fire he had just applied to it."Nut'in is more unsartain t'an war, as Sus, here, fery well knows pylong exper'ence, ant as you ought to know yourself, my poy, hafin seensarfice, ant warm sarfice, too. Shoult Frank Malbone make a charge ont'is settlement, as pein' an olt soltier, he will pe fery likely to do,we must make efery effort to fall in on one of his flanks, in orter tocover t'e atvance or t'e retreat, as may happen to pe t'e movement att'e time."
"I trust it will be the advance, as Malbone does not strike me as a manlikely to retreat very easily. But, are we certain 'Squire Newcome willgrant the warrant he will ask for, being in such close communion himselfwith these squatters?"
"I haf t'ought of all t'at, too, Mortaunt, ant t'ere is goot sense init. I t'ink he will at least sent wort to T'ousantacres, to let him knowwhat is comin', ant make as many telays as possiple. T'e law is a lazysarfant when it wishes to pe slow, ant many is t'e rogue t'at hastoutrun it, when t'e race has peen to safe a pack or a fine.Nefert'eless, Mortaunt, t'e man who is right fights wit' great otts inhis fafor, ant is fery apt to come out pest in t'e long run. It is agreat advantage to pe always right; a trut' I've known ant felt frompoyhoot, put which hast peen mate more ant more clear to me since t'epeace, ant I haf come pack to lif wit' Dus. T'at gal has teachet me muchon all such matters; ant it woult do your heart goot to see her alonewit' an olt ignorant man in t'e woots, of a Sunday, a tryin' to teachhim his piple, and how he ought to lofe ant fear Got!"
"Does Dus do this for you, my old friend?--Does that admirable creaturereally take on herself
the solemn office of duty and love! Much as Iadmired and esteemed her before, for her reverence and affection foryou, Chainbearer, I now admire and esteem her the more, for this proofof her most true and deep-seated interest in your welfare."
"I'll tell you what, poy--Dus is petter ast twenty tominies to call astupporn olt fellow, t'at has got a conscience toughenet ant hartenet bylifin' t'reescore years ant ten in t'e worlt, pack from his wicketnessinto t'e ways of gotliness and peace. You're young, Mortaunt, and hafnot yet got out of t'e gristle of sin into t'e pone, ant can hartly knowhow strong ist t'e holt t'at hapit and t'e worlt gets of an olt man; putI hope you may lif long enough to see it all, ant to feel it all." I didnot even smile, for the childlike earnestness, and the sinceresimplicity with which Andries delivered himself of this wish, concealedits absurdity behind a veil of truth and feeling too respectable toadmit of a single disrespectful impulse. "Ant t'at is t'e worst wish Ican wish you, my tear poy. You know how it hast peen wit' me, Mortaunt;a chainpearer's callin' is none of t'e pest to teach religion; whichtoes not seem to flourish in t'e woots; t'ough why I cannot tell; since,as Dus has ag'in ant ag'in shown to me. Got is in t'e trees, ant on t'emountains, ant along t'e valleys, ant is to pe hearet in t'e prooks antt'e rifers, as much if not more t'an he ist to pe hearet ant seen in t'eclearin's ant t'e towns. Put my life was not a religious life afore t'ewar, ant war is not a pusiness to make a man t'ink of deat' as he ought;t'ough he hast it tay and night, as it might pe, afore his eyes."
"And Dus, the excellent, frank, buoyant, sincere, womanly and charmingDus, adds these admirable qualities to other merits, does she! I knewshe had a profound sentiment on the subject of religion, Chainbearer,though I did not know she took so very lively an interest in the welfareof those she loves, in connection with that all-important interest."
"You may well call t'e gal py all t'em fine worts, Mortaunt, for shedesarfs efery one of t'em, ant more too. No--no--Dus isn't known in atay. A poty may lif in t'e same house wit' her, and see her smilin'face, and hear her merry song, mont's ant mont's, ant not l'arn all t'att'ere ist of gotliness, ant meekness, ant virtue, ant love, and piety,in t'e pottom of her soul. One tay you'll tink well of Dus, MortauntLittlepage."
"I!--Tell _me_ that I shall think _well_ of Ursula Malbone, the girlthat I almost worship! Think _well_ of her whom I now love with anintensity that I did not imagine was possible, three months since! Thinkwell of _her_ who fills all my waking, and not a few of my sleepingthoughts--of whom I dream--to whom I am betrothed--who has heard my vowswith favor, and has cheerfully promised, all parties that are interestedconsenting, to become at some early day my _wife_!"
Old Andries heard my energetic exclamation with astonishment; and eventhe Indian turned his head to look on me with a gratified attention.Perceiving that I had gone so far, under an impulse I had foundirresistible, I felt the necessity of being still more explicit, and ofcommunicating all I had to say on the subject.
"Yes," I added, grasping old Andries by the hand--"Yes, Chainbearer, Ishall comply with your often-expressed wishes. Again and again have yourecommended your lovely niece to me as a wife, and I come now to takeyou at your word, and to say that nothing will make me so happy as to beable to call you uncle."
To my surprise, Chainbearer expressed no delight at this announcement. Iremarked that he had said nothing to me on his favorite old subject ofmy marrying his niece, since my arrival at the Nest; and now, when I wasnot only so ready, but so anxious to meet his wishes, I could plainlysee that he drew back from my proposals, and wished they had not beenmade. Amazed, I waited for him to speak with a disappointment anduneasiness I cannot express.
"Mortaunt! Mortaunt!" at length broke out of the old man's veryheart--"I wish to Heafen you hat nefer sait t'is! I lofe you, poy,almost as much as I lofe Dus, herself; put it griefs me--it griefs me tohear you talk of marryin' t'e gal!"
"You grieve, as much as you astonish me, Chainbearer, by making such aremark! How often have you, yourself, expressed to me the wish that Imight become acquainted with your niece, and love her, and marry her!Now, when I have seen her--when I _have_ become acquainted withher--when I _love_ her to my heart's core, and wish to make her my wife,you meet my proposals as if they were unworthy of you and yours!"
"Not so, lat--not so. Nut'in' would make me so happy as to see you t'ehuspant of Dus, supposin' it coult come to pass, ant wrong pe tone to noone; put it cannot pe so. I tid talk as you say, ant a foolish, selfish,conceitet olt man I was for my pains. I wast t'en in t'e army, and wewast captains alike; ant I wast t'e senior captain, and might orter youapout, ant _tid_ orter you apout; ant I wore an epaulette, like anyot'er captain, and hat my grandfat'er's swort at my site, ant t'ought wewast equals, ant t'at it wast an honor to marry my niece; put all t'iswas changet, lat, when I came into t'e woots ag'in, ant took up mychain, ant pegan to lif, ant to work, ant to feel poor, ant to seemyself as I am. No--no--Mortaunt Littlepage, t'e owner of Ravensnest,ant t'e heir of Mooseritge, ant of Satanstoe, ant of Lilacsbush, ant ofall t'e fine houses, ant stores, ant farms t'at are in York ant up anttown t'e country, is not a suitaple match for Dus Malbone!"
"This is so extraordinary a notion for you to take up, Chainbearer, andso totally opposed to all I have ever before heard from you on thesubject, that I must be permitted to ask where you got it?"
"From Dus Malbone, herself--yes, from her own mout', ant in her ownpretty manner of speech."
"Has, then, the probability of my ever offering to your niece been asubject of conversation between you?"
"T'at hast it--t'at hast it, ant time ant ag'in, too. Sit town on t'atlog of woot, ant listen to what I haf to say, ant I will tell you t'ewhole story. Susquesus, you neetn't go off into t'at corner, like agentleman as you pe; t'ough it is only an Injin gentleman; for I haf nosecrets from such a frient as yourself. Come pack, t'en, Injin, ant takeyour olt place, close at my site, where you haf so often peen when t'einemy wast chargin' us poltly in front." Sureflint quietly did asdesired, while Chainbearer turned toward me and continued the discourse."You wilt see, Mortaunt, poy, t'ese here are t'e fery facts ant trut' oft'e case. When I came first from camp, ant I wast full of t'e prite, antaut'ority, ant feelin's of a soltier, I pegan to talk to Dus apout you,as I hat peen accustomed to talk to you apout Dus. Ant I tolt her what afine, bolt, hantsome, generous, well-principlet young fellow youwast"--the reader will overlook my repeating that to which thepartiality of the Chainbearer so readily gave utterance--"ant I tolt herof your sarfice in t'e wars, ant of your wit, ant how you mate us alllaugh, t'ough we might pe marchin' into pattle, ant what a fat'er youhat, ant what a grantfat'er, ant all t'at a goot ant a warm frient oughtto say of anot'er, when it wast true, ant when it wast tolt to ahantsome ant heart-whole young woman t'at he wishet to fall in love wit't'at fery same frient. Well, I tolt t'is to Dus, not once, Mortaunt; nortwice; put twenty times, you may depent on it."
"Which makes me the more curious to hear what Dus could or did say inreply."
"It's t'at reply, lat, t'at makes all t'e present tifficulty petween us.For a long time Dus sait little or not'in'. Sometimes she woult looksaucy ant laugh--ant you know, lat, t'e gal _can_ do bot' of t'em t'ingsas well as most young women. Sometimes she woult pegin to sing a song,all about fait'less young men, perhaps, and proken-hearted virgins.Sometimes she woult look sorrowful, ant I coult fint tears startin' inher eyes; ant t'en I pecome as soft ant feeple-hearted as a gal, myself,to see one who smiles so easily mate to shet tears."
"But how did all this end? What can possibly have occurred, to causethis great change in your own wishes?"
"Tis not so much my wishes t'at be changet, Mortaunt, ast my opinion. Ifa poty coult haf t'ings just as he wishet, lat, Dus ant you shoult peman ant wife, so far as it tepentet on me, pefore t'e week ist out. Put,we are not our own masters, nor t'e masters of what ist to happen to ournephews and nieces, any more t'an we are masters of what ist to happento ourselves. Put, I wilt tell you just how it happenet. One tay, as Iwast talking to t'e gal in t'e
olt way, she listenet to all I hat to saymore seriously t'an ast common, ant when she answeret, it wast much int'is manner: 'I t'ank you from t'e pottom of my heart, uncleChainpearer,' she sait, 'not only for all t'at you haf tone for me, t'eorphan da'ghter of your sister, put for all you wish in my pehalf. Iperceive t'at t'is itee of my marryin' your young frient, Mr. MortauntLittlepage, hast a strong holt on your feelin's, ant it ist time to talkseriously on t'at supject. When you associatet with t'at younggentleman, uncle Chainpearer, you wast Captain Coejemans, of t'e NewYork State line, ant his senior officer, ant it was nat'ral to s'poseyour niece fit to pecome his wife. Put it ist our tuty to look at whatwe now are, ant are likely to remain. Major Littlepage hast a fat'er anta mot'er, I haf he'rt you say, uncle Chainpearer, ant sisters, too; nowmarriage ist a most serious t'ing. It ist to last for life, ant no oneshoult form sich a connection wit'out reflectin' on all its pearin's. Itist hartly possiple t'at people in t'e prosperity ant happiness of t'eseLittlepages woult wish to see an only son, ant t'e heir of t'eir nameant estates, takin' for a wife a gal out of t'e woots; one t'at is notonly a chainpearer's niece, put who hast peen a chainpearer herself, antwho can pring into t'eir family no one t'ing to compensate 'em for t'esacrifice.'"
"And you had the heart to be quiet, Andries, and let Ursula say allthis?"
"Ah! lat, how coult I help it? You woult have tone it yourself,Mortaunt, coult you haf he'rt how prettily she turnet her periots, as Ihef he'rt you call it, and how efery syllaple she sait come from t'eheart. T'en t'e face of t'e gal wast enough to convince me t'at she wastright; she looket so 'arnest, ant sat, ant peautiful, Mortaunt! No, no;when an itee comes into t'e mint, wit' t'e ait of sich worts and looks,my poy, 'tis not an easy matter to get rit of it."
"You do not seriously mean to say, Chainbearer, that you will refuse meDus?"
"Dus will do t'at herself, lat; for she ist still a chainpearer's niece,ant you are still General Littlepage's son ant heir. Try her, ant seewhat she wilt say."
"But I _have_ tried her, as you call it; _have_ told her of my love;_have_ offered her my hand, and----"
"Ant what?"
"Why, she does not answer _me_ as you say she answered _you_."
"Hast t'e gal sait she woult haf you, Mortaunt? Hast she said yes?"
"Conditionally she has. If my grandmother cheerfully consent, and myparents do the same; and my sister Kettletas and her husband, and mylaughing, merry Kate, then Dus will accept me."
"T'is ist strange! Ah! I see how it is; t'e gal has _seen_ you, and peenmuch wit' you, ant talket wit' you, ant sung wit' you, ant laughet wit'you; ant I s'pose, a'ter all, _t'at_ will make a tifference in herjudgment of you. I'm a patchelor, Mortaunt, ant haf no wife, nor anysweetheart, put it ist easy enough to comprehent how all t'ese mattersmust make a fery great tifference. I'm glat, howsefer, t'at t'etifference is not so great as to make t'e gal forget all your frients;for if efery poty consents, ant is cheerful, why t'en my pein' achainbearer, and Dus pein' so poor ant forsaken like, will not pe solikely to be rememperet hereafter, and bring you pitter t'oughts."
"Andries Coejemans, I swear to you, I would rather become your nephew atthis moment, than become the son-in-law of Washington himself, had he adaughter."
"T'at means you'd rat'er haf Dus, t'an any ot'er gal of youracquaintance. T'at's nat'ral enough, and may make me look like hisexcellency, for a time, in your eyes; put when you come to t'ink andfeel more coolly, my tear poy, t'ere ist t'e tanger t'at you wilt seesome tifference petween t'e captain-general and commanter-in-chief ofall t'e American armies, and a poor chainpearer, who in his pest tayswas nut'in' more t'an a captain in t'e New York line. I know you lofeme, Mortaunt; put t'ere ist tanger t'at it might not pe exactly an uncleand nephew's love in t'e long run. I am only a poor Tutchman, when allis sait, wit'out much etication, ant wit' no money, ant not much moremanners; while you've peen to college, and pe college l'arn't, ant pe asgay ant gallant a spark as can pe fount in t'e States, as we call t'eolt colonies now. Wast you a Yankee, Mortaunt, I'd see you marriet, andunmarriet twenty times, pefore I'd own as much as t'is; put a man may pesensible of his ignorance, ant pat etication, and weaknesses, wit'outwishin' to pe tolt of it to his face, and laughed at apout it, py eferyA B C scholar t'at comes out of New Englant. No, no--I'm a poorTutchman, I know; ant a poty may say as much to a frient, when he woulttie pefore he woult own t'ere wast any t'ing poor apout it to an inimy."
"I would gladly pursue this discourse, Andries, and bring it to a happytermination," I answered; "but here come the squatters in a body, and Isuppose some movement or proposal is in the wind. We will defer ourmatter, then; you remembering that I agree to none of your opinions ordecisions. Dus is to be mine, if indeed we can protect her against thegrasp of these wretches. I have something to say on that subject, too;but this is not the moment to utter it."
Chainbearer seized my hand, and gave it a friendly pressure, whichterminated the discourse. On the subject of the intentions ofThousandacres toward Dus, I was now not altogether free from uneasiness;though the tumult of rapturous feeling through which I had just passeddrove it temporarily from my mind. I had no apprehensions that UrsulaMalbone would ever be induced, by ordinary means, to become the wife ofZephaniah; but I trembled as to what might be the influence of menacesagainst her uncle and myself. Nor was I altogether easy on the score ofthe carrying out of those menaces. It often happens with crime, as inthe commission of ordinary sins, that men are impelled by circumstances,which drive them to deeds from which they would have recoiled in horror,had the consummation been directly presented to their minds, without theintervention of any mediate causes. But the crisis was evidentlyapproaching, and I waited with as much calmness as I could assume forits development. As for Chainbearer, being still ignorant of theconversation I had overheard in the mill, he had no apprehensions ofevil from the source of my greatest dread.
The day had advanced, all this time, and the sun had set, and night wasclose upon us, as Tobit and his brethren came to the door of our prison,and called upon Chainbearer and myself to come forth, leaving Susquesusbehind. We obeyed with alacrity; for there was a species of liberty inbeing outside of those logs, with my limbs unfettered, though a vigilantwatch was kept over us both. On each side of me walked an armed man, andChainbearer was honored with a similar guard. For all this, old Andriescared but little. He knew and I knew that the time could not be verydistant when we might expect to hear from Frank Malbone; and everyminute that went by added to our confidence in this respect.
We were about half-way between the storehouse and the dwelling ofThousandacres, toward which our steps were directed, when Andriessuddenly stopped, and asked leave to say a word to me in private. Tobitwas at a loss how to take this request; but, there being an evidentdesire to keep on reasonably good terms with Chainbearer, after a shortpause he consented to form an extended ring with his brothers, leavingme and my old friend in its centre.
"I'll tell you what I t'ink atvisaple in t'is matter," commencedAndries, in a sort of whisper. "It cannot pe long afore Malpone will bepack wit' t'e posse ant constaples, ant so fort'; now, if we tell t'eserapscallions t'at we want taylight to meet our inimies in, ant t'at wehaf no stomach for nightwork, perhaps t'ey'll carry us pack to jail, antso gif more time to Frank to get here."
"It will be much better, Chainbearer, to prolong our interview withthese squatters, so that you and I may be at large, or at least not shutup in the storehouse, when Malbone makes his appearance. In theconfusion we may even escape and join our friends, which will be athousand times better than to be found within four walls."
Andries nodded his head, in sign of acquiescence, and thenceforth heseemed to aim at drawing things out, in order to gain time, instead ofbringing them to a speedy conclusion. As soon as our discourse wasended, the young men closed round us again, and we moved on in a body.
Darkness being so close upon us, Thousandacres had determined to holdhis court, this time, within the house, having a care to a sufficientwatchfulness about the
door. There is little variation in the internaldistribution of the room of what may be called an American cottage.About two-thirds of the space is given to the principal apartment, whichcontains the fireplace,[18] and is used for all the purposes of kitchenand sitting-room, while the rest of the building is partitioned intothree several subdivisions. One of these subdivisions is commonly asmall bedroom; another is the buttery, and the third holds the stairs,or ladders, by which to ascend to the loft, or to descend to the cellar.Such was the arrangement of the dwelling of Thousandacres, and such isthe arrangement in thousands of other similar buildings throughout theland. The thriving husbandman is seldom long contented, however, withsuch narrow and humble accommodations; but the framed house, of twostories in height, and with five windows in front, usually soon succeedsthis cottage, in his case. It is rare, indeed, that any American privateedifice has more than five windows in front, the few exceptions which doexist to the rule being residences of mark, and the supernumerarywindows are generally to be found in wings. Some of our old, solid,substantial, stone country houses occasionally stretch themselves out toeight or nine apertures of this sort, but they are rare. I cannot gossiphere, however, about country houses and windows, when I have matters sograve before me to relate.
[Footnote 18: At the present day, the cooking-stove has nearlysuperseded the open fireplace.]
In the forest, and especially in the newer portions of New York, theevenings are apt to be cool, even in the warm months. That memorablenight, I well remember, had a sharpness about it that threatened even afrost, and Prudence had lighted a fire on the yawning hearth of her rudechimney. By the cheerful blaze of that fire, which was renewed from timeto time by dried brush, the American frontier substitute for the fagot,were the scenes I am about to mention enacted.
We found all the males, and several of the females, assembled in thelarge apartment of the building I have described, when Chainbearer andmyself entered. The wife of Tobit, with one or two of the sisterhood,however, were absent; doubtless in attendance on Dus Lowiny, I remarked,stood quite near the fire, and the countenance of the girl seemed to meto be saddened and thoughtful. I trust I shall not be accused of being acoxcomb, if I add that the idea crossed my mind that the appearance andmanners of a youth so much superior to those with whom she wasaccustomed to associate had made a slight impression on this girl's--Iwill not say heart, for imagination would be the better word--and hadawakened sympathies that manifested themselves in her previous conduct;while the shade that was now cast across her brow came quite as muchfrom the scene she had witnessed between myself and Dus, near the rock,as from seeing me again a prisoner. The friendship of this girl mightstill be of importance to me, and still more so to Ursula, and I willacknowledge that the apprehension of losing it was far from pleasant. Icould only wait for the developments of time however, in order to reachany certainty on this, as well as on other most interesting topics.
Thousandacres had the civility to order us chairs, and we took our seatsaccordingly. On looking round the grave and attentive circle, I couldtrace no new signs of hostility; but, on the contrary, the countenancesof all seemed more pacific than they were when we parted. I consideredthis as an omen that I and my friend should receive some propositionsthat tended toward peace. In this I was not mistaken; the first wordsthat were uttered having that character.
"It's time this matter atween us, Chainbearer," commenced Thousandacreshimself, "should be brought to suthin' like an eend. It keeps the b'ysfrom their lumberin', and upsets my whull family. I call myself areasonable man; and be as ready to settle a difficulty on asaccommodatin' tarms as any parson you'll find by lookin' up and down theland. Many _is_ the difficulty that I've settled in my day; and I'm nottoo old to settle 'em now. Sometimes I've fit out, when I've fell inwith an obstinate fellow; sometimes I've left it out to men; andsometimes I've settled matters myself. No man can say he ever know'd merefuse to hearken to reason, or know'd me to gi'n up a just cause, solong as there was a morsel of a chance to defend it. When overpowered bynumbers, and look'd down by your accursed law, as you call it, I'll ownthat, once or twice in my time, when young and inexper'enced, I did getthe worst of it; and so was obliged to sort o' run away. But use makesparfect. I've seen so much, by seventy odd, as to have l'arnt to taketime by the forelock, and don't practyse delays in business. I look uponyou, Chainbearer, as a man much like myself, reasonable, exper'enced,and willin' to accommodate. I see no great difficulty, therefore, insettlin' this matter on the spot, so as to have no more hard feelin's orhot words atween us. Sich be my notions; and I should like to hearyour'n."
"Since you speak to me, T'ousantacres, in so polite and civil a manner,I'm reaty to hear you, ant to answer in t'e same temper," returned oldAndries, his countenance losing much of the determined and angryexpression with which he had taken his seat in the circle. "T'ere istnuttin' t'at more pecomes a man t'an moteration; ant an olt man inpartic'lar. I do not t'ink, however, t'at t'ere ist much resemplancepetween you ant me, T'ousantacres, in any one t'ing, except it pe in oltage. We're pot' of us pretty well atvancet, ant haf reachet a time oflife when it pehooves a man to examine ant reflect on t'e great trut'st'at are to pe fount in his piple. T'e piple ist a pook, Aaron, t'at istnot enough re't in t'e woots; t'ough Almighty Got hast all t'e samerights to t'e sacrifices ant worship of his creatures in t'e forest, asto t'e worship and sacrifices of his creatures in t'e settlements. I'mnot a tellin' you t'is, T'ousantacres, py way of showin' off my ownl'arnin'; for all I know on the supject, myself, I haf got from Dus, myniece, who ist as goot, ant as willin', ant as hanty in explainin' sichmatters, as any tominie I ever talket wit'. I wish you would listen toher, yourself; you and Prutence; when I t'ink you woult allow t'at hertiscourse ist fery etifyin' ant improfin'. Now you seem in t'e righttemper, ist a goot time to pe penefitet in t'at way; for t'ey tell me myniece ist here, ant at hant."
"She is; and I rej'ice that you have brought her name into the discourseso 'arly; as it was my design to mention it myself. I see we think alikeabout the young woman, Chainbearer, and trust and believe she'll be themeans of reconciling all parties, and of making us good fri'nds. I'vesent for the gal; and she'll soon be coming along, with Tobit's wife,who sets by her wonderfully already."
"Well, talkin' of wonterful t'ings, wonters wilt never cease, I dopelieve!" Chainbearer exclaimed, for he really believed that the familyof the squatter was taken suddenly with a "religious turn," and thatsomething like a conversion was about to occur. "Yes, yes; it ist so; wemeet wit' wonters when we least expect 'em; and t'at it is t'at makeswonters so wonterful!"