rolf in the woods-第2部分

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danger　of　having　them　robbed　or　stolen　by　boys；　who

considered　this　an　encroachment　on　their　trapping　grounds。



After　an　hour　he　came　to　Dumpling　Pond；　then　set　out

for　his　home；　straight　through　the　woods；　till　he　reached

the　Catrock　line；　and　following　that　came　to　the　farm　and

ramshackle　house　of　Micky　Kittering。　　He　had　been　told

that　the　man　at　this　farm　had　a　fresh　deer　hide　for　sale；

and　hoping　to　secure　it；　Quonab　walked　up　toward　the

house。　　Micky　was　coming　from　the　barn　when　he　saw

the　Indian。　　They　recognized　each　other　at　a　glance。

That　was　enough　for　Quonab；　he　turned　away。　　The

farmer　remembered　that　he　had　been　〃insulted。〃　He

vomited　a　few　oaths；　and　strode　after　the　Indian；　〃To

take　it　out　of　his　hide〃；　his　purpose　was　very　clear。　　The

Indian　turned　quickly；　stood；　and　looked　calmly　at　Michael。



Some　men　do　not　know　the　difference　between　shyness

and　cowardice；　but　they　are　apt　to　find　it　out　unexpectedly

Something　told　the　white　man；　〃Beware！　this　red　man　is

dangerous。〃　He　muttered　something　about；　〃Get　out

of　that；　or　I'll　send　for　a　constable。〃　The　Indian　stood

gazing　coldly；　till　the　farmer　backed　off　out　of　sight；　then

he　himself　turned　away　to　the　woods。



Kittering　was　not　a　lovely　character。　　He　claimed　to

have　been　a　soldier。　　He　certainly　looked　the　part；　for

his　fierce　white　moustache　was　curled　up　like　horns　on　his

purple　face；　at　each　side　of　his　red　nose；　in　a　most　milita

style。　　His　shoulders　were　square　and　his　gait　was

swaggering；　beside　which；　he　had　an　array　of　swear　words　that

was　new　and　tremendously　impressive　in　Connecticut。　　He

had　married　late　in　life　a　woman　who　would　have　made　him

a　good　wife；　had　he　allowed　her。　　But；　a　drunkard　himself

he　set　deliberately　about　bringing　his　wife　to　his　own　ways

and　with　most　lamentable　success。　　They　had　had　no

children；　but　some　months　before　a　brother's　child；

fifteen…year…old　lad；　had　become　a　charge　on　their　hands

and；　with　any　measure　of　good　management；　would　have

been　a　blessing　to　all。　　But　Micky　had　gone　too　far。　　His

original　weak　good…nature　was　foundered　in　rum。　　Always

blustery　and　frothy；　he　divided　the　world　in　two　

superior　officers；　before　whom　he　grovelled；　and　inferiors

to　whom　he　was　a　mouthy；　foul…tongued；　contemptible

bully；　in　spite　of　a　certain　lingering　kindness　of　heart　that

showed　itself　at　such　rare　times　when　he　was　neither

roaring　drunk　nor　crucified　by　black　reaction。　　His

brother's　child；　fortunately；　had　inherited　little　of　the

paternal　family　traits；　but　in　both　body　and　brain　favoured

his　mother；　the　daughter　of　a　learned　divine　who　had　spent

unusual　pains　on　her　book　education；　but　had　left　her

penniless　and　incapable　of　changing　that　condition。



Her　purely　mental　powers　and　peculiarities　were　such

that；　a　hundred　years　before；　she　might　have　been　burned

for　a　witch；　and　fifty　years　later　might　have　been　honoured

as　a　prophetess。　　But　she　missed　the　crest　of　the　wave

both　ways　and　fell　in　the　trough；　her　views　on　religious

matters　procured　neither　a　witch's　grave　nor　a　prophet's

crown；　but　a　sort　of　village　contempt。



The　Bible　was　her　standard　　so　far　so　good　　but

she　emphasized　the　wrong　parts　of　it。　　Instead　of

magnifying　the　damnation　of　those　who　follow　not　the　truth　（as

the　village　understood　it）；　she　was　content　to　semi…quote：



〃Those　that　are　not　against　me　are　with　me；〃　and

〃A　kind　heart　is　the　mark　of　His　chosen。〃　And　then

she　made　a　final　utterance；　an　echo　really　of　her　father：

〃If　any　man　do　anything　sincerely；　believing　that　thereby

he　is　worshipping　God；　he　is　worshipping　God。〃



Then　her　fate　was　sealed；　and　all　who　marked　the　blazing

eyes；　the　hollow　cheeks；　the　yet　more　hollow　chest　and

cough；　saw　in　it　all　the　hand　of　an　offended　God　destroying

a　blasphemer；　and　shook　their　heads　knowingly　when

the　end　came。



So　Rolf　was　left　alone　in　life；　with　a　common　school

education；　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　Bible　and　of

〃Robinson　Crusoe；〃　a　vague　tradition　of　God　everywhere；

and　a　deep　distrust　of　those　who　should　have　been　his

own　people。



The　day　of　the　little　funeral　he　left　the　village　of　Redding

to　tramp　over　the　unknown　road　to　the　unknown　south

where　his　almost　unknown　Uncle　Michael　had　a　farm　and；

possibly；　a　home　for　him。



Fifteen　miles　that　day；　a　night's　rest　in　a　barn；　twenty…

five　miles　the　next　day；　and　Rolf　had　found　his　future

home。



〃Come　in；　lad；〃　was　the　not　unfriendly　reception；　for

his　arrival　was　happily　fallen　on　a　brief　spell　of　good

humour；　and　a　strong；　fifteen…year…old　boy　is　a　distinct

asset　on　a　farm。







Chapter　3。　　Rolf　Catches　a　Coon　and　Finds　a　Friend



Aunt　Prue；　sharp…eyed　and　red…nosed；　was

actually　shy　at　first；　but　all　formality　vanished

as　Rolf　was　taught　the　mysteries　of　pig…feeding；

hen…feeding；　calf…feeding；　cow…milking；　and　launched　by　list

only　in　a　vast　number　of　duties　familiar　to　him　from　his

babyhood。　　What　a　list　there　was。　　An　outsider　might

have　wondered　if　Aunt　Prue　was　saving　anything　for　herself；

but　Rolf　was　used　to　toil。　　He　worked　without　ceasing

and　did　his　best；　only　to　learn　in　time　that　the　best　could

win　no　praise；　only　avert　punishment。　　The　spells　of　good

nature　arrived　more　seldom　in　his　uncle's　heart。　　His

aunt　was　a　drunken　shrew　and　soon　Rolf　looked　on　the

days　of　starving　and　physical　misery　with　his　mother　as

the　days　of　his　happy　youth　gone　by。



He　was　usually　too　tired　at　night　and　too　sleepy　in　the

morning　to　say　his　prayers；　and　gradually　he　gave　it　up

as　a　daily　habit。　　The　more　he　saw　of　his　kinsfolk；　the

more　wickedness　came　to　view；　and　yet　it　was　with　a

shock　that　he　one　day　realized　that　some　fowls　his　uncle

brought　home　by　night　were　there　without　the　owner's

knowledge　or　consent。　　Micky　made　a　jest　of　it；　and

intimated　that　Rolf　would　have　to　〃learn　to　do　night　work

very　soon。〃　　This　was　only　one　of　the　many　things　that

showed　how　evil　a　place　was　now　the　orphan's　home。



At　first　it　was　not　clear　to　the　valiant　uncle　whether　the

silent　boy　was　a　superior　to　be　feared；　or　an　inferior　to　be

held　in　fear；　but　Mick's　courage　grew　with　non…resistance；

and　blows　became　frequent；　although　not　harder　to　bear

than　the　perpetual　fault…finding　and　scolding　of　his　aunt；

and　all　the　good　his　mother　had　implanted　was　being

shrivelled　by　the　fires　of　his　daily　life。



Rolf　had　no　chance　to　seek　for　companions　at　the

village　store；　but　an　accident　brought　one　to　him。

Before　sunrise　one　spring　morning　he　went；　as　usual；

to　the　wood　lot　pasture　for　the　cow；　and　was　surprised　to

find　a　stranger；　who　beckoned　him　to　come。　　On　going

near　he　saw　a　tall　man　with　dark　skin　and　straight　black

hair　that　was　streaked　with　gray　　undoubtedly　an　Indian。

He　held　up　a　bag　and　said；　〃I　got　coon　in　that　hole。　　You

hold　bag　there；　I　poke　him　in。〃　　Rolf　took　the　sack

readily　and　held　it　over　the　hole；　while　the　Indian　climbed

the　tree　to　a　higher　opening；　then　poked　in　this　with　a　long

pole；　till　all　at　once　there　was　a　scrambling　noise　and　the

bag　bulged　full　and　heavy。　　Rolf　closed　its　mouth

triumphantly。　　The　Indian　laughed　lightly；　then　swung　to　the

ground。



〃Now；　what　will　you　do　with　him？〃　asked　Rolf。



〃Train　coon　dog；〃　was　the　answer。



〃Where？〃



The　Indian　pointed　toward　the　Asamuk　Pond。



〃Are　you　the　singing　Indian　that　lives　under　Ab's　Rock？



〃Ugh！*　Some　call　me　that。　　My　name　is　Quonab。〃



〃Wait　for　an　hour　and　then　I　will　come　and　help；〃

volunteered　Rolf　impulsively；　for　the　hunting　instinct　was

strong　in　him。



The　Indian　nodded。　　〃Give　three　yelps　if　you　no　find

me；〃　then　he　shouldered　a　short　stick；　from　one　end　of

which；　at　a　safe　distance　from　his　back；　hung　the　bag　with

the　coon。　　And　Rolf　went　home　with　the　cow。



He　had　acted　on　hasty　impulse　in　offering　to　come；　but

now；　in　the　normal　storm　state　of　the　household；　the

difficulties　of　the　course　appeared。　　He　cudgelled　his　brain　for

some　plan　to　account　for　his　absence；　and　finally　took

refuge　unwittingly　in　ancient　wisdom：　〃When　you　don't

know　a　thing　to　do；　don't　do　a　thing。〃　　Also；　〃If　you　can't

find　the　delicate　way；　go　the　blunt　way。〃



So　having　fed　the　horses；　cleaned　the　stable；　and　milked

the　cow；　fed　the　pigs；　the　hens；　the　calf；　harnessed　the

horses；　cut　and　brought　in　wood　for　the　woodshed；　turned

out　the　sheep；　hitched　the　horses　to　the　wagon；　set　the　milk

out　in　the　creaming　pans；　put　more　corn　to　soak　for　the

swill　barrel；　ground　the　house　knife；　helped　to　clear　the

breakfast　things；　replaced　the　fallen　rails　of　a　fence；

brought　up　potatoes　from　the　root　cellar；　all　to　the

maddening　music　of　a　scolding　tongue；　he　set　out　to　take　the　cow

back　to　the　wood　lot；　sullenly　resolved　to　return　when　ready。





*Ugh　（yes）　and　wah　（no）　are　Indianisms　that　continue　no　matter

how　well　the　English　has　been　acquired。







Chapter　4。　　The　Coon　Hunt　Makes　Trouble　for　Rolf



Not　one　hour；　but　nearly　three；　had　passed　before

Rolf　sighted　the　Pipestave　Pond；　as　it　was　called。

He　had　never　been　there　before；　but　three　short

whoops；　as　arranged；　brought　answer　and　guidance。

Quonab　was　standing　on　the　high　rock。　　When　Rolf　came

he　led　down　to　the　wigwam　on　its　south　side。　　It　was　like

stepping　into　a　new　life。　　Several　of　the　old　neighbours　at

Redding　were　hunters　who　knew　the　wild　Indians　and　had

told　him　tales　that　glorified　at　least　the　wonderful

woodcraft　of　the　red　man。　Once　or　twice　Rolf　had　seen　Indians

travelling　through；　and　he　had　been　repelled　by　their　sordid

squalour。　　But　here　was　something　of　a　different　kind；

not　the　Champlain　ideal；　indeed；　for　the　Indian　wore　clothes

like　any　poor　farmer；　except　on　his　head　and　his　feet；　his

head　was　bare；　and　his　feet　were　covered　with　moccasins

that　sparkled　with　beads　on　the　arch。　　The　wigwam　was

of　canvas；　but　it　had　one　or　two　of　the