“We have arranged that Miss de Contrecoeur is to share my room with me at Croghan’s,” said Mrs. Bleecker. “And, Euan, I think you should send a wagon for her box at once. The distance is short; we will stroll home together.”
I took my leave of them, contented, and walked back to the fort alone, my heart full of thankfulness for what God had done for her that day.
CHAPTER X
IN GARRISON
The end of the month was approaching, and as yet we had received no marching orders, although every evening the heavy-laden batteaux continued to arrive from Albany, and every morning the slow wagon train left for the lake, escorted by details from Schott’s irregulars, and Franklin’s Wyoming militia.
But our veteran rifle battalion did not stir, although all the other regular regiments had marched to Otsego; and Colonel Gansevoort’s 3rd N. Y. Regiment of the Line, which was now under orders to remain and guard the Valley, had not yet returned, although early in the week an Oneida runner had come in with letters for Mrs. Bleecker and Mrs. Lansing from their husbands, saying that the regiment was on its way to the fort, and that they, the ladies, should continue at Croghan’s as long as Morgan’s Rifles were remaining there in garrison.
Cooler weather had set in with an occasional day of heavy summer rain; and now our garrison life became exceedingly comfortable, especially agreeable because of the ladies’ hospitality at Croghan’s new house.
Except for Lois and for them my duties on special detail would have become most irksome to me, shut off from the regiment as I was, with only the Mohican to keep an eye on, and nothing else whatever to do except to write at sundown every evening in my daily journal.
Not that I had not come to care a great deal for the Siwanois; indeed, I was gradually becoming conscious of a very genuine affection for this tall Mohican, who, in the calm confidence of our blood-brotherhood, was daily revealing his personality to me in a hundred naive and different ways, and with a simplicity that alternately touched and amused me.
For, after his own beliefs and his own customs, he was every inch a man — courteous, considerate, proud, generous, loyal, and brave. Which seem to me to be the general qualifications for a gentleman.
Except the Seneca Mountain Snakes, the nations of the Long House, considering their beliefs, customs, and limited opportunities, were not a whit inferior to us as men. And the Mohicans have always been their peers.
For, contrary to the general and ignorant belief, except for the Senecas, the Iroquois were civilised people; their Empire had more moral reasons for its existence than any other empire I ever heard of; because the League which bound these nations into a confederacy, and which was called by them “The Great Peace,” had been established, not for the purpose of waging war, but to prevent it.
Until men of my own blood and colour had taught them treachery and ferocity and deceit, they had been, as a confederacy, guiltless of these things. Before the advent of the white man, a lie among the Iroquois was punished by death; also, among them, unchastity was scarcely known so rare was it. Even now, that brutal form of violence toward women, white or red, either in time of war or peace, was absolutely non-existent. No captive woman needed to fear that. Only the painted Tories — the blue-eyed Indians — remained to teach the Iroquois that such wickedness existed. For, as they said of themselves, the People of the Morning were “real men.”
They had a federal constitution; they had civil and political ceremonies as wisely conceived and as dignified as they were impressive, romantic, and beautiful. Their literature, historical and imaginative, was handed down from generation to generation; and if memory were at fault, there were the wampum belts in their archives to corroborate tradition.
Their federal, national, tribal, sept, and clan systems were devised solely to prevent international decadence and fraternal strife; their secret societies were not sinister; their festivals and dances not immodest; their priesthood not ignoble. They were sedentary and metropolitan people — dwellers in towns — not nomads; they had cattle and fowls, orchards and grain-fields, gardens for vegetables, corrals for breeding stock. They had many towns — some even of two hundred houses, of which dwellings many were cellared, framed, and glazed.
They had their well-built and heavily stockaded forts which, because the first Frenchmen called them chateaux, were still known to us as “castles.”
Their family life was, typically, irreproachable; they were tender and indulgent husbands and fathers, charitable neighbours, gay and good-humoured among their friends; and their women were deferred to, respected, and honoured, and had a distinct and important role to play in the social and political practices of the Confederacy.
If they, by necessity, were compelled to decimate the Eries, crush the Hurons, and subdue the Lenape and “make women of them,” the latter term meant only that the Lenape could not be trusted to bear arms as allies.
Yet, with truest consideration and courtesy toward these conquered ones, and with a kindly desire to disguise and mitigate a necessary and humiliating restriction, the Iroquois had recognised their priesthood and their clans; had invested the Lenape with the fire-rights at Federal Councils; and had even devised for them a diplomatic role. They were henceforward the ambassadors of the Confederacy, the diplomats and political envoys of the Long House.
And if the Delawares never forgot or forgave their position as a subject nation, yet had the Iroquois done all they dared to soften a nominal servitude which they believed was vitally necessary to the peace and well-being of the entire Iroquois Confederacy.
Of this kind of people, then, were the Iroquois, naturally — not, alas, wholly so after the white man had drugged them with rum, cheated them, massacred them, taught them every vice, inoculated them with every disease.
For I must bear witness to the truth of this, spite of the incredulity of my own countrymen; and, moreover, it is true that the Mohicans were, in all virtuous and noble things, the peers of the civilised people of the Long House.
Those vile, horse-riding, murdering, thieving nomad Indians of the plains — those homeless, wandering, plundering violators of women and butchers of children, had nothing whatever in common with our forest Indians of the East — were a totally different race of people, mentally, spiritually, and physically. And these two species must ever remain distinct — the Gens des Prairies and the Gens du Bois.
Only the Senecas resembled the degraded robbers of the Western plains in having naturally evil and debased propensities, and entertaining similar gross and monstrous customs and most wicked superstitions. But in the Long House the Senecas were really aliens; every nation felt this, from the Canienga and Oneida peoples, whose skin was almost as white as our own, to the dusky Onondaga, Tuscarora, and Cayuga — darker people, but no less civilised than the tall, stalwart, and handsome keepers of the Eastern Gate.
I have ventured to say this much concerning the Iroquois so that it may better be understood among my own countrymen how it was possible for me, a white man of unmixed blood, to love and respect a red man of blood as pure and unmixed as mine. A dog-trader learns many things about dogs by dealing in them; an interpreter who deals with men never, ultimately, mistakes a real man, white or red.
My isolation from the regiment, as I say, was now more than compensated by the presence of the ladies at Croghan’s house. And Lois had now been lodged with them for more than a week. How much of her sad history Mrs. Bleecker had seen fit to impart to Lana Helmer and Angelina Lansing I did not know. But it seemed to be generally understood in the garrison that Lois had arrived from Albany on Mrs. Bleecker’s invitation, and that the girl was to remain permanently under her protection.
The romantic fact that Lois was the orphan of white captives to the Senecas, and had living neither kith nor kin, impressed Angelina sentimentally, and Lana with an insatiable curiosity, if not with suspicion.
As for Boyd, he had not recognised her at all, in her powder, patches, and pretty gowns. That was perfectly plain to Lo
is and to me. And I could understand it, too, for I hardly recognised her myself. And after the novelty of meeting her had worn off he paid her no particular attention — no doubt because of his headlong, impatient, and undisguised infatuation for Lana, which, with her own propensity for daring indiscretion, embarrassed us all more or less.
No warrant had been given me to interfere; I was on no such intimate terms with Boyd; and as for Lana, she heeded Mrs. Bleecker’s cautious sermons as lightly as a bluebird, drifting, heeds the soft air that thrills with his careless flight-song.
What officers there were, regular and militia, who had not yet gone to Otsego Lake, came frequently to Croghan’s to pay their respects; and every afternoon there were most agreeable parties at Croghan’s; nor was our merriment any less restrained for our lack of chairs and tables and crockery to contain the cakes and nougats, syllabubs and custards, that the black wench, Gusta, contrived for us. Neither were there glasses sufficient to hold the sweet native wines, or enough cups to give each a dish of the rare tea which had come from France, and which Mr. Hake had sent to me from Albany, the thoughtful soul!
If I did not entirely realise it at the time, nevertheless it was a very happy week for me. To see Lois at last where she belonged; to see her welcomed, respected, and admired by the ladies and gentlemen at Croghan’s — courted, flattered, sought after in a company so respectable, and so naturally and sweetly holding her own among them without timidity or effort, was to me a pleasure so wonderful that even the quick, light shafts of jealousy — which ignoble but fiery darts were ever buzzing about my ass’s ears, sometimes stinging me — could not fatally wound my satisfaction or my deep thankfulness that her dreadful and wretched trials were ended at last, after so many years.
What seemed to Angelina and Lana an exceedingly quick intimacy between Lois and me sentimentally interested the former, and, as I have said, aroused the mischievous, yet not unkindly, curiosity of the latter. Like all people who are deep in intrigue themselves, any hint of it in others excited her sophisticated curiosity. So when we concluded it might be safe to call each other Lois and Euan, Lana’s curiosity leaped over all bounds to the barriers of impertinence.
There was, as usual, a respectable company gathered at Croghan’s that afternoon; and a floating-island and tea and a punch. Lois, in her usual corner by the northern window, was so beset and surrounded by officers of ours, and Schott’s, Franklin’s, and Spalding’s, and staff-officers halted for the day, that I had quite despaired of a word with her for the present; and had somewhat sulkily seated myself on the stairs to bide my time. What between love, jealousy, and hurt pride that she had not instantly left her irksome poppinjays at the mere sight of me, and flown to me under the noses of them all, I was in two minds whether I would remain in the house or no — so absurd and horridly unbalanced is a young man’s mind when love begins meddling with and readjusting its accustomed mechanism. Long, long were my ears in those first days of my heart’s undoing!
Solemnly brooding on woman’s coldness, fickleness, and general ingratitude, and silently hating every gallant who crowded about her to hold her cup, her fan, her plate, pick up her handkerchief or a bud fallen from her corsage, I could not, however, for the life of me keep my eyes from the cold-blooded little jilt.
She had evidently been out walking before I arrived, for she still wore her coquette garden-hat — the chipstraw affair, with the lilac ribbons tied in a bow under her rounded chin; and a white, thin gown, most ravishing, and all bestrewn with sprigs and posies, which displayed her smooth and delicately moulded throat above the low-pinned kerchief, and her lovely arms from the creamy elbow lace down to her finger tips.
The French hair-powder she wore was not sprinkled in any vulgar profusion; it merely frosted the rich curls, making her pink checks pinker and her grey eyes a darker and purpler grey, and rendering her lips fresh and dewy in vivid contrast. And she wore a patch on her smooth left cheek-bone. And it was a most deadly thing to do, causing me a sentimental anguish unspeakable.
As I sat there worshipping, enchanted, resentful, martyred, alternately aching with loneliness and devotion, and at the same time heartily detesting every man on whom she chanced to smile, comes a sly and fragrant breath in my ear. And, turning, I discover Lana perched on a step of the stairs above me, her mocking eyes brilliant with unkind delight.
“Poor swain a-sighing!” said she. “Love is sure a thorny way, Euan.”
“Have a care for your own skirts then,” said I ungraciously.
“My skirts!”
“Yours, Lanette. Your petticoat needs mending now.”
“If love no more than rend my petticoat I ought to be content,” she said coolly.
Silenced by her effrontery, which truly passed all bounds, I merely glared at her, and presently she laughed outright.
“Broad-brim,” said she, “I was not born yesterday. Have no worries concerning me, but look to yourself, for I think you have been sorely hit at last. And God knows such wounds go hard with a truly worthy and good young man.”
“I make nothing of your nonsense,” said I coldly.
“What? Nothing? And yonder sits its pretty and romantic inspiration? I am glad I have lived to see the maid who dealt you your first wound!”
“Do you fancy that I am in love?” said I defiantly.
“Why not admit what your lop-ears and moony mien yell aloud to the world entire?”
“Have you no common sense, Lana? Do you imagine a man can fall in love in a brief week?”
“I have been wondering,” said she coolly, “whether you have ever before seen her.”
“Continue to wonder,” said I bluntly.
“I do.... Because you call her ‘Lois’ so readily — and you came near it the first day you had apparently set eyes on her. Also, she calls you ‘Euan’ with a tripping lack of hesitation — even with a certain natural tenderness—”
I turned on her, exasperated:
“Come,” said I, controlling my temper with difficulty, “I am tired of playing butt to your silly arrows.”
“Oh, how you squirm, Euan! Cupid and I are shooting you full as a porcupine!”
“If Cupid is truly shooting,” said I with malice, “you had best hunt cover, Lana. For I think already a spent shaft or two has bruised you, flying at hazard from his bow.”
She smilingly ignored what I had said.
“Tell me,” she persisted, “are you not at her pretty feet already? Is not your very soul down on its worthy marrow-bones before this girl?”
“Is not every gallant gentleman who comes to Croghan’s at the feet of Miss de Contrecoeur?”
“One or two are in the neighbourhood of my feet,” she remarked.
“Aye, and too near to please me,” said I.
“Who, for example?”
“Boyd — for example,” I replied, giving her a hearty scowl.
“Oh!” she drawled airily. “He is not yet near enough my ankles to please me.”
“You little fool,” said I between my teeth, “do you think you can play alley-taw and cat’s-cradle with a man like that?”
Then a cold temper flashed in her eyes.
“A man like that,” she repeated. “And pray, dear friend, what manner of man may be ‘a man like that?’”
“One who can over-match you at your own silly sport — and carry the game to its sinister finish! I warn you, have a care of yourself, Lanette. Sir John is a tyro to this man.”
She said hotly: “If I should say to him what you have but now said to me, he would have you out for your impertinence!”
“If he continues to conduct as he has begun,” said I, “the chances are that I may have him out for his effrontery.”
“What! Who gave you the privilege of interfering in my affairs, you silly ninny?”
“So that you display ordinary prudence, I have no desire to interfere,” I retorted angrily.
“And if I do not! If I am imprudent! If I choose to be audacious, reckless
, shameless! Is it your affair?”
“Suppose I make it mine?”
“You are both silly and insulting; do you know it?”
Flushed, breathing rapidly, we sat facing each other; and I could have shaken the little vixen, so furious was I at myself as well as at her.
“Very well,” said I, “continue to play with hell-fire if you like. I’m done with you and with him, too.”
“And I with you,” she said between her teeth. “And if you were not the honest-meaning marplot that you are, Mr. Boyd should teach you a lesson!”
“I’ll teach him one now,” said I, springing to my feet and gone quite blind with rage so that I was obliged to stand still a moment before I could discover Boyd where he stood by the open door, trying to converse with Mrs. Lansing, but watching us both with unfeigned amazement.
“Euan!”
Lana’s voice arrested me, and I halted and turned, striving to remember decency and that I was conducting like a very boor. This was neither the time nor place to force a quarrel on any man.... And Lana was right. I had no earthly warrant to interfere if she gave me none; perhaps no spiritual warrant either.
Still shaken and confused by the sudden fury which had invaded me, and now sullenly mortified by my own violence and bad manners, I stood with one hand resting on the banisters, forcing myself to look at Lana and take the punishment that her scornful eyes were dealing me.
“Are you coming to your senses?” she asked coldly.
“Yes,” I said. “I ask your pardon.”
A moment more we gazed at each other, then suddenly her under lip trembled and her eyes filled.
“Forgive me,” she stammered. “You are a better friend to me than — many.... I am not angry, Euan.”
At that I could scarce control my own voice:
“Lanette — little Lana! Find it in your generous heart to offer me my pardon, for I have conducted like a yokel and a fool! But — but I really do love you.”
Works of Robert W Chambers Page 709