rolf in the woods-第11章

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'yap；'　they　carried　the　victim's　body　to　camp；　the　head；　still

dutching　the　stick；　was　decorated　with　three　feathers；　then　set

on　a　pole　near　the　wigwam。　　And　the　burden　of　the　red　man's　song

when　next　he　sang　was：



〃Bosikado；　mine　enemy　was　mighty；　But　I　went　into　his　country　And

made　him　afraid！〃







Chapter　14。　Selectman　Horton　Appears　at　the　Rock



Summer　was　at　its　height　on　the　Asamuk。　　The　woodthrush　was

nearing　the　end　of　its　song；　a　vast　concourse　of　young　robins　in

their　speckled　plumage　joined　chattering　every　night　in　the

thickest　cedars；　and　one　or　two　broods　of　young　ducks　were　seen

on　the　Pipestave　Pond。



Rolf　had　grown　wonderfully　well　into　his　wigwam　life。　He　knew　now

exactly　how　to　set　the　flap　so　as　to　draw　out　all　the　smoke；　no

matter　which　way　the　wind　blew；　he　had　learned　the　sunset　signs；

which　tell　what　change　of　wind　the　night　might　bring。　　He　knew

without　going　to　the　shore　whether　the　tide　was　a　little　ebb；

with　poor　chances；　or　a　mighty　outflow　that　would　expose　the

fattest　oyster　beds。　　His　practiced　fingers　told　at　a　touch

whether　it　was　a　turtle　or　a　big　fish　on　his　night　line；　and　by

the　tone　of　the　tom…tom　he　knew　when　a　rainstorm　was　at　hand。



Being　trained　in　industry；　he　had　made　many　improvements　in　their

camp；　not　the　least　of　which　was　to　clean　up　and　burn　all　the

rubbish　and　garbage　that　attracted　hordes　of　flies。　　He　had

fitted　into　the　camp　partly　by　changing　it　to　fit　himself；　and　he

no　longer　felt　that　his　stay　there　was　a　temporary　shift。　　When

it　was　to　end；　he　neither　knew　nor　cared。　　He　realized　only　that

he　was　enjoying　life　as　he　never　had　done　before。　　His　canoe　had

passed　a　lot　of　rapids　and　was　now　in　a　steady；　unbroken　stream

　but　it　was　the　swift　shoot　before　the　fall。　A　lull　in　the

clamour　does　not　mean　the　end　of　war；　but　a　new　onset　preparing；

and；　of　course；　it　came　in　the　way　least　looked　for。



Selectman　Horton　stood　well　with　the　community；　he　was　a　man　of

good　judgment；　good　position；　and　kind　heart。　　He　was　owner　of

all　the　woods　along　the　Asamuk；　and　thus　the　Indian's　landlord　on

the　Indian's　ancestral　land。　　Both　Rolf　and　Quonab　had　worked　for

Horton；　and　so　they　knew　him　well；　and　liked　him　for　his

goodness。



It　was　Wednesday　morning；　late　in　July；　when　Selectman　Horton；

clean…shaven　and　large；　appeared　at　the　wigwam　under　the　rock。



〃Good　morrow　to　ye　both！〃　Then　without　wasting　time　he　plunged

in。　　〃There's　been　some　controversy　and　much　criticism　of　the

selectmen　for　allowing　a　white　lad；　the　child　of　Christian

parents；　the　grandson　of　a　clergyman；　to　leave　all　Christian　folk

and　folds；　and　herd　with　a　pagan；　to　become；　as　it　were；　a　mere

barbarian。　　I　hold　not；　indeed；　with　those　that　out　of　hand　would

condemn　as　godless　a　good　fellow　like　Quonab；　who；　in　my　certain

knowledge　and　according　to　his　poor　light；　doth　indeed　maintain

in　some　kind　a　daily　worship　of　a　sort。　　Nevertheless；　the

selectmen；　the　magistrates；　the　clergy；　the　people　generally；　and

above　all　the　Missionary　Society；　are　deeply　moved　in　the　matter。

It　hath　even　been　made　a　personal　charge　against　myself；　and　with

much　bitterness　I　am　held　up　as　unzealous　for　allowing　such　a

nefarious　stronghold　of　Satan　to　continue　on　mine　own　demesne；

and　harbour　one；　escaped；　as　it　were；　from　grace。　　Acting；

therefore；　not　according　to　my　heart；　but　as　spokesman　of　the

Town　Council；　the　Synod　of　Elders；　and　the　Society　for　the

Promulgation　of　Godliness　among　the　Heathen；　I　am　to　state　that

you；　Rolf　Kittering；　being　without　kinsfolk　and　under　age；　are　in

verity　a　ward　of　the　parish；　and　as　such；　it　hath　been　arranged

that　you　become　a　member　of　the　household　of　the　most　worthy

Elder　Ezekiel　Peck；　a　household　filled　with　the　spirit　of

estimable　piety　and　true　doctrine；　a　man；　indeed；　who；

notwithstanding　his　exterior　coldness　and　severity；　is　very　sound

in　all　matters　regarding　the　Communion　of　Saints；　and；　I　may　even

say　in　a　measure　a　man　of　fame　for　some　most　excellent　remarks　he

hath　passed　on　the　shorter　catechism；　beside　which　he　hath　gained

much　approval　for　having　pointed　out　two　hidden　meanings　in　the

27th　verse　of　the　12th　chapter　of　Hebrews；　one　whose　very

presence；　therefore；　is　a　guarantee　against　levity；　laxity；　and

false　preachment。



〃There；　now；　my　good　lad；　look　not　so　like　a　colt　that　feels　the

whip　for　the　first　time。　　You　will　have　a　good　home；　imbued　with

the　spirit　of　a　most　excellent　piety　that　will　be　ever　about

you。〃



〃Like　a　colt　feeling　the　whip；〃　indeed！　　Rolf　reeled　like　a

stricken　deer。　　To　go　back　as　a　chore…boy　drudge　was　possible；

but　not　alluring；　to　leave　Quonab；　just　as　the　wood　world　was

opening　to　him；　was　devastating；　but　to　exchange　it　all　for

bondage　in　the　pious　household　of　Old　Peck；　whose　cold　cruelty

had　driven　off　all　his　own　children；　was　an　accumulation　of

disasters　that　aroused　him。



〃I　won't　go！〃　he　blurted　out；　and　gazed　defiantly　at　the　broad

and　benevolent　selectman。



〃Come　now；　Rolf；　such　language　is　unbecoming。　　Let　not　a　hasty

tongue　betray　you　into　sin。　　This　is　what　your　mother　would　have

wished。　　Be　sensible；　you　will　soon　find　it　was　all　for　the　best。

I　have　ever　liked　you；　and　will　ever　be　a　friend　you　can　count

on。



〃Acting；　not　according　to　my　instructions；　but　according　to　my

heart；　I　will　say　further　that　you　need　not　come　now；　you　need

not　even　give　answer　now；　but　think　it　over。　　Nevertheless；

remember　that　on　or　before　Monday　morning　next；　you　will　be

expected　to　appear　at　Elder　Peck's；　and　I　fear　that；　in　case　you

fail；　the　messenger　next　arriving　will　be　one　much　less　friendly

than　myself。　Come　now；　Rolf；　be　a　good　lad；　and　remember　that　in

your　new　home　you　will　at　least　be　living　for　the　glory　of　God。〃



Then；　with　a　friendly　nod；　but　an　expression　of　sorrow；　the

large；　black　messenger　turned　and　tramped　away。



Rolf　slowly；　limply；　sank　down　on　a　rock　and　stared　at　the　fire。

After　awhile　Quonab　got　up　and　began　to　prepare　the　mid…day　meal。

Usually　Rolf　helped　him。　　Now　he　did　nothing　but　sullenly　glare

at　the　glowing　coals。　　In　half　an　hour　the　food　was　ready。　　He

ate　little；　then　went　away　in　the　woods　by　himself。　　Quonab　saw

him　lying　on　a　flat　rock；　looking　at　the　pond；　and　throwing

pebbles　into　it。　　Later　Quonab　went　to　Myanos。　　On　his　return　he

found　that　Rolf　had　cut　up　a　great　pile　of　wood；　but　not　a　word

passed　between　them。　　The　look　of　sullen　anger　and　rebellion　on

Rolf's　face　was　changing　to　one　of　stony　despair。　　What　was

passing　in　each　mind　the　other　could　not　divine。



The　evening　meal　was　eaten　in　silence；　then　Quonab　smoked　for　an

hour；　both　staring　into　the　fire。　　A　barred　owl　hooted　and

laughed　over　their　heads；　causing　the　dog　to　jump　up　and　bark　at

the　sound　that　ordinarily　he　would　have　heeded　not　at　all。　　Then

silence　was　restored；　and　the　red　man's　hidden　train　of　thought

was　in　a　flash　revealed。



〃Rolf；　let's　go　to　the　North　Woods！〃



It　was　another　astounding　idea。　　Rolf　had　realized　more　and　more

how　much　this　valley　meant　to　Quonab；　who　worshipped　the　memory

of　his　people。



〃And　leave　all　this？〃　he　replied；　making　a　sweep　with　his　hand

toward　the　rock；　the　Indian　trail；　the　site　of　bygone　Petuquapen；

and　the　graves　of　the　tribe。



For　reply　their　eyes　met；　and　from　the　Indian's　deep　chest　came

the　single　word；　〃Ugh。〃　　One　syllable；　deep　and　descending；　but

what　a　tale　it　told　of　the　slowly　engendered　and　strong…grown

partiality；　of　a　struggle　that　had　continued　since　the　morning

when　the　selectman　came　with　words　of　doom；　and　of　friendship's

victory　won。



Rolf　realized　this；　and　it　gave　him　a　momentary　choking　in　his

throat；　and；　〃I'm　ready　if　you　really　mean　it。〃



〃Ugh　I　go；　but　some　day　come　back。〃



There　was　a　long　silence；　then　Rolf；　〃When　shall　we　start？〃　and

the　answer；　〃To…morrow　night；〃







Chapter　15。　Bound　for　the　North　Woods



W