rolf in the woods-第39部分

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the　thief。　Poor　Bright；　by　his　efforts　to　reach　the　tempting

mash；　was　unwittingly　playing　the　game；　for　this　was　proof

positive　of　its　desirableness。



After　giving　Buck　a　few　cuts　with　the　switch；　Rolf　retired；　as

before。　Again　the　sick　ox　waited　for　silence；　and　reaching　out

with　greedy　haste；　he　gulped　down　the　rest　and　emptied　the

bucket；　seeing　which；　Rolf　ran　in　and　gave　the　rogue　a　final

trouncing　for　the　sake　of　consistency。



Any　one　who　knows　what　slippery　elm；　peppermint；　soda；　sulphur；

colic；　and　ox　do　when　thoroughly　interincorporated　will　not　be

surprised　to　learn　that　in　the　morning　the　stable　needed　special

treatment；　and　of　all　the　mixture　the　ox　was　the　only　ingredient

left　on　the　active　list。　He　was　all　right　again；　very　thirsty；

and　not　quite　up　to　his　usual　standard；　but；　as　Van　said；　after　a

careful　look；　〃Ah；　tell　you　vot；　dot　you　vas　a　veil　ox　again；　an'

I　t'ink　I　know　not　vot　if　you　all　tricky　vas　like　Bright。〃







Chapter　57。　Rolf　and　Skookum　at　Albany



The　Red　Moon　（August）　follows　the　Thunder　Moon；　and　in　the　early

part　of　its　second　week　Rolf　and　Van；　hauling　in　the　barley　and

discussing　the　fitness　of　the　oats；　were　startled　by　a　most

outrageous　clatter　among　the　hens。　　Horrid　murder　evidently　was

stalking　abroad；　and；　hastening　to　the　rescue；　Rolf　heard　loud；

angry　barks；　then　a　savage　beast　with　a　defunct　〃cackle　party〃

appeared；　but　dropped　the　victim　to　bark　and　bound　upon　the

〃relief　party〃　with　ecstatic　expressions　of　joy；　in　spite　of

Rolf's　　〃Skookum！　you　little　brute！〃



Yes！　Quonab　was　back；　that　is；　he　was　at　the　lake　shore；　and

Skookum　had　made　haste　to　plunge　into　the　joys　and　gayeties　of

this　social　centre；　without　awaiting　the　formalities　of　greeting

or　even　of　dry…shod　landing。



The　next　scene　was　　a　big；　high　post；　a　long；　strong　chain　and

a　small；　sad　dog。



〃Ho；　Quonab；　you　found　your　people？　　You　had　a　good　time？〃



〃Ugh；〃　was　the　answer；　the　whole　of　it；　and　all　the　light　Rolf

got　for　many　a　day　on　the　old　man's　trip　to　the　North。　The

prospect　of　going　to　Albany　for　Van　Cortlandt　was　much　more

attractive　to　Quonab　than　that　of　the　harvest　field；　so　a

compromise　was　agreed　on。　　Callan's　barley　was　in　the　stock；　if

all　three　helped　Callan　for　three　days；　Callan　would　owe　them　for

nine；　and　so　it　was　arranged。



Again　〃good…bye；〃　and　Rolf；　Quonab；　and　little　dog　Skookum　went

sailing　down　the　Schroon　toward　the　junction；　where　they　left　a

cache　of　their　supplies；　and　down　the　broadening　Hudson　toward

Albany。



Rolf　had　been　over　the　road　twice；　Quonab　never　before；　yet　his

nose　for　water　was　so　good　and　the　sense　of　rapid　and　portage　was

so　strong　in　the　red　man；　that　many　times　he　was　the　pilot。　〃This

is　the　way；　because　it　must　be〃；　〃there　it　is　deep　because　so

narrow〃；　〃that　rapid　is　dangerous；　because　there　is　such　a

well…beaten　portage　trail〃；　〃that　we　can　run；　because　I　see　it；〃

or；　〃because　there　is　no　portage　trail；〃　etc。　　The　eighty　miles

were　covered　in　three　sleeps；　and　in　the　mid…moon　days　of　the　Red

Moon　they　landed　at　the　dock　in　front　of　Peter　Vandam's。　　If

Quonab　had　any　especial　emotions　for　the　occasion；　he　cloaked

them　perfectly　under　a　calm　and　copper…coloured　exterior　of

absolute　immobility。



Their　Albany　experiences　included　a　meeting　with　the　governor　and

an　encounter　with　a　broad　and　burly　river　pirate；　who；　seeing　a

lone　and　peaceable…looking　red　man；　went　out　of　his　way　to　insult

him；　and　when　Quonab's　knife　flashed　out　at　last；　it　was　only　his

recently　established　relations　with　the　governor's　son　that　saved

him　from　some　very　sad　results；　for　there　were　many　loafers

about。　　But　burly　Vandam　appeared　in　the　nick　of　time　to　halt　the

small　mob　with　the　warning：　〃Don't　you　know　that's　Mr。　Van

Cortlandt's　guide？〃　　With　the　governor　and　Vandam　to　back　him；

Quonab　soon　had　the　mob　on　his　side；　and　the　dock　loafer's　own

friends　pelted　him　with　mud　as　he　escaped。　But　not　a　little

credit　is　due　to　Skookum；　for　at　the　critical　moment　he　had

sprung　on　the　ruffian's　bare　and　abundant　leg　with　such　toothsome

effect　that　the　owner　fell　promptly　backward　and　the　knife　thrust

missed。　　It　was　quickly　over　and　Quonab　replaced　his　knife；

contemptuous　of　the　whole　crowd　before；　during　and　after　the

incident。　　Not　at　the　time；　but　days　later；　he　said　of　his　foe：

〃He　was　a　talker；　he　was　full　of　fear。〃



With　the　backwoods　only　thirty　miles　away；　and　the　unbroken

wilderness　one　hundred；　it　was　hard　to　believe　how　little　Henry

van　Cortlandt　knew　of　the　woods　and　its　life。　　He　belonged　to　the

ultra…fashionable　set；　and　it　was　rather　their　pose　to　affect

ignorance　of　the　savage　world　and　its　ways。　But　he　had　plenty　of

common…sense　to　fan　back　on；　and　the　inspiring　example　of

Washington；　equally　at　home　in　the　nation's　Parliament；　the　army

intrenchment；　the　glittering　ball　room；　or　the　hunting　lodge　of

the　Indian；　was　a　constant　reminder　that　the　perfect　man　is　a

harmonious　development　of　mind；　morals；　and　physique。



His　training　had　been　somewhat　warped　by　the　ultraclassic　fashion

of　the　times；　so　he　persisted　in　seeing　in　Quonab　a　sort　of

discoloured；　barbaric　clansman　of　Alaric　or　a　camp　follower　of

Xenophon's　host；　rather　than　an　actual　living；　interesting；

native　American；　exemplifying　in　the　highest　degree　the　sinewy；

alert　woodman；　and　the　saturated　mystic　and　pantheist　of　an　age

bygone　and　out　of　date；　combined　with　a　middle…measure

intelligence。　　And　Rolf；　tall；　blue…eyed　with　brown；　curling

hair；　was　made　to　pose　as　the　youthful　Achilles；　rather　than　as　a

type　of　America's　best　young　manhood；　cleaner；　saner；　and　of　far

higher　ideals　and　traditions　than　ever　were　ascribed　to　Achilles

by　his　most　blinded　worshippers。　　It　recalled　the　case　of

Wordsworth　and　Southey　living　side　by　side　in　England；　Southey；

the　famous；　must　needs　seek　in　ancient　India　for　material　to

write　his　twelve…volume　romance　that　no　one　ever　looks　at；

Wordsworth；　the　unknown；　wrote　of　the　things　of　his　own　time；

about　his　own　door？　and　produced　immortal　verse。



What　should　we　think　of　Homer；　had　he　sung　his　impressions　of　the

ancient　Egyptians？　or　of　Thackeray；　had　he　novelized　the　life　of

the　Babylonians？　It　is　an　ancient　blindness；　with　an　ancient　wall

to　bruise　one's　head。　It　is　only　those　who　seek　ointment　of　the

consecrated　clay　that　gives　back　sight；　who　see　the　shining　way

at　their　feet；　who　beat　their　face　against　no　wall；　who　safely

climb　the　heights。　Henry　van　Cortlandt　was　a　man　of　rare　parts；

of　every　advantage；　but　still　he　had　been　taught　steadfastly　to

live　in　the　past。　His　eyes　were　yet　to　be　opened。　The　living

present　was　not　his　　but　yet　to　be。



The　young　lawyer　had　been　assembling　his　outfit　at　Vandam's

warehouse；　for；　in　spite　of　scoffing　friends；　he　knew　that　Rolf

was　coming　back　to　him。



When　Rolf　saw　the　pile　of　stuff　that　was　gathered　for　that

outfit；　he　stared　at　it　aghast；　then　looked　at　Vandam；　and

together　they　roared。　There　was　everything　for　light　housekeeping

and　heavy　doctoring；　even　chairs；　a　wash　stand；　a　mirror；　a

mortar；　and　a　pestle。　　Six　canoes　could　scarcely　have　carried　the

lot。



〃'Tain't　so　much　the　young　man　as　his　mother；〃　explained　Big

Pete；　〃at　first　I　tried　to　make　'em　understand；　but　it　was　no

use；　so　I　says；　'All　right；　go　ahead；　as　long　as　there's　room　in

the　warehouse。'　I　reckon　I'll　set　on　the　fence　and　have　some　fun

seein'　Rolf　ontangle　the　affair。〃



〃Phew；　pheeeww　　ph…e…e…e…e…w；〃　was　all　Rolf　could　say　in

answer。　　But　at　last；　〃Wall；　there's　always　a　way。　I　sized　him　up

as　pretty　level　headed。　　We'll　see。〃



There　was　a　way　and　it　was　easy；　for；　in　a　secret　session；　Rolf；

Pete；　and　Van　Cortlandt　together　sorted　out　the　things　needed。　A

small　tent；　blankets；　extra　clothes；　guns；　ammunition；　delicate

food　for　three　months；　a　few　medicines　and　toilet　articles　　a

pretty　good　load　for　one　canoe；　but　a　trifle　compared　with　the

mountain　of　stuff　piled　up　on　the　floor。



〃Now；　Mr。　van　Cortlandt；〃　said　Rolf；　〃will　you　explain　to　your

mother　that　we　are　going　on　with　this　so　as　to　travel　quickly；

and　will　send　back　for　the　rest　as　we　need　it？〃



A　quiet　chuckle　was　now　heard　from　Big　Pete。　〃Good！　I　wondered

how　he'd　settle　it。〃



The　governor　and　his　lady　saw　them　off；　therefore；　there　was　a

crowd。　The　mother　never　before　had　noted　what　a　frail　and

dangerous　thing　a　canoe　is。　She　cautioned　her　son　never　to

venture　out　alone；　and　to　be　sure　that　he　rubbed　his　chest　with

the　pectoral　balm　she　had　made　from　such　and　such　a　famous

receipt；　the　one　that　saved　the　life　but　not　the　limb　of　old

Governor　Stuyvesant；　and　come　right　home　if　you　catch　a　cold；　and

wait　at　the　first　camp　till　the　other　things　come；　and　（in　a

whisper）　keep　away　from　that　horrid　red　Indian　with　the　knife；

and　never　fail　to　let　every　one　know　who　you　are；　and　write

regularly；　and　don't　forget　to　take　your　calomel　Monday；

Wednesday；　and　Friday；　alternating　with　Peruvian　bark　Tuesday；

Thursday；　and　Saturday；　and　squills　on　Sunday；　except　every　other

week；　when　he　should　devote　Tuesdays；　Fridays；　and　Sundays　to

rhubarb　and　catnip　tea；　except　in　the　full　moon；　when　the　catnip

was　to　be　replaced　with　graveyard　bergamot　and　the　squills　with

opodeldoc　in　which　an　iron　nail　had　been　left　for　a　week。



So　Henry　was　embraced；　Rolf　was　hand…shaken；　Quonab　was　nodded

at；　Skookum　was　wisely　let　alone；　and　the　trim　canoe　swung　from

the　dock。　Amid　hearty　cheers；　farewells；　and　〃God　speed　ye's〃　it

breasted　the　flood　for　the　North。



And　on　the　dock；　with　kerchief　to　her　eyes；　stood　the　mother；

weeping　to　think　that　her　boy　was　going　far；　far　away　from　his

home　and　friends　in　dear；　cultured；　refined　Albany；　away；　away；

to　that　remote　and　barbarous　inaccessible　region　almost　to　the

shore　land　of　Lake　Champlain。







Chapter　58。　Back　to　Indian　Lake



Young　Van　Cortl