to have and to hold-第68章

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or　was　ajar；　and　I　pushed　it　open　and　stood　for　a　minute　upon　the　threshold；　unobserved　by　the　occupants　of　the　room。

After　the　darkness　outside　the　lights　dazzled　me；　the　room；　too；　seemed　crowded　with　men；　though　when　I　counted　them　there　were　not　so　many；　after　all。　Supper　had　been　put　upon　the　table；　but　they　were　not　eating。　Before　the　fire；　his　head　thoughtfully　bent；　and　his　fingers　tapping　upon　the　arm　of　his　chair；　sat　the　Governor；　over　against　him；　and　as　serious　of　aspect；　was　the　Treasurer。　West　stood　by　the　mantel；　tugging　at　his　long　mustaches　and　softly　swearing。　　Clayborne　was　in　the　room；　Piersey　the　Cape　Merchant；　and　one　or　two　besides。　And　Rolfe　was　there；　walking　up　and　down　with　hasty　steps；　and　a　flushed　and　haggard　face。　His　suit　of　buff　was　torn　and　stained；　and　his　great…boots　were　spattered　with　mud。

The　Governor　let　his　fingers　rest　upon　the　arm　of　his　chair；　and　raised　his　head。

〃He　is　dead；　Master　Rolfe；〃　he　said。　〃There　can　be　no　other　conclusion；　…　a　brave　man　lost　to　you　and　to　the　colony。　We　mourn　with　you；　sir。〃

〃We　too　have　searched；　Jack；〃　put　in　West。　〃We　have　not　been　idle；　though　well…nigh　all　men　believe　that　the　Indians；　who　we　know　had　a　grudge　against　him；　murdered　him　and　his　man　that　night；　then　threw　their　bodies　into　the　river；　and　themselves　made　off　out　of　our　reach。　But　we　hoped　against　hope　that　when　your　party　returned　he　would　be　in　your　midst。〃

〃As　for　this　latest　loss；〃　continued　the　Governor；　〃within　an　hour　of　its　discovery　this　morning　search　parties　were　out；　yea；　if　I　had　allowed　it；　the　whole　town　would　have　betaken　itself　to　the　woods。　The　searchers　have　not　returned；　and　we　are　gravely　anxious。　Yet　we　are　not　utterly　cast　down。　This　trail　can　hardly　be　missed；　and　the　Indians　are　friendly。　There　were　a　number　in　town　overnight；　and　they　went　with　the　searchers；　volunteering　to　act　as　their　guides。　We　cannot　but　think　that　of　this　load；　our　hearts　will　soon　be　eased。〃

〃God　grant　it！〃　groaned　Rolfe。　〃I　will　drink　but　a　cup　of　wine；　sir；　and　then　will　be　gone　upon　this　new　quest。〃

There　was　a　movement　in　the　room。　〃You　are　worn　and　spent　with　your　fruitless　travel；　sir；〃　said　the　Governor　kindly。　〃I　give　you　my　word　that　all　　that　can　be　done　is　doing。　Wait　at　least　for　the　morning；　and　the　good　news　it　may　bring。〃

The　other　shook　his　head。　〃I　will　go　now。　I　could　not　look　my　friend　in　the　face　else　…　God　in　heaven！〃

The　Governor　sprang　to　his　feet；　through　the　Treasurer's　lips　came　a　long；　sighing　breath；　West's　dark　face　was　ashen。　I　came　forward　to　the　table；　and　leaned　my　weight　upon　it；　for　all　the　waves　of　the　sea　were　roaring　in　my　ears；　and　the　lights　were　going　up　and　down。

〃Are　you　man　or　spirit？〃　cried　Rolfe　through　white　lips。　〃Are　you　Ralph　Percy？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　Percy；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　not　well　understood　what　quest　you　would　go　upon；　Rolfe；　but　you　cannot　go　to…night。　And　those　parties　that　your　Honor　talked　of；　that　have　gone　with　Indians　to　guide　them　to　look　for　some　lost　person；　…　I　think　that　you　will　never　see　them　again。〃

With　an　effort　I　drew　myself　erect；　and　standing　so　told　my　tidings；　quietly　and　with　circumstance；　so　as　to　leave　no　room　for　doubt　as　to　their　verity；　or　as　to　the　sanity　of　him　who　brought　them。　They　listened；　as　the　warder　had　listened；　with　shaking　limbs　and　gasping　breath；　for　this　was　the　fall　and　wiping　out　of　a　people　of　which　I　brought　warning。

When　all　was　told；　and　they　stood　there　before　me；　white　and　shaken；　seeking　in　their　minds　the　thing　to　say　or　do　first；　I　thought　to　ask　a　question　myself；　but　before　my　tongue　could　frame　it；　the　roaring　of　the　sea　became　so　loud　that　I　could　hear　naught　else；　and　the　lights　all　ran　together　into　a　wheel　of　fire。　Then　in　a　moment　all　sounds　ceased；　and　to　the　lights　succeeded　the　blackness　of　outer　darkness。



CHAPTER　XXXVI　　IN　WHICH　I　HEAR　ILL　NEWS


WHEN　I　awoke　from　the　sleep　or　stupor　into　which　I　must　have　passed　from　that　swoon；　it　was　to　find　myself　lying　upon　a　bed　in　a　room　flooded　with　sunshine。　I　was　alone。　For　a　moment　I　lay　still；　staring　at　the　blue　sky　without　the　window；　and　wondering　where　I　was　and　how　I　came　there。　A　drum　beat；　a　dog　barked；　and　a　man's　quick　voice　gave　a　command。　The　sounds　stung　me　into　remembrance；　and　I　was　at　the　window　while　the　voice　was　yet　speaking。

It　was　West　in　the　street　below；　pointing　with　his　sword　now　to　the　fort；　now　to　the　palisade；　and　giving　directions　to　the　armed　men　about　him。　There　were　many　people　in　the　street。　Women　hurried　by　to　the　fort　with　white；　scared　faces；　their　arms　filled　with　household　gear；　children　ran　beside　them；　sturdily　bearing　their　share　of　the　goods；　but　pressing　close　to　their　elders'　skirts；　men　went　to　and　fro；　the　most　grimly　silent；　but　a　few　talking　loudly。　Not　all　of　the　faces　in　the　crowd　belonged　to　the　town：　there　were　Kingsmell　and　his　wife　from　the　main；　and　John　Ellison　from　Archer's　Hope；　and　the　Italians　Vincencio　and　Bernardo　from　the　Glass　House。　The　nearer　plantations；　then；　had　been　warned；　and　their　people　had　come　for　refuge　to　the　city。　A　negro　passed；　but　on　that　morning；　alone　of　many　days；　no　Indian　aired　his　paint　and　feathers　in　the　white　man's　village。

I　could　not　see　the　palisade　across　the　neck；　but　I　knew　that　it　was　there　that　the　fight　…　if　fight　there　were　…　would　be　made。　Should　the　Indians　take　the　palisade；　there　would　yet　be　the　houses　of　the　town；　and；　last　of　all；　the　fort　in　which　to　make　a　stand。　I　believed　not　that　they　would　take　it。　Long　since　we　had　found　out　their　method　of　warfare。　They　used　ambuscade；　surprise；　and　massacre；　when　withstood　in　force　and　with　determination　they　withdrew　to　their　stronghold　the　forest；　there　to　bide　their　time　until；　in　the　blackness　of　some　night；　they　could　again　swoop　down　upon　a　sleeping　foe。

The　drum　beat　again；　and　a　messenger　from　the　palisade　came　down　the　street　at　a　run。　〃They're　in　the　woods　over　against　us；　thicker　than　ants！〃　he　cried　to　West　as　he　passed。　〃A　boat　has　just　drifted　ashore　yonder；　with　two　men　in　it；　dead　and　scalped！〃

I　turned　to　leave　the　room；　and　ran　against　Master　Pory　coming　in　on　tiptoe；　with　a　red　and　solemn　face。　He　started　when　he　saw　me。

〃The　roll　of　the　drum　brought　you　to　your　feet；　then！〃　he　cried。　〃You've　lain　like　the　dead　all　night。　I　came　but　to　see　if　you　were　breathing。〃

〃When　I　have　eaten；　I　shall　be　myself　again；〃　I　said。　〃There's　no　attack　as　yet？〃

〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃They　must　know　that　we　are　prepared。　But　they　have　kindled　fires　along　the　river　bank；　and　we　can　hear　them　yelling。　Whether　they'll　be　mad　enough　to　come　against　us　remains　to　be　seen。〃

〃The　nearest　settlements　have　been　warned？〃

〃Ay。　The　Governor　offered　a　thousand　pounds　of　tobacco　and　the　perpetual　esteem　of　the　Company　to　the　man　or　men　who　would　carry　the　news。　Six　　　volunteered；　and　went　off　in　boats；　three　up　river；　three　down。　How　many　they　reached；　or　if　they　still　have　their　scalps；　we　know　not。　And　awhile　ago；　just　before　daybreak；　comes　with　frantic　haste　Richard　Pace；　who　had　rowed　up　from　Pace's　Pains　to　tell　the　news　which　you　had　already　brought。　Chanco　the　Christian　had　betrayed　the　plot　to　him；　and　he　managed　to　give　warning　at　Powel's　and　one　or　two　other　places　as　he　came　up　the　river。〃

He　broke　off；　but　when　I　would　have　spoken　interrupted　me　with：　〃And　so　you　were　on　the　Pamunkey　all　this　while！　Then　the　Paspaheghs　fooled　us　with　the　simple　truth；　for　they　swore　so　stoutly　that　their　absent　chief　men　were　but　gone　on　a　hunt　toward　the　Pamunkey　that　we　had　no　choice　but　to　believe　them　gone　in　quite　another　direction。　And　one　and　all　of　every　tribe　we　questioned　swore　that　Opechancanough　was　at　Orapax。　So　Master　Rolfe　puts　off　up　river　to　find；　if　not　you；　then　the　Emperor；　and　make　him　give　up　your　murderers；　and　the　Governor　sends　a　party　along　the　bay；　and　West　another　up　the　Chickahominy。　And　there　you　were；　all　the　time；　mewed　up　in　the　village　above　the　marshes！　And　Nantauquas；　after　saving　our　lives　like　one　of　us；　is　turned　Indian　again！　And　your　man　is　killed！　Alackaday！　there's　naught　but　trouble　in　the　world。　'As　the　sparks　fly　upwards；'　you　know。　But　a　brave　man　draws　his　breath　and　sets　his　teeth。〃