Part 5 (2/2)
”It is well,” said the Indian, ”Peena is a oman, and Ohquamehud will speak with the white estion of the squaw to carry into effect a resolution alreadyto the river, which was but a dozen rods distant fro its course up the stream, was lost, in a few moments, from her view
The appearance of Ohquamehud indicated no hostility when he presented hi baskets in front of his cabin, nor did his visit seem to surprise the latter For an instant the Indian looked with disdain upon an eht hi the expression of a sentiht have interfered with his purpose, with a quiet dignity, and, as if in answer to a wave of Holden's hand, he seated hie stone by his side For a time he was silent, as if either out of deference to the superior years of the other, or because he wished to collect his thoughts before he began the conversation Finding, however, he could obtain fronition, he spoke in his own language
”My brother has a big heart He is ifts for the beautiful women of his nation”
”Indian,” replied Holden, ”think not to deceive me At this moment thou considerest this an occupation unfit for aeyes They can see the woodpecker on the rotten tree across the river, but they reach not here,” laying his hand upon his breast ”The Holder of the Heavens loves not to see things alike He therefore made the leaf of the oak to differ from that of the hickory, and the pine from both, and also the white race froht the white es of wood, and brick and stone, and to swis: while to the red ave the forests and prairies, with the deer, and bear, and buffalo, and caused hiwaht my white brother to weave beautiful baskets, but denied the skill to my father's son”
The Indian must have supposed he had seriously offended his new acquaintance, to induce him thus elaborately to atteht be, the Solitary resuh he felt no resentment
”There is wisdom in thy speech The Great Spirit loves variety, and it is he that o, when thy ancestors builded great houses and dwelt in cities, and sailed over the seas in winged-canoes”
The Indian cast a quick, sharp glance at the Solitary, as if he wished to read his very soul For a h he doubted the evidence of his senses But recovering his cohts of reat wind”
”Thou comprehendest o, there lived far towards the rising sun, twelve tribes, called the 'Children of Israel,' whoreatly loved And they had wise and brave Sachems, who led them to battle, and their feet were red with the blood of their enemies But they became wicked, and would not hearken unto the words of the Great Spirit, and He turned his face away from them So their enemies came upon them, and despoiled theer near the rising sun, but ten wandered far away into distant countries, and they are thy fathers”
The Indian listened with great attention, and upon the other pausing, said:
”Has the Manitou told all these things to my brother?”
”No, Indian; the Great Spirit speaks not now to his people as he did when the world was young But,” he added, as if struck with the folly of continuing a conversation of this character, ”the path is long that led me to this truth, and it would weary thy feet to travel it”
”My brother is wise, and cannot lie, and I as of reat traveller Was it near the rising sun he learned the language of the redsun than thou But tell me the object of thy visit Why dost thou seek me nohen but a few days since thou didst chide the squaw for her willingness to oblige me?”
”The lips of Ohquamehud spoke folly He did not then know that this brother had talked to the Master of Life, who granted to him the life of Huttamoiden's child The blood of Huttamoiden runs in these veins”
The explanation was perfectly natural, and whatever suspicion had arisen in Holden'sthat the Indian, who also, by uttering his na to form the acquaintance of one who had proved himself a friend to his tribe, and probably was invested in his ireat ht fancies, the recovery of the boy had see his prayers with it, yet he shrank froreat a power as the Indian ascribed to him
”The issues of life and death are with the Great Spirit,” he said ”At his pleasure he breathes into our nostrils, and we live; or he turns away his face, and we die Let not ive too much credit to a worm”
The wily Indian, froe, and was not slow to use it
”Because ht thee So when the boy was departing for the happy hunting grounds, my brother remembered their kindness, and held the child by the hand, and would not let hio”
The face of the Solitary worked with e
”Would that I could explain,” he said ”But thou art unable to understand How canst thou know a Christian heart?”
”The heart of Ohquae knows not, and despises forgiveness I was a stately pine, whose branches ed therein And a stor struck it, and its pride and glory turound And it was burnt up, all save this blasted trunk” He uttered this with a wild frenzy, and as if hardly conscious of the presence of another
”Doth the lightning fall fro since a black cloud burst over the ancient hunting-grounds of the Pequots”