rolf in the woods-第51章

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Rolf。　No　doubt　because　Van　Cortlandt　presented　them　that　way。　And

he　more　than　once　wondered　how　rational　humans　could　waste　their

time　in　such　tomfoolery　and　childish　things　as　all

conventionalities　seemed　to　be。　Van　Cortlandt　smiled　at　his

remarks；　but　made　no　answer　for　long。



One　day；　the　first　after　the　completion　of　Van　Cortlandt's　cabin；

as　the　two　approached；　the　owner　opened　the　door　and　stood　aside

for　Rolf　to　enter。



〃Go　ahead；〃　said　Rolf。



〃After　you；〃　was　the　polite　reply。



〃Oh；　go　on；〃　rejoined　the　lad；　in　mixed　amusement　and　impatience。



Van　Cortlandt　touched　his　hat　and　went　in。



Inside；　Rolf　turned　squarely　and　said：　〃The　other　day　you　said

there　was　a　reason　for　all　kinds　o'　social　tricks；　now　will　you

tell　me　what　the　dickens　is　the　why　of　all　these　funny…　do's？　It

'pears　to　me　a　free…born　American　didn't　ought　to　take　off　his

hat　to　any　one　but　God。〃



Van　Cortlandt　chuckled　softly　and　said：　〃You　may　be　very　sure

that　everything　that　is　done　in　the　way　of　social　usage　is　the

result　of　common…sense；　with　the　exception　of　one　or　two　things

that　have　continued　after　the　reason　for　them　has　passed；　like

the　buttons　you　have　behind　on　your　coat；　they　were　put　there

originally　to　button　the　tails　out　of　the　way　of　your　sword。

Sword　wearing　and　using　have　passed　away；　but　still　you　see　the

buttons。



〃As　to　taking　off　your　hat　to　no　man：　it　depends　entirely　on　what

you　mean　by　it；　and；　being　a　social　custom；　you　must　accept　its

social　meaning。



〃In　the　days　of　knight　errantry；　every　one　meeting　a　stranger　had

to　suppose　him　an　enemy；　ten　to　one　he　was。　And　the　sign　and

proof　of　friendly　intention　was　raising　the　right　hand　without　a

weapon　in　it。　The　hand　was　raised　high；　to　be　seen　as　far　as　they

could　shoot　with　a　bow；　and　a　further　proof　was　added　when　they

raised　the　vizor　and　exposed　the　face。　The　danger　of　the　highway

continued　long　after　knights　ceased　to　wear　armour；　so；　with　the

same　meaning；　the　same　gesture　was　used；　but　with　a　lifting　of

the　hat。　If　a　man　did　not　do　it；　he　was　either　showing　contempt；

or　hostility　for　the　other；　or　proving　himself　an　ignorant　brute。

So；　in　all　civilized　countries；　lifting　the　hat　is　a　sign　of

mutual　confidence　and　respect。〃



〃Well！　that　makes　it　all　look　different。　But　why　should　you　touch

your　hat　when　you　went　ahead　of　me　just　now？〃



〃Because　this　is　my　house；　you　are　my　guest。　I　am　supposed　to

serve　you　in　reasonable　ways　and　give　you　precedence。　Had　I　let

you　open　my　door　for　me；　it　would　have　been　putting　you　in　the

place　of　my　servant；　to　balance　that；　I　give　you　the　sign　of

equality　and　respect。〃



〃H'm；〃　said　Rolf；　〃'it　just　shows；'　as　old　Sylvanne　sez；　'this

yer　steel…trap；　hair…trigger；　cocksure　jedgment　don't　do。　An'　the

more　a　man　learns；　the　less　sure　he　gits。　An'　things　as　hez

lasted　a　long　time　ain't　liable　to　be　on　a　rotten　foundation。'〃







Chapter　62。　The　Charm　of　Song



With　a　regular　tum　ta　tum　ta；　came　a　weird　sound　from　the　sunrise

rock　one　morning；　as　Van　slipped　out　of　his　cabin。



〃Ag…aj…way…o…say

Pem…o…say

Gezhik…om　era…bid　ah…keen

Ena…bid　ah…keen〃



〃What's　he　doing；　Rolf？〃



〃That's　his　sunrise　prayer；〃　was　the　answer。



〃Do　you　know　what　it　means？〃



〃Yes；　it　ain't　much；　jest　'Oh；　thou　that　walkest　in　the　sky　in

the　morning；　I　greet　thee。〃'



〃Why；　I　didn't　know　Indians　had　such　performances；　that's　exactly

like　the　priests　of　Osiris。　Did　any　one　teach　him？　I　mean　any

white　folk。〃



〃No；　it's　always　been　the　Indian　way。　They　have　a　song　or　a

prayer　for　most　every　big　event；　sunrise；　sunset；　moonrise；　good

hunting；　and　another　for　when　they're　sick；　or　when　they're　going

on　a　journey；　or　when　their　heart　is　bad。〃



〃You　astonish　me。　I　had　no　idea　they　were　so　human。　It　carries　me

back　to　the　temple　of　Delphi。　It　is　worthy　of　Cassandra　of　Ilion。

I　supposed　all　Indians　were　just　savage　Indians　that　hunted　till

their　bellies　were　full；　and　slept　till　they　were　empty　again。〃



〃H'm；〃　rejoined　Rolf；　with　a　gentle　laugh。　〃I　see　you　also　have

been　doing　some　'hair…trigger；　steel…trap；　cocksure　jedgin'。'〃



〃I　wonder　if　he'd　like　to　hear　some　of　my　songs？　〃



〃It's　worth　trying；　anyway；　I　would；〃　said　Rolf。




That　night；　by　the　fire；　Van　sang　the　〃Gay　Cavalier；〃　〃The

Hunting　of　John　Peel；〃　and　〃Bonnie　Dundee。〃　He　had　a　fine

baritone　voice。　He　was　most　acceptable　in　the　musical　circles　of

Albany。　Rolf　was　delighted；　Skookum　moaned　sympathetically；　and

Quonab　sat　nor　moved　till　the　music　was　over。　He　said　nothing；

but　Rolf　felt　that　it　was　a　point　gained；　and；　trying　to　follow

it　up；　said：



〃Here's　your　drum；　Quonab；　won't　you　sing　'The　Song　of　the

Wabanaki？'〃　But　it　was　not　well　timed；　and　the　Indian　shook　his

head。



〃Say；　Van；〃　said　Rolf；　（Van　Cortlandt　had　suggested　this

abbreviation）　〃you'll　never　stand　right　with　Quonab　till　you　kill

a　deer。〃



〃I've　done　some　trying。〃



〃Well；　now；　we'll　go　out　to…morrow　evening　and　try　once　more。

What　do　you　think　of　the　weather；　Quonab？　〃



〃Storm　begin　noon　and　last　three　days；〃　was　the　brief　answer；　as

the　red　man　walked　away。



〃That　settles　it；〃　said　Rolf；　〃we　wait。〃



Van　was　surprised；　and　all　the　more　so　when　in　an　hour　the　sky

grew　black　and　heavy　rain　set　in；　with　squalls。



〃How　in　the　name　of　Belshazzar's　weather　bugler　does　he　tell？〃



〃I　guess　you　better　not　ask　him；　if　you　want　to　know。　I'll　find

out　and　tell　you　later。〃



Rolf　learned；　not　easily　or　at　single　talk：



〃Yesterday　the　chipmunks　worked　hard；　to…day　there　are　none　to　be

seen。



〃Yesterday　the　loons　were　wailing；　now　they　are　still；　and　no

small　birds　are　about。



〃Yesterday　it　was　a　yellow　sunrise；　to…day　a　rosy　dawn。



〃Last　night　the　moon　changed　and　had　a　thick　little　ring。



〃It　has　not　rained　for　ten　days；　and　this　is　the　third　day　of

easterly　winds。



〃There　was　no　dew　last　night。　I　saw　Tongue　Mountain　at　daybreak；

my　tom…tom　will　not　sing。



〃The　smoke　went　three　ways　at　dawn；　and　Skookum's　nose　was　hot。〃



So　they　rested；　not　knowing；　but　forced　to　believe；　and　it　was

not　till　the　third　day　that　the　sky　broke；　the　west　wind　began　to

pay　back　its　borrowings　from　the　east；　and　the　saying　was　proved

that　〃three　days'　rain　will　empty　any　sky。〃



That　evening；　after　their　meal；　Rolf　and　Van　launched　the　canoe

and　paddled　down　the　lake。　A　mile　from　camp　they　landed；　for　this

was　a　favourite　deer　run。　Very　soon　Rolf　pointed　to　the　ground。

He　had　found　a　perfectly　fresh　track；　but　Van　seemed　not　to

comprehend。　They　went　along　it；　Rolf　softly　and　silently；　Van

with　his　long　feet　and　legs　making　a　dangerous　amount　of　clatter。

Rolf　turned　and　whispered；　〃That　won't　do。　You　must　not　stand　on

dry　sticks。〃　Van　endeavoured　to　move　more　cautiously　and　thought

he　was　doing　well；　but　Rolf　found　it　very　trying　to　his　patience

and　began　to　understand　how　Quonab　had　felt　about　himself　a　year

ago。　〃See；〃　said　Rolf；　〃lift　your　legs　so；　don't　turn　your　feet

out　that　way。　Look　at　the　place　before　you　put　it　down　again；

feel　with　your　toe　to　make　sure　there　is　no　dead　stick；　then

wriggle　it　down　to　the　solid　ground。　Of　course；　you'd　do　better

in　moccasins。　Never　brush　past　any　branches；　lift　them　aside　and

don't　let　them　scratch；　ease　them　back　to　the　place；　never　try　to

bend　a　dry　branch；　go　around　it；〃　etc。　Van　had　not　thought　of

these　things；　but　now　he　grasped　them　quickly；　and　they　made　a

wonderful　improvement　in　his　way　of　going。



They　came　again　to　the　water's　edge；　across　a　little　bay　Rolf

sighted　at　once　the　form　of　a　buck；　perfectly　still；　gazing　their

way；　wondering；　no　doubt；　what　made　those　noises。



〃Here's　your　chance；〃　he　whispered。



〃Where？〃　was　the　eager　query。



〃There；　see　that　gray　and　white　thing？〃



〃I　can't　see　him。〃



For　five　minutes　Rolf　tried　in　vain　to　make　his　friend　see　that

stat