rolf in the woods-第53章

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as　she　cried：　〃My　boy；　my　boy；　my　darling　boy！　how　well　you　look。

Oh；　why　didn't　you　write？　But；　thank　God；　you　are　back　again；　and

looking　so　healthy　and　strong。　I　know　you　took　your　squills　and

opodeldoc。　Thank　God　for　that！　Oh；　I'm　so　happy！　my　boy；　my　boy！

There's　nothing　like　squills　and　God's　blessing。〃



Rolf　and　Quonab　were　made　to　feel　that　they　had　a　part　in　it　all。

The　governor　shook　them　warmly　by　the　hand；　and　then　a　friendly

voice　was　heard：　〃Wall；　boy；　here　ye　air　agin；　growed　a　little；

settin'　up　and　sassin'　back；　same　as　ever。〃　Rolf　turned　to　see

the　gigantic；　angular　form　and　kindly　face　of　grizzly　old　Si

Sylvanne　and　was　still　more　surprised　to　hear　him　addressed

〃senator。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　senator；　〃one　o'　them　freak　elections　that

sometimes　hits　right；　great　luck　for　Albany；　wa'nt　it？〃



〃Ho；〃　said　Quonab；　shaking　the　senator's　hand；　while　Skookum

looked　puzzled　and　depressed。



〃Now；　remember；〃　said　the　governor；　addressing　the　Indian；　the

lad；　and　the　senator；　〃we　expect　you　to　dine　tonight　at　the

mansion；　seven　o'clock。〃



Then　the　terror　of　the　dragon　conventionality；　that　guards　the

gate　and　hovers　over　the　feast；　loomed　up　in　Rolf's　imagination。

He　sought　a　private　word　with　Van。　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　no　fit

clothes；　I　shan't　know　how　to　behave；〃　he　said。



〃Then　I'll　show　you。　The　first　thing　is　to　be　perfectly　clean　and

get　a　shave；　put　on　the　best　clothes　you　have；　and　be　sure

they're　clean；　then　you　come　at　exactly　seven　o'clock；　knowing

that　every　one　is　going　to　be　kind　to　you　and　you're　bound　to

have　a　good　time。　As　to　any　other　'funny…do'　you　watch　me；　and

you'll　have　no　trouble。〃



So　when　the　seven　o'clock　assemblage　came；　and　guests　were

ascending　the　steps　of　the　governor's　mansion；　there　also　mounted

a　tall；　slim　youth；　an　easy…pacing　Indian；　and　a　prick…eared；

yellow　dog。　Young　Van　Cortlandt　was　near　the　door；　on　watch　to

save　them　any　embarrassment。　But　what　a　swell　he　looked；

cleanshaven；　ruddy；　tall；　and　handsome　in　the　uniform　of　an

American　captain；　surrounded　by　friends　and　immensely　popular。

How　different　it　all　was　from　that　lonely　cabin　by　the　lake。



A　butler　who　tried　to　remove　Skookum　was　saved　from　mutilation　by

the　intervention　first　of　Quonab　and　next　of　Van；　and　when　they

sat　down；　this　uncompromising　four…　legged　child　of　the　forest

ensconced　himself　under　Quonab's　chair　and　growled　whenever　the

silk　stockings　of　the　footman　seemed　to　approach　beyond　the　line

of　true　respect。



Young　Van　Cortlandt　was　chief　talker　at　the　dinner；　but　a　pompous

military　man　was　prominent　in　the　company。　Once　or　twice　Rolf　was

addressed　by　the　governor　or　Lady　Van　Cortlandt；　and　had　to　speak

to　the　whole　table；　his　cheeks　were　crimson；　but　he　knew　what　he

wanted　to　say　and　stopped　when　it　was　said；　so　suffered　no　real

embarrassment。



After　what　seemed　an　interminable　feast　of　countless　dishes　and

hours'　duration；　an　extraordinary　change　set　in。　Led　by　the

hostess；　all　stood　up；　the　chairs　were　lifted　out　of　their　way；

and　the　ladies　trooped　into　another　room；　the　doors　were　closed；

and　the　men　sat　down　again　at　the　end　next　the　governor。



Van　stayed　by　Rolf　and　explained：　〃This　is　another　social　custom

that　began　with　a　different　meaning。　One　hundred　years　ago；　every

man　got　drunk　at　every　formal　dinner；　and　carried　on　in　a　way

that　the　ladies　did　not　care　to　see；　so　to　save　their　own

feelings　and　give　the　men　a　free　rein；　the　ladies　withdrew。

Nowadays；　men　are　not　supposed　to　indulge　in　any　such　orgy；　but

the　custom　continues；　because　it　gives　the　men　a　chance　to　smoke；

and　the　ladies　a　chance　to　discuss　matters　that　do　not　interest

the　men。　So　again　you　see　it　is　backed　by　common　sense。〃



This　proved　the　best　part　of　the　dinner　to　Rolf。　There　was　a

peculiar　sense　of　over…politeness；　of　insincerity；　almost；　while

the　ladies　were　present；　the　most　of　the　talking　had　been　done　by

young　Van　Cortlandt　and　certain　young　ladies；　assisted　by　some

very　gay　young　men　and　the　general。　Their　chatter　was　funny；　but

nothing　more。　Now　a　different　air　was　on　the　group；　different

subjects　were　discussed；　and　by　different　men；　in　a　totally

different　manner。



〃We've　stood　just　about　all　we　can　stand；〃　said　the　governor；

alluding　to　an　incident　newly　told；　of　a　British　frigate　boarding

an　American　merchant　vessel　by　force　and　carrying　off　half　her

crew；　under　presence　that　they　were　British　seamen　in　disguise。

〃That's　been　going　on　for　three　years　now。　It's　either　piracy　or

war；　and；　in　either　case；　it's　our　duty　to　fight。〃



〃Jersey's　dead　against　war；〃　said　a　legislator　from　down　the　river。



〃Jersey　always　was　dead　against　everything　that　was　for　the

national　good；　sir；〃　said　a　red…faced；　puffy；　military　man；　with

a　husky　voice；　a　rolling　eye；　and　a　way　of　ending　every　sentence

in　〃sir。〃



〃So　is　Connecticut；〃　said　another；　〃they　say；　'Look　at　all　our

defenceless　coasts　and　harbour　towns。'〃



〃They're　not　risking　as　much　as　New　York；〃　answered　the

governor；〃　with　her　harbours　all　the　way　up　the　Hudson　and　her

back　door　open　to　invasion　from　Canada。〃



〃Fortunately；　sir；　Pennyslvania；　Maryland；　and　the　West　have　not

forgotten　the　glories　of　the　past。　All　I　ask　　is　a　chance　to

show　what　we　can　do；　sir。　I　long　for　the　smell　of　powder　once

more；　sir。〃



〃I　understand　that　President　Madison　has　sent　several　protests；

and；　in　spite　of　Connecticut　and　New　Jersey；　will　send　an

ultimatum　within　three　months。　He　believes　that　Britain　has　all

she　can　manage；　with　Napoleon　and　his　allies　battering　at　her

doors；　and　will　not　risk　a　war。



〃It's　my　opinion；〃　said　Sylvanne；　〃that　these　English　men　is　too

pig…headed　an'　ornery　to　care　a　whoop　in　hell　whether　we　get　mad

or　not。　They've　a　notion　Paul　Jones　is　dead；　but　I　reckon　we've

got　plenty　of　the　breed　only　waitin'　a　chance。　Mor'n　twenty…five

of　our　merchantmen　wrecked　each　year　through　being　stripped　of

their　crews　by　a　'friendly　power。'　'Pears　to　me　we　couldn't　be

worse　off　going　to　war；　an'　might　be　a　dum　sight　better。〃



〃Your　home　an'　holdings　are　three　hundred　safe　miles　from　the

seacoast；〃　objected　the　man　from　Manhattan。



〃Yes；　and　right　next　Canada；〃　was　the　reply。



〃The　continued　insults　to　our　flag；　sir；　and　the　personal

indignities　offered　to　our　people　are　even　worse　than　the　actual

loss　in　ships　and　goods。　It　makes　my　blood　fairly　boil；〃　and　the

worthy　general　looked　the　part　as　his　purple　jowl　quivered　over

his　white　cravat。



〃Gosh　all　hemlock！　the　one　pricks；　but　t'other　festers。　it's

tarnal　sure　you　steal　a　man's　dinner　and　tell　him　he's　one　o'

nature's　noblemen；　he's　more　apt　to　love　you　than　if　you　give　him

five　dollars　to　keep　out　o'　your　sight；〃　said　Sylvanne；　with　slow

emphasis。



〃There's　something　to　be　said　on　the　other　side；〃　said　the　timid

one。　〃You　surely　allow　that　the　British　government　is　trying　to

do　right；　and　after　all　we　must　admit　that　that　Jilson　affair

resected　very　little　credit　on　our　own　administration。〃



〃A　man　ken　make　one　awful　big　mistake　an'　still　be　all　right；　but

he　can't　go　on　making　a　little　mistake　every　day　right　along　an'

be　fit　company　for　a　clean　crowd；〃　retorted　the　new　senator。



At　length　the　governor　rose　and　led　the　way　to　the　drawing…room；

where　they　rejoined　the　ladies　and　the　conversation　took　on　a

different　colour　and　weight；　by　which　it　lost　all　value　for　those

who　knew　not　the　art　of　twittering　persiflage　and　found　less　joy

in　a　handkerchief　flirtation　than　in　the　nation's　onward　march。

Rolf　and　Quonab　enjoyed　it　now　about　as　much　as　Skookum　had　done

all　the　time。







Chapter　65。　The　Grebes　and　the　Singing　Mouse



Quonab　puzzled　long　over　the　amazing　fact　that　young　Van

Cortlandt　had　evident　high　standing　〃in　his　own　tribe。〃　〃He　must

be　a　wise　counsellor；　for　I　know　he　cannot　fight　and　is　a　fool　at

hunting；〃　was　the　ultimate　decision。



The