CHAPTER XIII.
A CONVERSATION.
Tranquil and Loyal Heart, as we have seen, withdrew immediately theopportunity appeared favourable to them, and returned to the hunter'srancho, where No Eusebio had made all preparations to give them a heartyreception. Loyal Heart was too sad by nature, the Canadian toopreoccupied by a fixed idea which he had hitherto; kept in his heart,for these two men to take the slightest interest in the coarsefestivities of the Indians. All this noise and disturbance wearied them;they felt a desire to rest themselves.
Dona Garillas received them with that calm and radiant smile whichseemed to pass over her pale and sad face like a sunbeam passing betweentwo clouds. Attentive to satisfy their slightest desires, she seemed tobe thankful to them for their return, and tried, by those thousandlittle attentions of which women alone possess the secret, to keep themas long as possible by her side.
The hunter's house, so peaceful and comfortable, although in theprejudiced sight of a European it would have seemed hardly above themost wretched labourer's cabin in this country, formed a contrast whichwas not without grandeur with the leather callis of the Redskins, thosereceptacles of vermin, where the most utter neglect and completeforgetfulness, not only of comfort, but of the most simple enjoyments oflife, were visible.
Loyal Heart, after respectfully kissing his mother's forehead, shakinghands with No Eusebio, and patting his dogs, which leapt up at him withjoyous whines, sat down to table, making Tranquil a sign to follow hisexample. Since the previous night a singular change had taken place inthe manner, and even countenance of the old hunter. He whose movementswere generally so frank and steady, seemed embarrassed; his eye had lostthe fire which illumined it and gave it so noble an expression; hiseyebrows continually met under the effect of some secret thought; hisvery speech was sharper than usual.
The young man watched pensively, and with a melancholy smile, thehunter's movements. When the meal was over, and the pipes were lit,after making his mother and No Eusebio a sign to withdraw, he turned tothe Canadian--
"My guest," he said affectionately, "we are old friends, are we not?Although we have known each other but a short time."
"Certainly! Loyal Heart, in the desert friendships and hatreds growrapidly, and we have been together under circumstances when two men,side by side, can appreciate each other in a few minutes."
"Will you let me ask you a question?"
"Of course," the hunter answered.
"Stay," the young man continued; "do we understand each other? Will youpromise to answer me this question?"
"Why not?" Tranquil said quietly.
"Who knows--_?quien sabe?_ as we Spanish Americans say," the young manreplied with a smile.
"Nonsense," the Canadian replied carelessly; "ask your question, minehost; I cannot foresee the possibility of my being unable to answeryou."
"But, supposing it were so?"
"I do not suppose it; you are a man of too upright sense, and too greatintelligence, to fall into that error. So speak without fear."
"I will do so, as you authorise me; for you do so, I think."
"Understood."
"In that ease, listen to me. I know you too well, or, at least, I fancyI know you too well to suppose that you have come here merely to pay mea visit, as you knew you could meet me any day on the prairie. You have,therefore, undertaken this journey with some definite object; a mostserious motive impelled you to wish to see me."
Tranquil gave a silent nod of assent. Loyal Heart went on after amoment's silence, during which he seemed to be awaiting a reply, whichdid not come.
"You have been here now two days. You have already had severalopportunities for a frank explanation, an explanation, by the way, whichI desire with my whole heart, for I foresee that it will contain aservice I can render you, and I shall be happy to prove to you theesteem I entertain for your character. Still, that explanation does notcome; you seem, on the contrary, to fear it; your manner toward me hascompletely changed; since yesterday, in a word, you are no longer theman I knew, the man who never hesitates, and always utters his thoughtsloudly and boldly, whatever might be the consequences at a later date.Am I mistaken? Answer, old hunter."
For some minutes the Canadian seemed considerably embarrassed; thispoint-blank question troubled him singularly. At length he boldly madeup his mind, and raised his head--
"On my word," he answered, looking his questioner firmly in the face,"I cannot contradict it; Loyal Heart, you are right--all you have saidis perfectly correct."
"Ah!" the young man said with a smile of satisfaction, "I was notmistaken, then; I am pleased to know what I have to depend on."
The Canadian shrugged his shoulders philosophically, like a man who doesnot at all understand, but who yet experiences a certain degree ofpleasure at seeing his questioner satisfied, though he is completelyignorant why. Loyal Heart continued--
"Now, I demand in the name of that friendship that binds us--I demand, Isay, that you should be frank with me, and without reservation orcircumlocution, confess to me the motives which urged you to act as youhave done."
"These motives are only honourable, be assured, Loyal Heart."
"I am convinced of it, my friend; but I repeat to you, I wish to knowthem."
"After all," the old hunter continued with the accent of a man who hasformed a resolution, "why should I have secrets from you when I havecome to claim your assistance? You shall know all. I am only a coarseadventurer, who received all the education he has on the desert; I adoreGod, and am mad for liberty; I have always tried to benefit myneighbour, and requite good for evil as far as lay in my power; such, intwo words, is my profession of faith."
"It is rigorously true," Loyal Heart said, with an air of conviction.
"Thanks, and frankly I believe it. But, with the exception of that, Iknow nothing. Desert life has only developed in me the instincts of thebrute, without giving me any of those refinements which thecivilisation of towns causes to be developed in the most savagenatures."
"I confess that I do not see at all what you are driving at."
"You will soon comprehend me. From the first moment I saw you, with thefirst word you uttered, by a species of intuition, by one of thosesympathies what are independent of the will, I felt myself attractedtowards you. You were my friend during the few days we lived together,sharing the same couch under the vault of Heaven, running the samedangers, experiencing the same joys and sorrows. I believed that Iappreciated you at your true value, and my friendship only increased inconsequence. Hence, when I needed a sure and devoted friend, I thoughtof you at once, and, without further reflection, started to go in questof you."
"You did well."
"I know it," said Tranquil, with simple enthusiasm; "still, on enteringthis modest rancho, my ideas were completely modified; a doubt occurredto me--not about you, for that was impossible--but about your position,and the mysterious life you lead. I asked myself by what concourse ofcircumstances a man like you had confined himself to an Indian villageand accepted all the wretchedness of a Redskin life, a wretchednessoften so cruel and opposed to our manners. On seeing your mother solovely and so kind, your old servant so devoted, and the way in whichyou behave within these walls, I thought, without prejudging anything,that a great misfortune had suddenly burst on you and forced you for atime into a hard exile. But I understood that I was not your equal, thatbetween you and me there was a distinctly traced line of demarcation;then I felt oppressed in your company, for you are no longer the freehunter, having no other roof but the verdurous dome of our virginforests, or other fortune than his rifle; in a word, you are no longerthe comrade, the friend with whom I was so happy to share everything inthe desert I no longer recognise the right to treat as an equal a manwhom a passing misfortune has accidentally brought near me, and whowould, doubtless, at a later date, regret this intimacy which has sprungfrom accident; while continuing to love and esteem you, I resume theplace that belongs to me."
"All of which means?
" Loyal Heart said, distinctly.
"That, being no longer able to be your comrade, and not wishing to beyour servant, I shall retire."
"You are mad, Tranquil," the young man exclaimed, with an outburst ofimpatient grief. "What you say, I tell you, has not common sense, andthe conclusions yon draw from it are absurd."
"Still----?" the Canadian hazarded.
"Oh!" the other continued, with considerable animation, "I have allowedyou to speak, have I not? I listened to whatever you had to say withoutinterruption, and it is now your turn. Without wishing it, you havecaused me the greatest pain it is possible for me to suffer; you havecaused an ever-living wound to bleed, by reminding me of things which Itry in vain to forget, and which will cause the wretchedness of my wholelife."
"I--I?" the hunter exclaimed, with a start of terror.
"Yes, you! But what matter? Besides, you were walking blindly, notknowing where you were going; hence, I have no right to be angry withyou, and am not so. But there is one thing I value above all, which; Iesteem more than life, and that is your friendship. I cannot consent tolose it. Confidence for confidence! You shall know who I am and whatmotive brought me to the desert, where I am condemned to live and die."
"No," Tranquil answered, clearly, "I have no claim to your confidence.You say that I have unintentionally caused you great suffering; thatsuffering would only be increased by the confession you wish to make me.I swear to you, Loyal Heart, that I will not listen to you."
"You must, my friend, both for your sake and my own, for in that way weshall learn to understand one another. Besides," he added, with amelancholy smile, "this secret which crushed me, and which I havehitherto kept in my own bosom, it will be a great consolation to me, beassured, to confide to a real friend. And then, you must know this: Ihave no one to complain of; the terrible misfortune which suddenly fellupon me, or chastisement, if you like that term better, was just, thoughperhaps severe; I have, therefore, no one to reproach but myself. Mylife is only one long expiation; unhappily I tremble lest the presentand the future will not suffice to expiate the past."
"You forget God, my son," a voice said, with an accent of suprememajesty, "God, who cannot fail you and will judge you. When theexpiation you have imposed on yourself is completed, that God will causeit to terminate."
And Dona Garillas, who had for some moments been listening to theconversation of the two men, crossed the room with a majestic step, andlaid her white and delicate hand on the shoulder of her son, whilegiving him a glance full of that powerful love which mothers alonepossess.
"Oh! I am a wretched ingrate!" the young man exclaimed, sorrowfully; "inmy hideous egotism I for a moment forgot you, my mother, who gave upeverything for me."
"Raphael, you are my first-born. What I did nine years ago I would doagain today. But now, let what you are about to hear be a consolation toyou. I am proud of you, my son; whatever pain you once caused me, thesame amount of joy and pride you cause me today. All the Indian tribesthat traverse the vast solitudes of the prairie have the greatestrespect and deepest veneration for you; has not the name these primitivemen have given you become the synonym of honour? Are you not, in a word,Loyal Heart, that is to say, the man whose decisions have the strengthof law, whom all, friends and enemies, love and esteem? What more do youwant?"
The young man shook his head sadly.
"Alas, mother," he said, in a hollow voice, "can I ever forget that Ihave been a gambler, assassin, and incendiary?"
Tranquil could not restrain a start of terror.
"Oh, it is impossible!" he muttered.
The young man heard him, and turning to him, said--?
"Yes, my friend, I have been a gambler, assassin, and incendiary. Well,now," he added, with an accent of sad and bitter raillery, "do you stillfancy yourself unworthy of my friendship? Do you still consider you arenot my equal?"
The Canadian rose while the young man bent on him a searching glance; hewent up to Dona Garillas, and bowed to her with a respect mingled withadmiration.
"Senora," he said, "whatever crimes a man may have committed in a momentof irresistible passion, that man must be absolved by all when, in spiteof his fault, he inspires a devotion so glorious, so perfect, and sonoble as yours. You are a holy woman, madam! Hope, as you said yourselfa moment back, hope. GOD, who is omnipotent, will, when the momentarrives, dry your tears and make you forget your sorrow in immense joy.I am but a poor man, without talent or learning, but my instinct hasnever deceived me. I am convinced that if your son were ever guilty, heis now pardoned, even by the man who condemned him under the influenceof an exaggerated feeling of honour, which he regretted at a laterdate."
"Thanks, my friend," Loyal Heart answered; "thanks for words which Ifeel convinced are the expression of your innermost thoughts; thanks inmy mother's name and my own! Yours is a frank and upright nature. Youhave restored me the courage which at times abandons me, and have raisedme in my own sight; but this expiation to which I condemned myself,would not be complete unless I told you, in their fullest details, allthe events of my life. No refusal," he added, with a sign to the hunter,"it must be so! Believe me, Tranquil, this story bears its owninstruction. Just as the traveller, after a long and painful journey,halts by the wayside, and looks with a certain degree of satisfaction atthe distance he has covered, I shall feel a mournful pleasure inreturning to the early and terrible events of my life."
"Yes," said his mother, "you are right, my son. A man must have courageto look back, in order to acquire the strength to walk worthily forward.It is only by reverting to the past that you can understand the presentand have hope in the future. Speak, speak, my son, and if in the courseof your narrative your memory or your courage fail you, your mother willbe here at your side, as I have ever been, and what you dare not orcannot say, I will say."
Tranquil regarded with admiration this strange woman, whose gestures andwords harmonized so well with her majestic bearing; this mother, whosesweet face reflected so well her noble sentiments; he felt himself verysmall and wretched in the presence of this chosen nature, who, of allthe passions, knew only one, maternal love.
"Loyal Heart," he said, with an emotion he could not master, "since youinsist, I will listen to the narrative of the events which brought youto the desert; but be assured of this, whatever I may hear, since youare willing still to give me the title of friend, here is my hand, takeit, I will never fail you. Now, whether you speak or keep your secret,is of no consequence. Remember one thing, however, that I belong to you,body and soul, before and against all, today or tomorrow, tomorrow orten years hence, and that," he added with a certain degree of solemnity,"I swear to you from my deepest soul, by the memory of my belovedmother, whose ashes now rest in Quebec cemetery. Now go on, I am readyto listen to you."
Loyal Heart warmly returned the pressure of the hunter's hand, and madehim sit down on his right hand, while Dona Garillas took her place onhis left.
"Now, listen to me," he said.
At this moment the door opened, and No Eusebio appeared.
"_Mi amo_," he said, "the Indian Chief, called Black-deer, wishes tospeak to you."
"What, Black-deer?" the hunter said with surprise; "Impossible! He mustbe engaged with his marriage festivities."
"Pardon me," Tranquil observed; "you forget, Loyal Heart, that when weleft the feast the Chief came up to us, saying in a low voice that hehad a serious communication to make to us."
"That is true; in fact, I did forget it. Let him enter, No Eusebio. Myfriend," he added, addressing Tranquil, "it is impossible for me at thismoment to begin a story which would be interrupted almost at the firstsentence; but soon, I hope, you shall know it."
"I will leave you to settle your Indian affairs," Dona Garillas saidwith a smile, and rising, she quitted the room.
Tranquil, we are bound to confess, was in his heart delighted at aninterruption which saved him from listening to the narrative of painfulevents. The worthy hunter possessed the precious quality of not being ata
ll curious to know the history of men he liked, for his nativeintegrity led him to fear seeing them break down in his esteem. Hence,he easily accepted the unexpected delay in Loyal Heart's confession, andwas grateful to Black-deer for arriving so opportunely.
At the moment when Dona Garillas entered the room No Eusebio introducedthe Indian Chief by another door. Forgetful of that assumed stoicism sohabitual to Indians, Black-deer seemed suffering from a lively anxiety.The warrior's gloomy air, his frowns--nothing, in a word, recalled inhim the man who had just contracted a union he had long desired, andwhich, fulfilled all his wishes; his countenance, on the contrary, wasso grave and stern, that the two hunters noticed it at the first glance,and could not refrain from remarking on it to him.
"Wah!" Loyal Heart said good-humouredly, "You have a preciously sadface. Did you, on entering the village, perceive five crows on yourright, or did your scalping knife stick in the ground thrice insuccession, which, as everybody knows, is a very evil omen?"
The Chief, before replying, bent a piercing glance around.
"No," he at length said, in a low and suppressed voice, "Black-deer hasnot seen five crows on his right; he saw a fox on his left, and a flightof owls in the bushes."
"You know, Chief, that I do not at all understand you," Loyal Heartsaid, laughing.
"Nor do I, on my honour," Tranquil observed with a crafty smile.
The Chief bravely endured this double volley of sarcasm. Not a muscle ofhis face stirred; on the contrary, his features seemed to grow moregloomy.
"My brothers can laugh," he said, "they are Palefaces; they care littlewhether good or evil happens to the Indians."
"Pardon, Chief," Loyal Heart answered, suddenly becoming serious; "myfriend and myself had no intention of insulting you."
"I am aware of it," the Chief replied, "my brothers cannot suppose thaton a day like this I should be sad."
"That is true, but now our ears are open: my brother will speak, and welisten with all the attention his words deserve."
The Indian seemed to hesitate, but in a moment he walked up to LoyalHeart and Tranquil, seated by his side, and bent over them, so that hishead touched theirs.
"The situation is grave," he said, "and I have only a few minutes tospare, so my brothers will listen seriously. I must return to the calliof Blackbird, where my friends and relatives await me. Are my brotherslistening?"
"We are listening," the two men answered with one voice.
Ere going on, Black-deer walked round the room, inspecting the walls andopening the doors, as if fearing listeners. Then, probably re-assured bythis inspection that no one could hear him, he returned to the two whitemen, who curiously followed these singular operations, and said to themin a low voice, as an additional precaution:
"A great danger menaces the Antelope Comanches."
"How so, Chief?"
"The Apaches are watching the neighbourhood of the village."
"How do you know that?"
The Chief looked around him, and then continued in the same low andsuppressed voice:
"I have seen them."
"My brother has seen the Apaches?"
The Chief smiled proudly.
"Yes," he said, "Black-deer is a great brave, he has the fine scent ofmy brother's rastreros, he has smelt the enemy; smelling is seeing, witha warrior."
"Yes, but my brother must take care! Passion is an evil counsellor,"Loyal Heart answered; "perhaps he is mistaken."
Black-deer shrugged his shoulders with disdain.
"This night there was not a breath of air in the forest, yet the leavesof the trees moved, and the tall grass was agitated."
"Wah! That is astonishing," said Loyal Heart; "An envoy of the BuffaloApaches is in the village at this moment, we must be threatened byfearful trickery."
"Blue-fox is a traitor who has sold his people," the Indian continuedwith some animation; "what can be hoped from such a man? He has comehere to count the braves, and send the warriors to sleep."
"Yes," said Loyal Heart thoughtfully, "that is possible. But what is tobe done? Has my brother warned the Chiefs?"
"Yes, while Blue-fox requested the hachesto to assemble the council,Black-deer spoke with Bounding Panther, Lynx, and Blackbird."
"Very good, what have they resolved?"
"Blue-fox will be retained as a hostage, under various pretexts. Atsunset two hundred picked warriors, under the orders of Loyal Heart, andguided by Black-deer, will go and surprise the enemy, who, knowing theiremissary to be in the village, will have no suspicion, but fall into thetrap they intended to set for us."
Loyal heart remained silent for a moment and reflected.
"Let my brother hear me," he said presently; "I am ready to obey theorders of the Sovereign Council of the Sachems of the tribe, but I willnot let the warriors entrusted to me be massacred. The Buffalo Apachesare old chattering and crying squaws, without courage, to whom we willgive petticoats, each time they find themselves face to face with us inthe prairies. But here such is not the case; they are ambushed at a spotselected beforehand, and are acquainted with all its resources. Howeverwell my young men may be guided by my brothers, the Apaches will come ontheir trail, so that will not do."
"What does my brother propose?" Black-deer asked with some anxiety.
"The sun has run two-thirds of its course, Black-deer will warn thewarriors to proceed each by himself, to the mountain of the Blackbear,one hour after sunset. In this way they will seem to be going huntingseparately, and excite no suspicion. No one will see them depart, and ifthe enemy, as is probable, have spies in the camp, they cannot supposethat these hunters, starting one after the other, are sent off tosurprise them. When the sun has disappeared on the horizon, in thesacred cavern of the Red Mountain, my brother the Pale hunter and myselfwill mount our horses and join the Redskins. Have I spoken well? Doeswhat I have said please my brother?"
While Loyal Heart was thus explaining the plan he had instantaneouslyconceived, the Indian Chief gave marks of the greatest joy, and the mostlively admiration.
"My brother has spoken well," he answered; "the Wacondah is with him;his medicine is very powerful, though his hair is black; the wisdom ofthe Master of Life resides in him. It shall be done as he desires;Black-deer will obey him; he will follow out exactly the wiseinstructions of his brother, Loyal Heart."
"Good; but my brother will take care: Blue-fox is very clever!"
"Blue-fox is an Apache dog, whose ears Black-deer will crop. My brotherthe hunter need not feel alarmed; all will happen as he desires."
After exchanging a few more sentences to come to a full understanding,and make their final arrangements, Black-deer withdrew.
"You will come with me, I suppose, Tranquil?" the young man asked theCanadian so soon as they were alone.
"Of course!" the other replied; "Did you doubt it? What the deuce shouldI do here during your absence? I prefer accompanying you, especially as,if I am not mistaken, there will be a jolly row."
"You are not mistaken. It is evident to me that the Apaches would nothave ventured so near the village, unless they were in considerableforce."
"Well, in that case, two hundred men are as nothing; you should haveasked for more."
"Why so? In a surprise the man who attacks is always the stronger; wewill try to get the first blow, that is all."
"That is true, by Jove! I am delighted at the affair; I have not smeltpowder for some time, and feel myself beginning to rust; that willrestore me."
At this outburst, Loyal Heart began laughing, Tranquil formed thechorus, and they spoke about something else.