Prisoners of Chance

by Randall Parrish

  CHAPTER XXVI

  THE CHRONICLES OF THE NATCHEZ

  These pages have been poorly written if he who reads has not discoveredthat I am of a nature not easily discouraged by events, or disheartenedby misfortune. God had sufficiently armored me with hope; so that inthe midst of much darkness I sought for whatever light of guidancethere might be, making the most of it. Yet the intense, unanticipatedloneliness of that bare hut chilled my blood, and I scarcely recall amore wretched time than while I waited, stung and tortured by fears,for the return of De Noyan.

  In truth the rough conclusions voiced by the angry sectary merelyconfirmed my own fear. I had marked within the eyes of Naladi--dreamyas they appeared beneath the shading of long lashes--no promise oftenderness of heart. I believed it was seldom she inclined to mercy,seldom she would step between her warriors and their revenge. Iacknowledge freely I felt to some degree the strange spell of herpower, the magic influence of her soft, sinuous beauty, which I doubtif any man could utterly resist. Yet I recognized her from the first,even as she stood wrapped in the sun's rays on the rock summit, as onewho, by instinct and nature, was scarce less a savage than her mostdesperate follower, although she possessed the rare gift of masking hercruelty beneath the pleasing smile of a woman not entirely unacquaintedwith the courtesies of refinement.

  I marvelled greatly who she could be, thus sporting the polite gracesof a reception-room in the midst of these squalid huts. What was herstrange life-story? How ever came such a woman, with charm of face,and grace of manner, to be acknowledged leader over such a people? Itwas not so odd that a clever, resourceful woman, driven perhaps bynecessity, should have made unscrupulous use of their dominantsuperstitions, and, by naming herself "Daughter of the Sun," haveobtained supreme power. The perfect acting of such an assumedcharacter would not prove difficult to her, while their servile worshipof the protesting Puritan, whose red hair alone had elevated him tosainthood, proved how easily these savages might be deceived, and ledslaves by subtle magic. Yet who was the woman? Whence came she? Whyshould she ever have chosen such a life?

  And Eloise! Through what misfortune had she already attained theundisguised dislike of this Amazon? To what fate would this unmeriteddisfavor condemn her? It is a terrible thing to remain chained andhelpless at such a time, to realize that cruel wrong, possibly torture,is being visited upon another, upon one you know and love, and yet beunable to uplift hand or voice in warning. I am by nature cool inaction, yet there are few who fret more grievously when held in leash,compelled to await in uncertainty the coming of the unknown.

  All I could do that day was to pace the hard earthen floor, vainlyendeavoring to quiet the wild throbbing of my heart with every hope Imight conjure up, now and then approaching the unguarded entrance ofthe lodge to search anxiously for some ground of hope. It was thus thelong afternoon wore away, until the deepening shadows of sun-settingrested heavily along the western cliffs, and the workers in the fieldsbegan trooping through the village, their shouts of greeting shrill anddiscordant, while the grim priests found place before the drapedentrance to their dread altar-house, with blazing fagots signallingtheir distant brethren on the dizzy summit. It was then De Noyanfinally returned and found me raging from wall to wall like onedistracted.

  It required but a glance to note the subtile change the afternoon hadwrought in his personal appearance, yet at the time I did not greatlymarvel at it. The stains of battle and exposure, that had so decidedlydisfigured him, had disappeared before the magic of new raiment, whichhad about it the color and cut of French fashion; so it was now a fairand prosperous gallant of the court, powdered of hair, waxen ofmoustache, who came jauntily forward with his greetings.

  "What said I, Master Benteen?" he questioned cheerily to my stare ofsurprise. "Did I not boldly contend that this would yet prove apleasant resting-place to relieve the tedium of a journey? Can yougaze upon this gay attire, longer doubting the verity of my dreams?But no happiness finds reflection in your face; 'tis gloomy as a day ofrain. Prithie, the afternoon must have been passed by you far lesspleasantly than its hours sped with me."

  "I have been conversing with good Master Cairnes," I responded gravely."I found him in no state of mind or body to bring me pleasant thought."

  "_Parbleu_! I warrant not from all I hear of that worthy servant," theChevalier laughed gayly. "'T is told me the grim-faced old hypocritesits in worshipful state, a veritable god, trussed like a bronze idolor some mummy of the Egyptians. By my faith, I should enjoy gazing onhis solemn face, and listening to his words withal."

  "'T is an unhappy experience for a Christian."

  "Ay! a pity; yet it should do the canting preacher good to play heathengod a while. She pictured to me most vividly his struggles to escape afit draping with which to match his hair. _Sacre_! I have not laughedso heartily since leaving New Orleans."

  "She?" I exclaimed in new interest. "Have you been with your wife?"

  He stroked his moustache, gazing at me in apparent surprise.

  "Nay, friend Benteen; you must be the very soul of innocence to makesuch hasty guess. I rested beneath the same roof with her, so I wasinformed, yet she who spake thus regarding the plight of the Puritanchanced to be the fair Queen, Naladi."

  "Naladi? But you speak no Spanish,--how could you hold converse withher?"

  "There are always ways, if the lady be fair. The hands, eyes, lips canall be made into messengers of speech. But in this case she broughtforth a black boy--a most mischievous imp--who managed to convey herwords in my own tongue. Still it was difficult to do justice in such away to so charming a woman; much came to my lips which I hesitated toutter through the medium of that interpreter."

  I looked at him in speechless amazement at this revelation of hissupreme conceit, his reckless vanity. Anxiety alone prompted me tosmother my resentment, hoping thus to obtain information.

  "But your wife, Madame de Noyan? You say she was beneath the sameroof, and yet you saw her not? Do you mean you made no effort toobtain speech with her?"

  He leaned back against the wall of the hut, crossing his long limbsnegligently over the soft fur of the robe beneath, drawing from hispocket a small mirror.

  "Ay, I mentioned it; but _la reine Naladi_ appeared not overly wellpleased with the suggestion, so I concluded not to press the matterunduly. One never gains by being ungallant at such a time. Besides,there is no doubt Eloise is well attended; the Queen referred to hermost kindly."

  "The preacher told me," I broke forth indignantly, determined to testhim to the full, "that this same sweet Naladi compelled her savageminions to drag Madame harshly forth from the altar-house, despite herpleadings. Perchance this tender-spoken Queen has little of the angelbeneath her fairness of skin."

  "_Sacre_! I hope not. I opine an angel would prove wearisome tocompany with for long. My own taste inclines toward flesh and blood.You say Master Cairnes told you this sad tale?"

  "Ay, adding that the pitiful Naladi only laughed at the sobs of Madame."

  "Pish! between the two, her word has most weight with me. No doubt'twas a vision born of his own temper. The Queen assured me mostgraciously of the welfare and contentment of Eloise. It would havebeen boorish to question her further. Besides, she took my thoughtfrom other things, repeating to me the strange tale of these savages,although the black made poor enough work with her words."

  It was abundantly evident the man was fairly crazed with conceit,already well entangled in the web of this designing creature. For thehour, at least, all serious consideration of her who should rightfullyclaim his attention had been completely blotted out. He had become awilling victim to a will infinitely stronger than his own, hisconscience deadened by the poison of beauty; so, while my blood riotedin protest to his simpering French vanity, I could perceive no means bywhich I might arouse him to more manly action. To cross such a manonly invites to the surface the worst elements of his nature; besides,were I to stir him by strong protest, it might be
doubtful if hecomprehended the nature of my scruples in the matter. Any suchmisunderstanding would result in the exchange of hard words, and in mymaking an enemy where now I possessed a friend. Not that the Chevalierwas a particularly valuable ally, yet he wielded a good sword uponoccasion, and would prove more useful in friendship than in enmity. Imight despise him, yet he remained the husband of Madame, and I durstpick no quarrel with him. To do so would raise a barrier between us,rendering our situation among the savages darker than ever. As to themoral side of the affair, it would be sheer waste of words to broachit, as De Noyan could form no clearer conception of such an issue thana babe unborn. He swung as the wind blew, and in all his pampered lifehad probably never dreamed of denying himself a liberty. Saint Andrew!it was a knotty problem for such a head as mine to solve. I believe Ichose the better course in assuming the role of a neutral, as I satstaring at the fellow while he twisted his moustaches into theirold-time curl, gazing at himself in the pocket mirror, utterlyoblivious of my presence.

  "So this beauty of a Queen told you the tale of her people," I remarkedat last, determining to humor his mood. "It would interest me to hearthe story. Those I have thus far seen differ widely from any otherorder of savages with whom I have come in contact."

  "Your judgment is right. As she tells the story, they are not ofIndian blood, but belong to a far older race. She says they are theremnant of a master people--although regarding their exact lineage shespoke but little--who once, hundreds of years ago no doubt, heldundisputed dominion from the banks of a great red river flowing throughthe prairies far to the northward, down to the salted sea bounding theland upon the east. She said their ancestors mined in the rocks, andcultivated the rich land of the valleys. They were ruled over by fivekings; and when one of these died all their wives were burned above thegrave, and a hundred slaves sacrificed to the Sun, which theyworshipped, and called Elagabalus. These were all buried around thebody of the king, whose tomb was of rock, and a huge mound of eartherected over them by the labor of thousands of slaves taken in battle.Yet their chief king, in the day of their great power, she calledPalenque, placing his capital to north and east of this place, a landjourney of thirty days. Here was built a great city of wood and stone,surrounded by an immense wall of earth, to which all the smaller kingsjourneyed in state once each year to make account of their kingdoms,and offer up slaves on the altar of the great temple in sacrifice tothe Sun. They would gather thus from noon to noon, and thousands ofcaptives would be slaughtered before the altar by the priests. Shetold me they once possessed vast store of yellow metal and flashingstones, with other treasures. Cities were set apart under guard tohave special care over them. Some of these have descended even untothe present, but are kept hidden away by the priests, though shepromised later to let me view them secretly. And she related a moststrange tale of destiny--of a long, barbarous war, filled with thenames of warriors and towns sounding most uncouth to my ears; a warlasting many years, during which the Chichimes--for so she named thewild hordes sweeping down upon them from the northward--drove theirfathers backward from city to city, beginning far away in the kingdomnamed Talapa, and pillaging clear to the banks of the great river wherePalenque reigned. Their ancestors erected vast forts of earth, thusmanaging to hold their own against the invaders, so long as theirslaves remained loyal. But at last these also rose in revolt, and,when all supplies had been cut off, the hopeless remnant of defendersfell back down the broad river, bearing with them much of their mostvalued treasure, never permitting the sacred flame, which was the giftof the Sun, to die out upon their altars. Like flies they died in thepreservation of this symbol of their religion; for 'tis their faith,that if it be kept burning undimmed, there will yet come to them agreat leader from the Sun to restore their lost glories. She describedto me the arts of that past, the many beautiful things the race hadmade, those wondrous cities protected by high walls, the vast mounds ofearth moulded into strange figures of extinct animals, uplifted asaltars, and sometimes utilized for the burial of their dead and theirtreasure. _Sacre_! I can recall a portion of the story, yet it was aweird, fascinating tale as she told it slowly, and with allseriousness, although the black boy stammered so badly in his words Igot only dim pictures here and there."

  "But how came they here?" I questioned.

  "I was coming to that. It was some trouble with the French inBienville's day. Only a few escaped, and they were driven into thesehills; yet 't is said they saved a considerable amount of treasurewhich had come to them from their fathers, together with some of themummified bodies of their kings. It is forty years since theydiscovered this dell, and only the older men have any memory of thediscovery."

  "What do they call themselves?"

  "'Nalmas' was the word the Queen used, but they are that same peoplewhom we knew about in New Orleans as 'Natchez'; their old country wascalled Tlapalan."

  I sat silent, pondering upon his words, but before I thought outfurther questioning, a warrior, bearing food, entered the hut. Settingthis down upon the ground before us, he drew back into the gatheringnight shadows without uttering a word. That which I had just heardcaused me to gaze upon the fellow--a tall, stalwart savage--with newlyawakened interest, and I could not help observing again how widely thetype differed from those Indian tribes with whom my wandering borderlife had rendered me familiar. Not only was this man of fairer,clearer complexion, but his cheek-bones were not in the leastprominent, his nose was wide at the base and somewhat flattened, whilehis forehead sloped sharply backward in such peculiar form as towarrant the opinion that the deformity arose from a compression of thefrontal bone in infancy. The hair, although worn long and flowing downthe back, was decidedly wavy, and not coarse; the color was a ruddybrown. The eyes of these Indians were bold, cruel, crafty, yet in manyinstances the coloring was so light as to be startling; the averagestature was greater than that of those other Indians that I knew. Inshort, they impressed me as being all that was claimed, a distinctrace, with characteristics more nearly allied to the Ethiopian and theMongolian than to the surrounding red races. As I figured this outsomewhat slowly, De Noyan busted himself with the meal, and, thusengrossed, apparently forgot the topic of our conversation.

  "And did this Queen Naladi claim to belong to this old race?" Iquestioned, thinking thus to test his observation.

  "Why not?" he asked in return, suspending operations, and glancing upat me in surprise. "She referred to herself as the 'Daughter of theSun,' once saying that her ancestors ruled over this people for athousand years."

  "She told you that?"

  "At least so the black interpreted her words. Why question it?"

  "Doubtless to your thought there exists small cause for questioning theword of so fair a woman," I acknowledged dryly. "Yet to my vision, notwholly blinded by her charms, she possesses more of the Caucasian inface and manner than any other of the race. If she is not of Europeanbirth I am a poor judge, Monsieur, and 't is my belief, if she told youshe was not, the woman lied."

  I was scarcely prepared for the result of my words upon him; his faceflushed, a sudden glow of anger sweeping into his eyes.

  "You are, indeed, of bold heart," he exclaimed scornfully, "to malign awoman in her absence."

  "There are women no words can malign," I retorted sharply, stung by histone, "I opine this Queen of savages belongs to that class. To my mindit would be better were you to wax indignant over the wrongs of yourwife rather than over a just picturing of this harlot."

  Before I could move to draw aside, he was upon his feet, and I felt thestinging blow of his hand across my lips.

  "_Sacre_!" he cried, transported by sudden rage, "Charles de Noyantakes such affront from no man. I denounce you as a cowardly vilifierof an absent woman."

  I know not why I failed to strike the fellow down. My hand was hard onthe knife hilt within my doublet, yet I drew it not as we stood thereeye to eye. There was that between us--the dim, shadowy face of awoman--which held me as by a
chain. It seemed to me then as if myknife point would have to pass through her before it touched his heart,and, feeling thus, God gave me power to choke back the hot resentment,and restrain my hand.

  "Monsieur," I said sternly, "never has the hand of man touched mebefore in anger without my making full return for the blow. Yet now Istrike you not. The time may come when I shall wipe out this insult,but here and now you stand safe from my arm."

  "Safe!" he sneered. "_Parbleu_! you are a cowardly hound to talk thus.Safe! think you I have anything to fear at your hands?"

  "I bid you restrain your tongue, Chevalier," I said, my voice unsteady."God being my witness, never before did you stand so close to death asnow. Look," and I held up the keen blade before his eyes. "This steelthirsts for your blood; only one thought has intervened to save you."

  "What was that?"

  "The fact that you are the husband of one who was once EloiseLafreniere."

  I know not how much of the truth he suspected, but for a moment westood thus, I half imagining he contemplated a leap at my throat. Thenhis eyes fell, and he drew back with a short laugh.

  "_Le Diable_! 'tis easy for some people to discover excuses at such atime. Still, Monsieur, as you refuse to fight I may as well lie down;having been early awake I am somewhat weary."

  I watched him silently while he arranged his robes for the night.

  "Before you sleep," I ventured, "it would please my curiosity to knowwhere this pure and peerless Queen of yours makes her abode."

  "Ah! would you pay her a visit?" he asked suspiciously.

  "Far from it; rather that I may avoid her. Yet we are not in speciallypleasant surroundings, and such information might not come amiss."

  He sulked a moment over his answer, but finally relented.

  "In that large hut upon the second mound."

  "You spoke as if Madame de Noyan were beneath the same roof, yet yousaw her not. Does the hut differ from this in being divided intorooms?"

  "A partition runs through it from roof to floor. Naladi holds court inthe south room, which is decorated most lavishly with things of beauty."

  "Then Madame occupies the northern portion?"

  "So I understood," with a sleepy yawn. "I asked little in detail;'twas enough for me to be assured she was well."