The Deerslayer (Barnes & Noble Classics) - James Fenimore Cooper [245]
“The palefaces know everything,” he said; “can they tell us why the sun hides his face, and then goes back, at night?”
“Ay, that is downright redskin l‘arnin’ ,” returned the other, laughing, though he was not altogether insensible to the pleasure of proving the superiority of his race by solving the difficulty, which he set about doing in his own peculiar manner. “Harkee, Sarpent,” he continued more gravely, though too simply for affectation; “this is easierly explained than an Indian brain may fancy. The sun, while he seems to keep traveling in the heavens, never budges, but it is the ’arth that turns round; and any one can understand, if he is placed on the side of a mill wheel, for instance, when it’s in motion, that he must sometimes see the heavens, while he is at other times under water. There’s no great secret in that, but plain natur’; the difficulty being in setting the ’arth in motion.”
“How does my brother know that the earth turns round?” demanded the Indian. “Can he see it?”
“Well, that’s been a puzzler, I will own, Delaware; for I’ve often tried, but never could fairly make it out. Sometimes I’ve consaited that I could; and then ag‘in, I’ve been obliged to own it an onpossibility. Howsever, turn it does, as all my people say, and you ought to believe ’em, since they can foretell eclipses, and other prodigies, that used to fill the tribes with terror, according to your own traditions of such things.”
“Good! This is true; no redman will deny it. When a wheel turns, my eyes can see it; they do not see the earth turn.”
“Ay, that’s what I call sense-obstinacy! Seeing is believing, they say; and what they can’t see, some men won’t in the least give credit to. Nevertheless, chief, that isn’t quite as good reason as it may at first seem. You believe in the Great Spirit, I know; and yet, I conclude, it would puzzle you to show where you see him!”
“Chingachgook can see him everywhere—everywhere in good things—the Evil Spirit in bad. Here, in the lake; there, in the forest; yonder, in the clouds; in Hist, in the son of Uncas, in Tamenund, in Deerslayer. The Evil Spirit is in the Mingos. That I know; I do not see the earth turn round.”
“I don’t wonder they call you the Sarpent, Delaware; no, I don‘t! There’s always a meaning in your words, and there’s often a meaning in your countenance, too! Notwithstanding, your answers doesn’t quite meet my idee. That God is obsarvable in all nat’ral objects is allowable ; but then he is not parceptible in the way I mean. You know there is a Great Spirit, by his works, and the palefaces know that the ’arth turns round by its works. This is the reason of the matter, though how it is to be explained, is more than I can exactly tell you. This I know; all my people consait that fact; and what all the palefaces consait, is very likely to be true.”
“When the sun is in the top of that pine tomorrow, where will my brother Deerslayer be?”
The hunter started, and he looked intently, though totally without alarm, at his friend. Then he signed for him to follow, and led the way into the ark, where he might pursue the subject unheard by those whose feelings he feared might get the mastery over their reason. Here he stopped, and pursued the conversation in a more confidential tone.
“‘Twas a little onreasonable in you, Sarpent,” he said, “to bring up such a subject afore Hist, and when the young woman of my own color might overhear what was said. Yes, ’twas a little more onreasonable than most things that you do. No matter; Hist didn’t comprehend, and the other didn’t hear. Howsever, the question is easier put than answered. No mortal can say where he will be when the sun rises tomorrow. I will ask you the same question, Sarpent, and should like to hear what answer you can give.”
“Chingachgook will be with his friend, Deerslayer; if he be in the land of spirits, the Great Serpent will crawl at his