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scalp of the bee-talker, and of his squaw, that there may never be
such a medicine again. I have spoken."
Peter did not rise again. He felt that his dignity was involved in
maintaining silence. Various chiefs now uttered their opinions, in
brief, sententious language. For the first time since he began to
preach his crusade, the current was setting against the mysterious
chief. The Weasel said no more, but the hints he had thrown out were
improved on by others. It is with savages as with civilized men; a
torrent must find vent. Peter had the sagacity to see that by
attempting further to save le Bourdon and Margery, he should only
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endanger his own ascendancy, without effecting his purpose. Here he
completely overlaid the art of Ungque, turning his own defeat into
an advantage. After the matter had been discussed for fully an hour,
and this mysterious chief perceived that it was useless to adhere to
his new resolution, he gave it up with as much tact as the sagacious
Wellington himself could manifest in yielding Catholic emancipation,
or parliamentary reform; or, just in season to preserve an
appearance of floating in the current, and with a grace that
disarmed his opponents.
"Brothers," said Peter, by way of closing the debate, "I have not
seen straight. Fog sometimes gets before the eyes, and we cannot
see. I have been in a fog. The breath of my brother has blown it
away. I now see clearly. I see that bee-hunters ought not to live.
Let this one die--let his squaw die, too!"
This terminated the discussion, as a matter of course. It was
solemnly decided that all the pale-faces then in the Openings should
be cut off. In acquiescing in this decision, Peter had no mental
reservations. He was quite sincere. When, after sitting two hours
longer, in order to arrange still more important points, the council
arose, it was with his entire assent to the decision. The only power
he retained over the subject was that of directing the details of
the contemplated massacre.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Why is that graceful female here
With yon red hunter of the deer?
Of gentle mien and shape, she seems
For civil halls design'd;
Yet with the stately savage walks,
As she were of his kind.
--Pinkney.
The family at Castle Meal saw nothing of any Indian until the day
that succeeded the council. Gershom and Dorothy received the tidings
of their sister's marriage with very little emotion. It was an event
they expected; and as for bride-cake and ceremonies, of one there
was none at all, and of the other no more than has been mentioned.
The relatives of Margery did not break their hearts on account of
the neglect with which they had been treated, but received the young
couple as if one had given her away, and the other "had pulled off
her glove," as young ladies now express it, in deference to the act
that generally gives the coup de grace to youthful female
friendships. On the Openings, neither time nor breath is wasted in
useless compliments; and all was held to be well done on this
occasion, because it was done legally. A question might have been
raised, indeed, whether that marriage had taken place under the
American, or under the English flag; for General Hull, in
surrendering Detroit, had included the entire territory of Michigan,
as well as troops present, troops absent, and troops on the march to
join him. Had he been in possession of Peter's ruthless secret,
which we happen to know he was not, he could not have been more
anxious to throw the mantle of British authority around all of his
race on that remote frontier, than he proved himself to be. Still,
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it is to be presumed that the marriage would have been regarded as
legal; conquered territories usually preserving their laws and
usages for a time, at least. A little joking passed, as a matter of
course; for this is de rigueur in all marriages, except in the cases
of the most cultivated; and certainly neither the corporal nor
Gershom belonged to the elite of human society.
About the hour of breakfast Pigeonswing came in, as if returning
from one of his ordinary hunts. He brought with him venison, as well
as several wild ducks that he had killed in the Kalamazoo, and three [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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