The Deerslayer (Barnes & Noble Classics) - James Fenimore Cooper [177]
“Ah’s me! poor girl; I’m afeard all that’s easier said than done. They’re a venomous set of riptyles, and their pi’son’s none the milder for the loss of Hist. Well, I’m glad the Sarpent was the one to get off with the gal; for now they’ll be two happy, at least; whereas had he fallen into the hands of the Mingos, there’d be two miserable, and another far from feelin’ as a man likes to feel.”
“Now you put me in mind of a part of my errand, that I had almost forgotten, Deerslayer. Judith told me to ask you what you thought the Hurons would do with you if you couldn’t be bought off, and what she had best do to serve you. Yes, this was the most important part of the errand—what she had best do in order to serve you.”
“That’s as you think, Hetty; but it’s no matter. Young women are apt to lay most stress on what most touches their feelin’s; but no matter ; have it your own way, so you be but careful not to let the vagabonds get the mastery of a canoe. When you get back to the ark, tell ‘em to keep close, and to keep moving too, most especially at night. Many hours can’t go by without the troops on the river hearing of this party, and then your fri’nds may look for relief. ‘Tis but a day’s march from the nearest garrison, and true soldiers will never lie idle with the foe in their neighborhood. This is my advice, and you must say to your father and Hurry that scalp-hunting will be a poor business now, as the Mingos are up and awake, and nothing can save ’em ‘till the troops come, except keeping a good belt of water atween ’em and the savages.”
“What shall I tell Judith about you, Deerslayer? I know she will send me back again, if I don’t bring her the truth about you.”
“Then tell her the truth. I see no reason Judith Hutter shouldn’t hear the truth about me as well as a lie. I’m a captyve in Indian hands, and Providence only knows what will come of it! Harkee, Hetty,” dropping his voice and speaking still more confidentially, “you are a little weak-minded, it must be allowed, but you know something of Injins. Here I am in their hands, after having slain one of their stoutest warriors, and they’ve been endivoring to work upon me, through fear of consequences, to betray your father and all in the ark. I understand the blackguards as well as if they told it all out plainly with their tongues. They hold up avarice afore me on one side, and fear on t‘other, and think honesty will give way atween ’em both. But let your father and Hurry know ’tis all useless; as for the Sarpent, he knows it already”
“But what shall I tell Judith? She will certainly send me back if I don’t satisfy her mind.”
“Well, tell Judith the same. No doubt the savages will try the torments to make me give in, and to revenge the loss of their warrior, but I must hold out ag‘in nat’ral weakness in the best manner I can. You may tell Judith to feel no consarn on my account—it will come hard, I know, seeing that a white man’s gifts don’t run to boasting and singing under torment, for he generally feels smallest when he suffers most—but you may tell her not to have any consarn. I think I shall make out to stand it; and she may rely on this, let me give in as much as I may, and prove completely that I am white, by wailings, and howlings, and even tears, yet I’ll never fall so far as to betray my fr’inds. When it gets to burning holes in the flesh with heated ramrods, and to hacking the body, and tearing the hair out by the roots, natur’ may get the upper hand, so far as groans and complaints are consarned, but there the triumph of the vagabonds will ind; nothing short of God’s abandoning him to the devils, can make an honest man ontrue to his color and duty”
Hetty listened with great attention, and her mild but speaking countenance manifested a strong sympathy in the anticipated agony of the supposititious sufferer. At first she seemed at a loss how to act; then, taking a hand of Deerslayer’s, she affectionately