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Файл:The Chainbearer; or, The Littlepage Manuscripts
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THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
tion, readiness, and loveliness of her sex. When my pulses
beat more regularly, and my heart ceased to throb, I looked
around in quest of that strange vision, but saw no one who
could, in the least, claim to be connected with it. The females
had huddled together, like a covey that was frightened, and
were exclaiming, holding up their hands, and indulging in
the signs of alarm that are customary with their sex and class.
The «vision» was certainly not in that group, but had vanished
as suddenly as it had appeared.
At this juncture, the Chainbearer came forward, and took
the command. I could see he was agitated – affected might be
a better word – but he was, nevertheless, steady and authoritative. He was obeyed, too, in a manner I was delighted to see.
The order of the «boss» had produced no such impressions as
those which old Andries now issued; and I really felt an impulse to obey them myself, as I would have done eighteen
months before, when he stood on the right of our regiment as
its oldest captain.
The carpenter yielded his command to the Chainbearer without a murmur. Even ‘Squire Newcome evidently felt
that Andries was one who, in a certain way, could infl uence
the minds of the settlers more than he could do it himself.
In short, everybody listened, everybody seemed pleased, and
everybody obeyed. Nor did my old friend resort to any of
the coaxing that is so common in America, when men are to
be controlled in the country. In the towns, and wherever men
are to be commanded in bodies, authority is as well understood as it is in any other quarter of the world; but, in the interior, and especially among the people of New England
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
habits, very few men carry suffi cient command with them to
say, «John, do this», or «John, do that»; but it is «Johnny, why
won’t you do this?» or «Johnny, don’t you think you’d better do
that?» The Chainbearer had none of this mystifi ed nonsense
about him. He called things by their right names; and when he
wanted a spade, he did not ask for a hoe. As a consequence, he
was obeyed, command being just as indispensable to men, on
a thousand occasions, as any other quality.
Everything was soon ready again, with the men stationed
a little differently from what they had previously been. This
change was the Chainbearer’s, who understood mechanics
practically; better, perhaps, than if he had been a fi rst-rate
mathematician. The word was given to heave, all of us being at
the pike-poles; when up went the bent, as if borne upon by
a force that was irresistible. Such was the effect of old Andries’
habits of command, which not only caused every man to lift
with all his might, but the whole to lift together. A bent that
is perpendicular is easily secured; and then it was announced
that the heaviest of the work was over. The other bents were
much lighter; and one up, there were means of aiding in raising the rest that were at fi rst wanting.
«The Congregationals has got the best on’t», cried out
the old Rhode Islander, laughing, as soon as the bent was staylathed, «by the help of the Chainbearer and somebody else
I wunt name! Well, our turn will come, some day; for Ravensnest is a place in which the people wont be satisfi ed with one
religion. A country is badly on’t, that has but one religion in’t;
priests getting lazy, and professors dull!»
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THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
«You may be sure of t’at», answered the Chainbearer, who
was evidently making preparations to quit the frame. «Ravensnest will get as many religions, in time, as t’ere are discontented spirits in it; and t’ey will need many raisings, and
more priests».
«Do you intend to leave us, Chainbearer? There’s more
posts to hold, and more bents to lift?»
«The worst is over, and you’ve force enough wit’out me, for
what remains to be tone. I haf t’e lantlort to take care of. Go to
your work, men; and, if you can, rememper you haf a peing to
worship in t’is house, t’at is neit’er Congregational, nor Presbyterian, nor anything else of the nature of your disputes and
self-conceit. ‘Squire Newcome wilt gif you a leat in t’e way of
l’arning, and t’e carpenter can act boss well enough for t’e
rest of t’e tay».
I was surprised at the coolness with which my old friend
delivered himself of sentiments that were not very likely to
fi nd favor in such a company, and the deference that he received, while thus ungraciously employed. But I afterward
ascertained Andries commanded respect by means of his
known integrity; and his opinions carried weight because he
was a man who usually said «come, boys», and not one who
issued his orders in the words «go, boys». This had been his
character in the army, where, in his own little circle, he was
known as one ever ready to lead in person. Then Andries
was a man of sterling truth; and such a man, when he has
the moral courage to act up to his native impulses, mingled
with discretion enough to keep him within the boundaries of
common prudence, insensibly acquires great infl uence over
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
those with whom he is brought in contact. Men never fail to
respect such qualities, however little they put them in practice in their own cases.
«Come Morty, my poy», said the Chainbearer, as soon as we
were clear of the crowd, «I will pe your guite, ant take you to
a roof unter which you will pe master».
«You surely do not mean the ‘Nest?»
«T’at, and no ot’er. T’e olt place looks, like us olt soltiers,
a little rusty, and t’e worse for sarvice; put it is comfortaple,
and I haf had it put in order for you, poy. Your grantfat’er’s
furniture is still t’ere; and Frank Malpone, Dus, and I, haf mate
it head-quarters, since we haf peen in t’is part of t’e country.
You know I haf your orters for t’at».
«Certainly, and to use anything else that is mine. But I had
supposed you fairly hutted in the woods of Mooseridge!»
«T’at hast peen tone too; sometimes we are at one place,
and sometimes at anot’er. My niggers are at t’e hut; put Frank
and Dus and I haf come ofer to welcome you to t’e country».
«I have a wagoner here, and my own black – let me step to
the inn, and order them to get ready for us».
«Mortaunt, you and I haf peen uset to our feet. The soltier
marches, and countermarches, wit’ no wagon to carry him; he
leafs t’em to t’e paggage, and t’e paggage-guart».
«Come on, old Andries; I will be your comrade, on foot
or on horseback. It can only be some three or four miles, and
Jaap can follow with the trunks at his leisure».
A word spoken to the negro was all that was necessary;
though the meeting between him and the Chainbearer was
that of old friends. Jaap had gone through the whole war with
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THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
the regiment, sometimes acting as my father’s servant, sometimes carrying a musket, sometimes driving a team; and, at
the close of his career, as my particular attendant. He consequently regarded himself as a sort of soldier, and a very good
one had he proved himself to be, on a great many occasions.
«One word before we start, Chainbearer», I said, as old Andries and Jaap concluded their greetings; «I fell in with the Indian you used to call Surefl int, in the woods, and I wish to take
him with us».
«He hast gone aheat, to let your visit pe known», answered
my friend. «I saw him going up t’e roat, at a quick trot, half
an hour since. He is at t’e ‘Nest py t’is time».
No more remained to be said or done, and we went our
way, leaving the people busily engaged in getting up the remainder of the frame. I had occasion to observe that my arrival produced much less sensation in the settlement than it
might have done had not the «meeting-house» been my competitor in attracting attention. One was just as much of a novelty as the other; just as much of a stranger. Although born in
a Christian land, and educated in Christian dogmas, very
few of those who dwelt on the estate of Ravensnest, and who
were under the age of fi ve-and-twenty, had ever seen an edifi ce that was constructed for the purpose of Christian worship at all. Such structures were rare indeed, in the year 1784,
and in the interior of New York. Albany had but two, I believe;
the capital may have had a dozen; and most of the larger villages possessed at least one; but with the exception of the old
counties, and here and there one on the Mohawk, the new
State could not boast of many of «those silent fi ngers point-
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
ing to the sky», rising among its trees, so many monitors of
a future world, and of the great end of life. As a matter of
course, all those who had never seen a church felt the liveliest desire to judge of the form and proportions of this; and as
the Chainbearer and I passed the crowd of females, I heard
several good-looking girls expressing their impatience to see
something of the anticipated steeple, while scarce a glance
was bestowed on myself.
«Well, my old friend, here we are together, again, marching on a public highway», I remarked, «but with no intention of encamping in front of an enemy».
«I hope not», returned Andries, dryly; «t’ough all is not golt
t’at glitters. We have fought a hard battle, Major Littlepage;
I hope it will turn out for a goot end».
I was a little surprised at this remark; but Andries was
never very sanguine in his anticipations of good. Like a true
Dutchman, he particularly distrusted the immigration from
the Eastern States, which I had heard him often say could
bring no happy results.
«All will come round in the end, Chainbearer», I answered, «and we shall get the benefi ts of our toil and dangers.
But how do you come on at the Ridge, and who is this surveyor of yours?»
«T’ings do well enough at t’e Ridge, Mortaunt; for t’ere t’ere
is not a soul yet to make trouple. We have prought you a map of
ten t’ousant acres, laid off in huntret acre lots, which I will
venture to say haf peen as honestly and carefully measuret as
any other ten t’ousant acres in t’e State. We pegan next to t’is
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THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
property, and you may pegin to lease, on your fat’er’s lant, just
as soon as you please».
«And the Frank Malbone you have written about did
the surveying?»
«He worket up my measurements, lat, and closely tone
t’ey are, I’ll answer for it. T’is Frank Malbone is t’e brot’er of
Dus – t’at is to say, her half-brot’er; peing no nephew of mine.
Dus, you know, is only a half-niece in bloot; but she is a full
da’ter in lofe. As for Frank, he is a goot fellow; and t’ough t’is is
his fi rst jop at surfeying, he may be dependet on wit’ as much
confi tence as any ot’er man going».
«No matter if a few mistakes are made, Andries; land is not
diamonds in this country; there is plenty for us all, and a great
deal to spare. It would be a different matter if there was a scarcity; but as it is, give good measure to the tenant, or the purchaser. A fi rst survey can only produce a little loss or gain;
whereas surveys between old farms are full of trouble».
«Ant lawsuits» – put in the Chainbearer, nodding his head.
«To tell you my mint, Mortaunt, I would rat’er take a jop in
a Dutch settlement, at half-price, t’an run a line petween
two Yankees for twice the money. Among t’e Dutch, t’e owners light their pipes, and smoke whilst you are at work; but
the Yankees are the whole time trying to cut off a little here,
and to gain a little t’ere; so t’at it is as much as a man’s conscience is wort’ to carry a chain fairly petween ‘em».
As I knew his prejudice on this subject formed the weak
point in the Chainbearer, I gave the discourse a new turn, by
leading it to political events, of which I knew him to be fond.
We walked on, conversing on various topics connected with
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
this theme, for near an hour, when I found myself rather suddenly quite near to my own particular house. Near by, the building had more of shape and substance than it had seemed to
possess when seen from the height; and I found the orchards
and meadows around it free from stumps and other eyesores,
and in good order. Still, the place on its exterior, had a sort of
jail look, there being no windows, nor any other outlet than
the door. On reaching the latter, which was a gate, rather than
an ordinary entrance, we paused a moment to look about
us. While we stood there, gazing at the fi elds, a form glided
through the opening, and Surefl int stood by my side. He had
hardly got there, when there arose the strains of the same full,
rich, female voice, singing Indian words to a civilized melody,
as I had heard issuing from the thicket of pines, among the second growth of the forest. From that moment I forgot my fi elds
and orchards, forgot the Chainbearer and Surefl int, and could
think of nothing but the extraordinary circumstance of a native girl’s possessing such a knowledge of our music. The Indian himself seemed entranced; never moving until the song
or verses were ended. Old Andries smiled, waited until the last
strain was fi nished, pronounced the word «Dus» with emphasis, and beckoned for me to follow him into the building.
CHAPTER XI
«The fault will be in the music, cousin,
if you be not woo’d in good time;
if the prince be too important,
tell him there is measure for every thing,
and so dance out the answer».
– Beatrice.
«Dus!» I repeated to myself – «This, then, is Dus, and no
Indian girl; the Chainbearer’s ‘Dus;’ Priscilla Bayard’s ‘Dus;’
and Surefl int’s ‘wren’!»
Andries must have overheard me, in part; for he stopped
just within the court on which the gate opened, and said –
«Yes, t’at is Dus, my niece. The girl is like a mocking-pird,
and catches the songs of all languages and people. She is goot at
Dutch, and quite melts my heart, Mortaunt, when she opens
her throat to sing one of our melancholy Dutch songs; and she
gives the English too, as if she knowet no ot’er tongue».
«But that song was Indian – the words, at least, were Mohawk or Oneida».
«Onondago – t’ere is little or no tifference. Yes, you’re
right enough; the worts are Indian, and they tell me t’e mu-
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
sic is Scotch. Come from where it will, it goes straight to
the heart, poy».
«How came Dus – how came Miss Ursula – that is, your
niece, to understand an Indian dialect?»
«Didn’t I tell you she is a perfect mocking-bird, and that
she imitates all she hears? Yes, Dus would make as goot a surveyor as her brot’er, after a week’s trial. You’ve heart me say
how much I livet among the tripes before t’e war, and Dus
was t’en wit’ me. In that manner she has caught the language;
and what she has once l’arnet she nefer forget. Dus is half
wilt from living so much in the woots, and you must make allowances for her; put she is a capital gal, and t’e very prite of
my heart!»
«Tell me one thing before we enter the house – does any
one else sing Indian about here? – has Surefl int any women
with him?»
«Not he! – t’e creatur’ hast not’ing to do wit’ squaws. As
for any one else’s singing Intian, I can only tell you I never
heart of such a person».
«But, you told me you were down the road to meet me this
morning – were you alone!»
«Not at all – we all went; Surefl int, Frank, Dus, and I.
I t’ought it due to a lantlort, Mortaunt, to gif him a hearty welcome; t’ough Dus did mutiny a little, and sait t’at, lantlort or
no lantlort, it was not proper for a young gal to go forth to
meet a young man. I might have t’ought so too, if it hadn’t peen
yourself, my poy; but, with you, I couldn’t play stranger, as one
woult wit’ a straggling Yankee. I wishet to welcome you wit’
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