The Deerslayer (Barnes & Noble Classics) - James Fenimore Cooper [110]
Hist gazed at the gentle, simple girl for quite a minute, without speaking; when the truth appeared to flash all at once on the mind of the young Indian maid. Pity, reverence, and tenderness seemed struggling together in her breast; then, rising suddenly, she indicated a wish to her companion that she would accompany her to the camp, which was situated at no great distance. This unexpected change, from the precaution that Hist had previously manifested a desire to use in order to prevent being seen, to an open exposure of the person of her friend, arose from the perfect conviction that no Indian would harm a being whom the Great Spirit had disarmed, by depriving it of its strongest defense, reason. In this respect, nearly all unsophisticated nations resemble each other; appearing to offer spontaneously, by a feeling creditable to human nature, that protection by their own forbearance which has been withheld by the inscrutable wisdom of Providence. Wah-ta-Wah, indeed, knew that in many tribes the mentally imbecile and the mad were held in a species of religious reverence, receiving from the untutored inhabitants of the forest respect and honors, instead of the contumely and neglect that it is their fortune to meet with among the more pretending and sophisticated.
Hetty accompanied her new friend without apprehension or reluctance. It was her wish to reach the camp; and, sustained by her motives, she felt no more concern for the consequences than did her companion herself, now the latter was apprised of the character of the protection that the paleface maiden carried with her. Still, as they proceeded slowly along a shore that was tangled with overhanging bushes, Hetty continued the discourse, assuming the office of interrogating, which the other had instantly dropped as soon as she ascertained the character of the mind to which her questions had been addressed.
“But you are not half-witted,” said Hetty; “and there’s no reason why the Serpent should not marry you.”
“Hist prisoner, and Mingo got big ear. No speak of Chingachgook when they by. Promise Hist that, good Hetty”
“I know—I know,” returned Hetty, half whispering in her eagerness to let the other see she understood the necessity of caution. “I know—Deerslayer and the Serpent mean to get you away from the Iroquois; and you wish me not to tell the secret.”
“How you know?” said Hist, hastily, vexed at the moment that the other was not even more feebleminded than was actually the case. “How you know? Better not talk of any but fader and Hurry; Mingo understand dat; he no understand t’udder. Promise you no talk about what you no understand.”
“But I do understand this, Hist; and so I must talk about it. Deerslayer as good as told father all about it, in my presence; and as nobody told me not to listen, I overheard it all, as I did Hurry and father’s discourse about the scalps.”
“Very bad for paleface to talk about scalps, and very bad for young woman to hear! Now you love Hist, I know, Hetty, and so, among Injins, when love hardest never talk most.”
“That’s not the way among white people, who talk most about them they love best. I suppose it’s because I’m only half-witted that I don’t see the reason why it should be so different among red people.”
“That what Deerslayer call gift. One gift to talk, t’udder gift to hold tongue. Hold tongue your gift, among Mingos. If Serpent want to see Hist, so Hetty want to see Hurry Good girl never tell secret of friend.”
Hetty understood this appeal; and she promised the Delaware girl not to make any allusion to the presence of Chingachgook, or to the motive of his visit to the lake.
“Maybe he get off Hurry and fader, as well as Hist, if let him have his way,” whispered Wah-ta-Wah to her companion, in a confiding, flattering way, just as they got near enough to the encampment to hear the voices of several of their own sex, who were apparently occupied in the usual toils of women of their class. “T’ink of dat, Hetty, and put two, twenty finger on mouth. No get friends free without Serpent do it.”
A better expedient could not