to have and to hold-第75章

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Presently　it　occurred　to　me　to　glance　aside　at　the　Indian　who　had　kept　pace　with　me　through　the　forest。　He　was　not　there；　he　walked　with　me　no　longer；　save　for　myself　there　seemed　no　breathing　creature　in　the　dim　wood。　I　looked　to　right　and　left；　and　saw　only　the　tall；　straight　pines　and　the　needle…strewn　ground。　How　long　he　had　been　gone　I　could　not　tell。　He　might　have　left　me　when　first　we　came　to　the　pines；　for　my　dreams　had　held　me；　and　I　had　not　looked　his　way。

There　was　that　in　the　twilight　place；　or　in　the　strangeness；　the　horror；　and　the　yearning　that　had　kept　company　with　me　that　day；　or　in　the　dull　weariness　of　a　mind　and　body　overwrought　of　late；　which　made　thought　impossible。　I　went　on　down　the　stream　toward　the　river；　because　it　chanced　that　my　face　was　set　in　that　direction。

How　dark　was　the　shadow　of　the　pines；　how　lifeless　the　earth　beneath；　how　faint　and　far　away　the　blue　that　showed　here　and　there　through　rifts　in　the　heavy　　roof　of　foliage！　The　stream　bending　to　one　side　I　turned　with　it；　and　there　before　me　stood　the　minister！

I　do　not　know　what　strangled　cry　burst　from　me。　The　earth　was　rocking；　all　the　wood　a　glare　of　light。　As　for　him；　at　the　sight　of　me　and　the　sound　of　my　voice　he　had　staggered　back　against　a　tree；　but　now；　recovering　himself；　he　ran　to　me　and　put　his　great　arms　about　me。　〃From　the　power　of　the　dog；　from　the　lion's　mouth；〃　he　cried　brokenly。　〃And　they　slew　thee　not；　Ralph；　the　heathen　who　took　thee　away！　Yesternight　I　learned　that　you　lived；　but　I　looked　not　for　you　here。〃

I　scarce　heard　or　marked　what　he　was　saying；　and　found　no　time　in　which　to　wonder　at　his　knowledge　that　I　had　not　perished。　I　only　saw　that　he　was　alone；　and　that　in　the　evening　wood　there　was　no　sign　of　other　living　creature。

〃Yea；　they　slew　me　not；　Jeremy；〃　I　said。　〃I　would　that　they　had　done　so。　And　you　are　alone？　I　am　glad　that　you　died　not；　my　friend；　yes；　faith；　I　am　very　glad　that　one　escaped。　Tell　me　about　it；　and　I　will　sit　here　upon　the　bank　and　listen。　Was　it　done　in　this　wood？　A　gloomy　deathbed；　friend；　for　one　so　young　and　fair。　She　should　have　died　to　soft　music；　in　the　sunshine；　with　flowers　about　her。〃

With　an　exclamation　he　put　me　from　him；　but　kept　his　hand　upon　my　arm　and　his　steady　eyes　upon　my　face。

〃She　loved　laughter　and　sunshine　and　sweet　songs；〃　I　continued。　〃She　can　never　know　them　in　this　wood。　They　are　outside；　they　are　outside　the　world；　I　think。　It　is　sad；　is　it　not？　Faith；　I　think　it　is　the　saddest　thing　I　have　ever　known。〃

He　clapped　his　other　hand　upon　my　shoulder。　　〃Wake；　man！〃　he　commanded。　〃If　thou　shouldst　go　mad　now　…　Wake！　thy　brain　is　turning。　Hold　to　thyself。　Stand　fast；　as　thou　art　soldier　and　Christian！　Ralph；　she　is　not　dead。　She　will　wear　flowers；　…　thy　flowers；　…　sing；　laugh；　move　through　the　sunshine　of　earth　for　many　and　many　a　year；　please　God！　Art　listening；　Ralph？　Canst　hear　what　I　am　saying？〃

〃I　hear；〃　I　said　at　last；　〃but　I　do　not　well　understand。〃

He　pushed　me　back　against　a　pine；　and　held　me　there　with　his　hands　upon　my　shoulders。　〃Listen；〃　he　said；　speaking　rapidly　and　keeping　his　eyes　upon　mine。　〃All　those　days　that　you　were　gone；　when　all　the　world　declared　you　dead；　she　believed　you　living。　She　saw　party　after　party　come　back　without　you；　and　she　believed　that　you　were　left　behind　in　the　forest。　Also　she　knew　that　the　George　waited　but　for　the　search　to　be　quite　given　over；　and　for　my　Lord　Carnal's　recovery。　She　had　been　told　that　the　King's　command　might　not　be　defied；　that　the　Governor　had　no　choice　but　to　send　her　from　Virginia。　Ralph；　I　watched　her；　and　I　knew　that　she　meant　not　to　go　upon　that　ship。　Three　nights　agone　she　stole　from　the　Governor's　house；　and；　passing　through　the　gates　that　the　sleeping　warder　had　left　unfastened；　went　toward　the　forest。　I　saw　her　and　followed　her；　and　at　the　edge　of　the　forest　I　spoke　to　her。　I　stayed　her　not；　I　brought　her　not　back；　Ralph；　because　I　was　convinced　that　an　I　did　so　she　would　die。　I　knew　of　no　great　danger；　and　I　trusted　in　the　Lord　to　show　me　what　to　do；　step　by　step；　and　how　to　guide　her　gently　back　when　she　was　weary　of　wandering；　…　when；　worn　out；　she　was　willing　to　give　up　the　quest　for　the　dead。　Art　following　me；　Ralph？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　and　took　my　hand　from　my　eyes。　〃I　was　nigh　mad；　Jeremy；　for　my　faith　was　not　like　hers。　I　have　looked　on　Death　too　much　of　late；　and　yesterday　all　men　believed　that　he　had　come　to　dwell　in　the　forest　and　had　swept　clean　his　house　before　him。　But　you　escaped；　you　both　escaped〃　…

〃God's　hand　was　over　us；〃　he　said　reverently。　〃This　is　the　way　of　it。　She　had　been　ill；　you　know；　and　of　late　she　had　taken　no　thought　of　food　or　sleep。　She　was　so　weak；　we　had　to　go　so　slowly；　and　so　winding　was　our　path；　who　knew　not　the　country；　that　the　evening　found　us　not　far　upon　our　way；　if　way　we　had。　We　came　to　a　cabin　in　a　clearing；　and　they　whose　home　it　was　gave　us　shelter　for　the　night。　In　the　morning；　when　the　father　and　son　would　go　forth　to　their　work　we　walked　with　them。　When　they　came　to　the　trees　they　meant　to　fell　we　bade　them　good…by；　and　went　on　alone。　We　had　not　gone　an　hundred　paces　when；　looking　back；　we　saw　three　Indians　start　from　the　dimness　of　the　forest　and　set　upon　and　slay　the　man　and　the　boy。　That　murder　done　they　gave　chase　to　me；　who　caught　up　thy　wife　and　ran　for　both　our　lives。　When　I　saw　that　they　were　light　of　foot　and　would　overtake　me；　I　set　my　burden　down；　and；　drawing　a　sword　that　I　had　with　me；　went　back　to　meet　them　halfway。　Ralph；　I　slew　all　three；　…　may　the　Lord　have　mercy　on　my　soul！　I　knew　not　what　to　think　of　that　attack；　the　peace　with　the　Indians　being　so　profound；　and　I　began　to　fear　for　thy　wife's　safety。　She　knew　not　the　woods；　and　I　managed　to　turn　our　steps　back　toward　Jamestown　without　her　knowledge　that　I　did　so。　It　was　about　midday　when　we　saw　the　gleam　of　the　river　through　the　trees　before　us；　and　heard　the　sound　of　firing　and　of　a　great　yelling。　　I　made　her　crouch　within　a　thicket；　while　I　myself　went　forward　to　reconnoitre；　and　well…nigh　stumbled　into　the　midst　of　an　army。　Yelling；　painted；　maddened；　brandishing　their　weapons　toward　the　town；　human　hair　dabbled　with　blood　at　the　belts　of　many　…　in　the　name　of　God；　Ralph；　what　is　the　meaning　of　it　all？〃

〃It　means；〃　I　said；　〃that　yesterday　they　rose　against　us　and　slew　us　by　the　hundred。　The　town　was　warned　and　is　safe。　Go　on。〃

〃I　crept　back　to　madam；〃　he　continued；　〃and　hurried　her　away　from　that　dangerous　neighborhood。　We　found　a　growth　of　bushes　and　hid　ourselves　within　it；　and　just　in　time；　for　from　the　north　came　a　great　band　of　picked　warriors；　tall　and　black　and　wondrously　feathered；　fresh　to　the　fray；　whatever　the　fray　might　be。　They　joined　themselves　to　the　imps　upon　the　river　bank；　and　presently　we　heard　another　great　din　with　more　firing　and　more　yelling。　Well；　to　make　a　long　story　short；　we　crouched　there　in　the　bushes　until　late　afternoon；　not　knowing　what　was　the　matter；　and　not　daring　to　venture　forth　to　find　out。　The　woman　of　the　cabin　at　which　we　had　slept　had　given　us　a　packet　of　bread　and　meat；　so　we　were　not　without　food；　but　the　time　was　long。　And　then　of　a　sudden　the　wood　around　us　was　filled　with　the　heathen；　band　after　band；　coming　from　the　river；　stealing　like　serpents　this　way　and　that　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　They　saw　us　not　in　the　thick　bushes；　maybe　it　was　because　of　the　prayers　which　I　said　with　might　and　main。　At　last　the　distance　swallowed　them；　the　forest　seemed　clear；　no　sound；　no　motion。　Long　we　waited；　but　with　the　sunset　we　stole　from　the　bushes　and　down　an　aisle　of　the　forest　toward　the　　river；　rounded　a　little　wood　of　cedar；　and　came　full　upon　perhaps　fifty　of　the　savages〃　…　He　paused　to　draw　a　great　breath　and　to　raise　his　brows　after　a　fashion　that　he　had。

〃Go　on；　go　on！〃　I　cried。　〃What　did　you　do？　You　have　said　that　she　is　alive　and　safe！〃

〃She　is；〃　he　answered；　〃but　no　thanks　to　me；　though　I　did　set　lustily　upon　that　painted　fry。　Who　led　them；　d'　ye　think；　Ralph？　Who　saved　us　from　those　bloody　hands？〃

A　light　broke　in　upon　me。　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃And　he　brought　you　here〃　…

〃Ay；　he　sent　away　the　devils　whose　color　he　is；　worse　luck！　He　told　us　that　there　were　Indians；　not　of　his　tribe；　b