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Файл:The Chainbearer; or, The Littlepage Manuscripts
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THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
Dus herself; though somewhat prepared for such a thing by her
knowledge of Zephaniah’s extravagant wishes on the subject.
But when Thousandacres spoke plainly of sending for a magistrate, and of having «the young folks married on the spot»,
it was not easy to mistake his meaning, and astonishment was
soon succeeded by offended pride, in the breast of old Andries, and that to a degree and in a manner I had never before
witnessed in him. Perhaps I ought, in justice to my excellent
friend, to add that his high principles and keen sense of right
were quite as much wounded by the strange proposal as his
personal feelings. It was some time before he could or would
speak; when he did, it was with a dignity and severity of manner which I really had no idea he could assume. The thought of
Ursula Malbone’s being sacrifi ced to such a being as Zephaniah, and such a family as the squatter’s, shocked all his sensibilities, and appeared for a moment to overcome him. On
the other hand, nothing was plainer than that the breed of
Thousandacres saw no such violation of the proprieties in
their scheme. The vulgar, almost invariably, in this country,
reduce the standard of distinction to mere money; and in this
respect they saw, or fancied they saw, that Dus was not much
better off than they were themselves. All those points which
depended on taste, refi nement, education, habits and principles, were Hebrew to them; and, quite as a matter of course,
they took no account of qualities they could neither see nor
comprehend. It is not surprising, therefore, that they could
imagine the young squatter might make a suitable husband to
one who was known to have carried chain in the forest.
491
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
«I pelieve I do begin to unterstant you, T’ousantacres»,
said the Chainbearer, rising from his chair, and moving to
the side of his niece as if instinctively to protect her; «t’ough
it ist not a fery easy t’ing to comprehent such a proposal.
You wish Ursula Malpone to pecome t’e wife of Zephaniah
T’ousantacres, ant t’ereupon you wish to patch up a peace wit’
General Littlepage and Colonel Follock, ant optain an intemnity for all t’e wrong ant roppery you have done ‘em»
«Harkee, old Chainbearer; you’d best be kearful of your
language»
«Hear what t’at language ist to pe, pefore you interrupt me,
T’ousantacres. A wise man listens pefore he answers. Alt’ough
I haf nefer peen marriet myself, I know what ist tecent in
pehavior, ant, t’erefore, I wilt t’ank you for t’e wish of pein’
connectet wit’ t’e Coejemans ant t’e Malpones. T’at tuty tone,
I wish to say t’at my niece wilt not haf your poy»
«You haven’t given the gal a chance to speak for herself»,
cried Thousandacres, at the top of his voice, for he began to
be agitated now with a fury that found a little vent in that
manner. «You haven’t given the gal a chance to answer for
herself, old Andries. Zeph is a lad that she may go farther and
fare worse, afore she’ll meet his equal, I can tell you, though
perhaps, bein’ the b’y’s own father, I shouldn’t say it – but, in
the way of accommodatin’, I’m willin’ to overlook a great deal».
«Zephaniah’s an excellent son», put in Prudence, in
the pride and feeling of a mother, nature having its triumph
in her breast as well as in that of the most cultivated woman of
the land. «Of all my sons, Zephaniah is the best; and I account
492
THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
him fi t to marry with any who don’t live in the open country,
and with many that do».
«Praise your goots, ant extol your poy, if you see fi t», answered Chainbearer, with a calmness that I knew bespoke some
desperate resolution. «Praise your goots, ant extol your poy, I’ll
not teny your right to do as much of t’at as you wish; put t’is
gal was left me py an only sister on her tyin’ pet, ant may God
forget me, when I forget the tuty I owe to her. She shalt nefer
marry a son of T’ousantacres – she shalt nefer marry a squatter – she shalt nefer marry any man t’at ist not of a class, ant
feelin’s, ant hapits, and opinions, fi t to pe t’e huspant of a laty!»
A shout of derision, in which was blended the fi erce resentment of mortifi ed pride, arose among that rude crew, but
the thundering voice of Thousandacres made itself audible,
even amid the hellish din.
«Beware, Chainbearer; beware how you aggravate us; natur’ can’t and won’t bear everything».
«I want nut’in’ of you or yours, T’ousantacres», calmly returned the old man, passing his arm around the waist of Dus,
who clung to him, with a cheek that was fl ushed to fi re, but
an eye that was not accustomed to quail, and who seemed, at
that fearful moment, every way ready and able to second her
uncle’s efforts. «You’re nut’in’ to me, ant I’ll leaf you here, in
your misteets ant wicket t’oughts. Stant asite, I orter you. Do not
tare to stop t’e brod’er who is apout to safe his sister’s da’ghter
from pecoming a squatter’s wife. Stant asite, for I’ll stay wit’ you
no longer. An hour or two hence, miseraple Aaron, you’ll see
t’e folly of all t’is, ant wish you hat livet an honest man».
493
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
By this time the clamor of voices became so loud and confused, as to render it impossible to distinguish what was said.
Thousandacres actually roared like a maddened bull, and
he was soon hoarse with uttering his menaces and maledictions. Tobit said less, but was probably more dangerous. All
the young men seemed violently agitated, and bent on closing
the door on the exit of the Chainbearer; who, with his arm
around Dus, still slowly advanced, waving the crowd aside,
and commanding them to make way for him, with a steadiness and dignity that I began to think would really prevail. In
the midst of this scene of confusion, a rifl e suddenly fl ashed;
the report was simultaneous, and old Andries Coejemans fell.
CHAPTER XXVI
«Ye midnight shades, o’er nature spread!
Dumb silence of the dreary hour!
In honor of th’ approaching dead,
Around your awful terrors pour.
Yes, pour around,
On this pale ground,
Through all this deep surrounding gloom,
The sober thought,
The tear untaught,
Those meetest mourners at the tomb».
ALLET.
– M
It is a law of human nature, that the excesses of passion
bring their own rebukes. The violence of man feeds itself, until some enormity committed under its infl uence suddenly
rises before the transgressor, as the evidence of his blindness
and the restorer of his senses. Guilt performs the offi ce of
reason, staying the hand, stilling the pulses, and arousing
the conscience.
Thus it seemed to be with the squatters of Mooseridge.
A stillness so profound succeeded the crack of that rifl e,
495
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
that I heard the stifl ed breathing of Dus, as she stood over
the body of her uncle, astounded, and almost converted into
a statue by the suddenness of the blow. No one spoke; no one
attempted to quit the place; in fact, no one moved. It was never
known who fi red that shot. At fi rst I ascribed it to the hand of
Tobit; but it was owing more to what I knew of his temper and
character, than to what I knew of his acts at that particular
time. Afterward I inclined to the opinion that my friend had
fallen by the hand of Thousandacres himself; though there
were no means of bringing it home to him by legal proof. If
any knew who was the criminal besides the wretch who executed the deed, the fact was never revealed. That family was
faithful to itself, and seemed determined to stand or fall together. In the eye of the law, all who were present, aiding and
abetting in the unlawful detention of Dus and her uncle, were
equally guilty; but the hand on which the stain of blood rested in particular, was never dragged to light.
My fi rst impulse, as soon as I could recollect myself, was to
pass an arm around the waist of Dus and force her through
the crowd, with a view to escape. Had this attempt been persevered in, I think it would have succeeded, so profound was
the sensation made, even upon those rude and lawless men, by
the deed of violence, that had just been done. But Dus was not
one to think of self at such a moment. For a single instant her
head fell on my shoulders, and I held her to my bosom, while
I whispered my wish for her to fl y. Then raising her head,
she gently extricated her person from my arms, and knelt by
the side of her uncle.
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THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
«He breathes!» she said huskily, but hastily. «God be
praised, Mordaunt, he still breathes. The blow may not be as
heavy as we at fi rst supposed; let us do what we can to aid him».
Here were the characteristic decision and thoughtfulness of Ursula Malbone! Rising quickly, she turned to
the group of silent but observant squatters, and appealed to
any remains of humanity that might still be found in their
bosoms, to lend their assistance. Thousandacres stood foremost in the dark cluster at the door, looking grimly at the motionless body, over which Dus stood, pale and heart-stricken,
but still calm and collected.
«The hardest-hearted man among you will not deny
a daughter’s right to administer to a parent’s wants!» she said,
with a pathos in her voice, and a dignity in her manner, that
fi lled me with love and admiration, and which had a visible effect on all who heard hear. «Help me to raise my uncle and to
place him on a bed, while Major Littlepage examines his hurt.
You’ll not deny me this little comfort, Thousandacres, for you
cannot know how soon you may want succor yourself!»
Zephaniah, who certainly had no hand in the murder of
Chainbearer, now advanced; and he, myself, Lowiny and Dus,
raised the still motionless body, and placed it on the bed of
Prudence, which stood in the principal room. There was
a consultation among the squatters, while we were thus employed, and one by one the family dropped off, until no one
was left in the house but Thousandacres, and his wife, and
Lowiny; the latter remaining with Dus, as a useful and even
an affectionate assistant. The father sat, in moody silence, on
one side of the fi re while Prudence placed herself on the oth-
497
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
er. I did not like the aspect of the squatter’s countenance,
but he said and did nothing. It struck me he was brooding
over the facts, nursing his resentments by calling up fancied
wrongs to his mind, and plotting for the future. If such was
the case, he manifested great nerve, inasmuch as neither alarm
nor hurry was, in the slightest degree, apparent in his mien.
Prudence was dreadfully agitated.
She said nothing, but her body worked to and fro with
nervous excitement; and occasionally a heavy, but suppressed
groan struggled through her efforts to resist it. Otherwise, she
was as if not present.
I had been accustomed to seeing gunshot wounds, and possessed such a general knowledge of their effects as to be a tolerable judge of what would, and what would not, be likely to
prove fatal. The fi rst look I took at the hurt of Chainbearer
convinced me there could be no hope for his life. The ball
had passed between two of the ribs, and seemed to me to take
a direction downward; but it was impossible to miss the vitals
with a wound commencing at that point on the human body.
The fi rst shock of the injury had produced insensibility; but
we had hardly got the sufferer on the bed, and applied a little
water to his lips, ere he revived; soon regaining his consciousness, as well as the power to speak. Death was on him, however;
and it was very obvious to me that his hours were numbered.
He might live days, but it was not possible for him to survive.
«Got pless you, Mortaunt», my old friend murmured, after my efforts had thus partially succeeded. «Got forever pless
ant preserf you, poy, ant repay you for all your kintness to me
ant mine. T’em squatters haf killet me, lat; put I forgif t’em.
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THE CHAINBEARER; OR, THE LITTLEPAGE MANUSCRIPTS
T’ey are an ignorant, ant selfi sh, ant prutal preed; ant I may
haf triet ‘em too sorely. Put Dus can never pecome t’e wife of
any of t’e family».
As Zephaniah was in the room, though not near the bed at
the moment, I was anxious to change the current of the wounded man’s thoughts; and I questioned him as to the nature of his
hurt, well knowing that Chainbearer had seen so many soldiers in situations similar to his own unhappy condition, as to
be a tolerable judge of his actual state.
«I’m killet, Mortaunt», old Andries answered, in a tone
even fi rmer than that in which he had just spoken. «Apout
t’at, t’ere can pe no mistake. T’ey haf shot t’rough my rips,
and t’rough my vitals; ant life is impossible. But t’at does not
matter much to me, for I am an olt man now, hafi n’ lifet my
t’reescore years ant ten – no, t’at is no great matter, t’ough
some olt people cling to life wit’ a tighter grip t’an t’e young.
Such ist not my case, howsefer; ant I am reaty to march when
t’e great wort of commant comet’. I am fery sorry, Mortaunt,
t’at t’is accitent shoult happen pefore t’e patent has peen fully
surfeyet; put I am not pait for t’e work t’at is fi nishet, ant it
ist a great comfort to me to know I shall not tie in tebt. I owe
you, ant I owe my goot frient, t’e general, a great teal for kintnesses, I must confess; put, in t’e way of money, t’ere wilt pe
no loss by t’is accitent».
«Mention nothing of this sort, I do entreat of you, Chainbearer; I know my father would gladly give the best farm he
owns to see you standing, erect and well, as you were twenty
minutes since».
499
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
«Well, I tares to say, t’at may pe true, for I haf always fount
t’e general to pe friently and consiterate. I wilt tell you a secret,
Mortaunt, t’at I haf nefer pefore revealet to mortal man, put
which t’ere ist no great use in keepin’ any longer, ant which
I shoult haf peen willing to haf tolt long ago, hat not t’e general himself mate it a p’int t’at I shoult not speak of it»
«Perhaps it might be better, my good friend, were you to
tell me this secret another time. Talking may weary and excite
you; whereas, sleep and rest may possibly do you service».
«No, no, poy – t’e hope of t’at ist all itleness ant vanity.
I shalt nefer sleep ag’in, tilt I sleep t’e last long sleep of teat’;
I feelt sartain my wound is mortal, ant t’at my time must soon
come. Nefert’eless, it doesn’t gif me pain to talk; ant, Mortaunt,
my tear lat, fri’nts t’at pe apout to part for so long a time, ought
not to part wit’out sayin’ a wort to one anot’er pefore separation. I shoult pe glat, in partic’lar, to tell to a son all t’e kintness ant fri’ntship I haf receifet from his fat’er. You know fery
well, yourself, Mortaunt, t’at I am not great at fi gures; and
why it shoult pe so, ist a wonter ant a surprise to me, for my
grantfat’er Van Syce was a wonterful man at arit’metic, and t’e
fi rst Coejemans in t’is country, t’ey say, kept all t’e tominie’s
accounts for him! Put, let t’at pe ast it wast, I nefer coult do
anyt’ing wit’ fi gures; ant it ist a secret not to pe concealet now,
Mortaunt, t’at I nefer coult haf helt my commission of captain six weeks, put for your own fat’ers kintness to me. Fintin’
out how impossible it was for me to get along wit’ arit’metic,
he offeret to do all t’at sort of tuty for me, ant t’e whole time
we was toget’er, seven long years ant more, Colonel Littlepage mate out t’e reports of Coejemans’ company. Capital goot
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