to have and to hold-第23章

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　have　a　sally　party　ready。　Forward；　men！〃

〃One　moment；　Captain　Percy；〃　said　Rolfe。　〃Chanco；　where's　the　Emperor？〃

〃Five　suns　ago　he　was　with　the　priests　at　Uttamussac；〃　answered　the　Indian。　〃Yesterday；　at　the　full　sun　power；　he　was　in　the　lodge　of　the　werowance　of　the　Chickahominies。　He　feasts　there　still。　The　Chickahominies　and　the　Powhatans　have　buried　the　hatchet。〃

〃I　regret　to　hear　it；〃　I　remarked。　〃Whilst　they　took　each　other's　scalps；　mine　own　felt　the　safer。〃

〃I　advise　going　direct　to　Opechancanough；〃　said　Rolfe。

〃Since　he's　only　a　league　away；　so　do　I；〃　I　answered。

We　left　the　block　house　and　the　clearing　around　it；　and　plunged　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　In　these　virgin　woods　the　trees　are　set　well　apart；　though　linked　one　to　the　other　by　the　omnipresent　grape；　and　there　is　little　undergrowth；　so　that　we　were　able　to　make　good　speed。　Rolfe　and　I　rode　well　in　front　of　our　men。　By　now　the　sun　was　shining　through　the　lower　branches　of　the　trees；　and　the　mist　was　fast　vanishing。　The　forest　…　around　us；　above　us；　and　under　the　hoofs　of　the　horses　where　the　fallen　leaves　lay　thick　…　was　as　yellow　as　gold　and　as　red　as　blood。

〃Rolfe；〃　I　asked；　breaking　a　long　silence；　〃do　you　credit　what　the　Indians　say　of　Opechancanough？〃

〃That　he　was　brother　to　Powhatan　only　by　adoption？〃

〃That；　fleeing　for　his　life；　he　came　to　Virginia；　years　and　years　ago；　from　some　mysterious　land　far　to　the　south　and　west？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　replied　thoughtfully。　〃He　is　like；　and　yet　not　like；　the　people　whom　he　rules。　In　his　eye　there　is　the　authority　of　mind；　his　features　are　of　a　nobler　cast　〃　…

〃And　his　heart　is　of　a　darker；〃　I　said。　〃It　is　a　strange　and　subtle　savage。〃

〃Strange　enough　and　subtle　enough；　I　admit；〃　he　answered；　〃though　I　believe　not　with　you　that　his　friendliness　toward　us　is　but　a　mask。〃

〃Believe　it　or　not；　it　is　so；〃　I　said。　〃That　dark；　　cold；　still　face　is　a　mask；　and　that　simple…seeming　amazement　at　horses　and　armor；　guns　and　blue　beads；　is　a　mask。　It　is　in　my　mind　that　some　fair　day　the　mask　will　be　dropped。　Here's　the　village。〃

Until　our　interview　with　Chanco　the　Christian；　the　village　of　the　Paspaheghs；　and　not　the　village　of　the　Chickahominies；　had　been　our　destination；　and　since　leaving　the　block　house　we　had　made　good　speed；　but　now；　within　the　usual　girdle　of　mulberries；　we　were　met　by　the　werowance　and　his　chief　men　with　the　customary　savage　ceremonies。　We　had　long　since　come　to　the　conclusion　that　the　birds　of　the　air　and　the　fish　of　the　streams　were　Mercuries　to　the　Indians。

The　werowance　received　us　in　due　form；　with　presents　of　fish　and　venison；　cakes　of　chinquapin　meal　and　gourds　of　pohickory；　an　uncouth　dance　by　twelve　of　his　young　men　and　a　deal　of　hellish　noise；　then；　at　our　command；　led　us　into　the　village；　and　to　the　lodge　which　marked　its　centre。　Around　it　were　gathered　Opechancanough's　own　warriors；　men　from　Orapax　and　Uttamussac　and　Werowocomoco；　chosen　for　their　strength　and　cunning；　while　upon　the　grass　beneath　a　blood…red　gum　tree　sat　his　wives；　painted　and　tattooed；　with　great　strings　of　pearl　and　copper　about　their　necks。　Beyond　them　were　the　women　and　children　of　the　Chickahominies；　and　around　us　all　the　red　forest。

The　mat　that　hung　before　the　door　of　the　lodge　was　lifted；　and　an　Indian；　emerging；　came　forward；　with　a　gesture　of　welcome。　It　was　Nantauquas；　the　Lady　Rebekah's　brother；　and　the　one　Indian　…　saving　always　his　dead　sister　…　that　was　ever　to　my　liking；　a　savage；　indeed；　but　a　savage　as　brave　and　chivalrous；　as　courteous　and　truthful；　as　a　Christian　knight。

Rolfe　sprang　from　his　horse；　and　advancing　to　meet　the　young　chief　embraced　him。　Nantauquas　had　been　much　with　his　sister　during　those　her　happy　days　at　Varina；　before　she　went　with　Rolfe　that　ill…fated　voyage　to　England；　and　Rolfe　loved　him　for　her　sake　and　for　his　own。　〃I　thought　you　at　Orapax；　Nantauquas！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃I　was　there；　my　brother；〃　said　the　Indian；　and　his　voice　was　sweet；　deep；　and　grave；　like　that　of　his　sister。　〃But　Opechancanough　would　go　to　Uttamussac；　to　the　temple　and　the　dead　kings。　I　lead　his　war　parties　now；　and　I　came　with　him。　Opechancanough　is　within　the　lodge。　He　asks　that　my　brother　and　Captain　Percy　come　to　him　there。〃

He　lifted　the　mat　for　us；　and　followed　us　into　the　lodge。　There　was　the　usual　winding　entrance；　with　half　a　dozen　mats　to　be　lifted　one　after　the　other；　but　at　last　we　came　to　the　central　chamber　and　to　the　man　we　sought。

He　sat　beside　a　small　fire　burning　redly　in　the　twilight　of　the　room。　The　light　shone　now　upon　the　feathers　in　his　scalp　lock；　now　upon　the　triple　row　of　pearls　around　his　neck；　now　upon　knife　and　tomahawk　in　his　silk　grass　belt；　now　on　the　otterskin　mantle　hanging　from　his　shoulder　and　drawn　across　his　knees。　How　old　he　was　no　man　knew。　Men　said　that　he　was　older　than　Powhatan；　and　Powhatan　was　very　old　when　he　died。　But　he　looked　a　man　in　the　prime　of　life；　his　frame　was　vigorous；　his　skin　unwrinkled；　his　eyes　bright　and　full。　When　he　rose　to　welcome　us；　and　Nantauquas　stood　beside　him；　there　seemed　not　a　score　of　years　between　them。

The　matter　upon　which　we　had　come　was　not　one　that　brooked　delay。　We　waited　with　what　patience　　we　might　until　his　long　speech　of　welcome　was　finished；　when；　in　as　few　words　as　possible；　Rolfe　laid　before　him　our　complaint　against　the　Paspaheghs。　The　Indian　listened；　then　said；　in　that　voice　that　always　made　me　think　of　some　cold；　still；　bottomless　pool　lying　black　beneath　overhanging　rocks：　〃My　brothers　may　go　in　peace。　The　Paspaheghs　have　washed　off　the　black　paint。　If　my　brothers　go　to　the　village；　they　will　find　the　peace　pipe　ready　for　their　smoking。〃

Rolfe　and　I　stared　at　each　other。　〃I　have　sent　messengers；〃　continued　the　Emperor。　〃I　have　told　the　Paspaheghs　of　my　love　for　the　white　man；　and　of　the　goodwill　the　white　man　bears　the　Indian。　I　have　told　them　that　Nemattanow　was　a　murderer；　and　that　his　death　was　just。　They　are　satisfied。　Their　village　is　as　still　as　this　beast　at　my　feet。〃　He　pointed　downward　to　a　tame　panther　crouched　against　his　moccasins。　I　thought　it　an　ominous　comparison。

Involuntarily　we　looked　at　Nantauquas。　〃It　is　true；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　but　come　from　the　village　of　the　Paspaheghs。　I　took　them　the　word　of　Opechancanough。〃

〃Then；　since　the　matter　is　settled；　we　may　go　home；〃　I　remarked；　rising　as　I　spoke。　〃We　could；　of　course；　have　put　down　the　Paspaheghs　with　one　hand；　giving　them　besides　a　lesson　which　they　would　not　soon　forget；　but　in　the　kindness　of　our　hearts　toward　them　and　to　save　ourselves　trouble　we　came　to　Opechancanough。　For　his　aid　in　this　trifling　business　the　Governor　gives　him　thanks。〃

A　smile　just　lit　the　features　of　the　Indian。　It　was　gone　in　a　moment。　〃Does　not　Opechancanough　love　the　white　men？〃　he　said。　〃Some　day　he　will　do　more　than　this　for　them。〃

We　left　the　lodge　and　the　dark　Emperor　within　it；　got　to　horse；　and　quitted　the　village；　with　its　painted　people；　yellowing　mulberries；　and　blood…red　gum　trees。　Nantauquas　went　with　us；　keeping　pace　with　Rolfe's　horse；　and　giving　us　now　and　then；　in　his　deep　musical　voice；　this　or　that　bit　of　woodland　news。　At　the　block　house　we　found　confirmation　of　the　Emperor's　statement。　An　embassy　from　the　Paspaheghs　had　come　with　presents；　and　the　peace　pipe　had　been　smoked。　The　spies；　too；　brought　news　that　all　war…like　preparations　had　ceased　in　the　village。　It　had　sunk　once　more　into　a　quietude　befitting　the　sleepy；　dreamy；　hazy　weather。

Rolfe　and　I　held　a　short　consultation。　All　appeared　safe；　but　there　was　the　possibility　of　a　ruse。　At　the　last　it　seemed　best　that　he；　who　by　virtue　of　his　peculiar　relations　with　the　Indians　was　ever　our　negotiator；　should　remain　with　half　our　troop　at　the　block　house；　while　I　reported　to　the　Governor。　So　I　left　him；　and　Nantauquas　with　him；　and　rode　back　to　Jamestown；　reaching　the　town　some　hours　sooner　than　I　was　expected。

It　was　after　nooning　when　I　passed　through　the　gates　of　the　palisade；　and　an　hour　later　when　I　finished　my　report　to　the　Governor。　When　he　at　last　dismissed　me；　I　rode　quickly　down　the　street　toward　the　minister's　house。　As　I　passed　the　guest　house；　I　glanced　up　at　the　window　from　which；　at　daybreak；　the　Italian　had　looked