第 81 节
作者:泰达魔王      更新:2021-02-24 23:21      字数:9321
  master with me; and may set fire to the building; in order
  to dislodge them。  They tell me that fire is the great dan…
  ger to such places。〃
  〃No burn blockhouse;〃 said June quietly;
  〃You cannot know that; my good June; and I have no
  means to keep them off。〃
  〃No burn blockhouse。  Blockhouse good; got no scalp。〃
  〃But tell me why; June; I fear they will burn it。〃
  〃Blockhouse wet  much rain  logs green  no burn easy。
  Red man know it  fine t'ing  then no burn it to tell
  Yengeese that Iroquois been here。  Fader come back;
  miss blockhouse; no found。  No; no; Indian too much
  cunning; no touch anything。〃
  〃I understand you; June; and hope your prediction may
  be true; for; as regards my dear father; should he escape
  perhaps he is already dead or captured; June ?〃
  〃No touch fader  don't know where he gone  water got
  no trail  red man can't follow。  No burn blockhouse
  blockhouse good; got no scalp。〃
  〃Do you think it possible for me to remain here safely
  until my father returns?〃
  〃Don't know; daughter tell best when fader come back。〃
  Mabel felt uneasy at the glance of June's dark eye as
  she uttered this; for the unpleasant surmise arose that her
  companion was endeavoring to discover a fact that might
  be useful to her own people; while it would lead to the
  destruction of her parent and his party。  She was about to
  make an evasive answer; when a heavy push at the outer
  door suddenly drew all her thoughts to the immediate
  danger。
  〃They come!〃 she exclaimed。  〃Perhaps; June; it is
  my uncle or the Quartermaster。  I cannot keep out even
  Mr。 Muir at a moment like this。〃
  〃Why no look? plenty loophole; made purpose。〃
  Mabel took the hint; and; going to one of the downward
  loops; that had been cut through the logs in the part that
  overhung the basement; she cautiously raised the little
  block that ordinarily filled the small hole; and caught a
  glance at what was passing at the door。  The start and
  changing countenance told her companion that some of her
  own people were below。
  〃Red man;〃 said June; lifting a finger in admonition to
  be prudent。
  〃Four; and horrible in their paint and bloody trophies。
  Arrowhead is among them。〃
  June had moved to a corner; where several spare rifles
  had been deposited; and had already taken one into her
  hand; when the name of her husband appeared to arrest
  her movements。  It was but for an instant; however; for she
  immediately went to the loop; and was about to thrust the
  muzzle of the piece through it; when a feeling of natural
  aversion induced Mabel to seize her arm。
  〃No; no; no; June!〃 said the latter; 〃not against your
  own husband; though my life be the penalty。〃
  〃No hurt Arrowhead;〃 returned June; with a slight
  shudder; 〃no hurt red man at all。  No fire at 'em; only
  scare。〃
  Mabel now comprehended the intention of June; and
  no longer opposed it。  The latter thrust the muzzle of the
  rifle through the loophole; and; taking care to make noise
  enough to attract attraction; she pulled the trigger。  The
  piece had no sooner been discharged than Mabel reproached
  her friend for the very act that was intended to serve her。
  〃You declared it was not your intention to fire;〃 she
  said; 〃and you may have destroyed your own husband。〃
  〃All run away before I fire;〃 returned June; laughing;
  and going to another loop to watch the movements of her
  friends; laughing still heartier。  〃See! get cover  every
  warrior。  Think Saltwater and Quartermaster here。  Take
  good care now。〃
  〃Heaven be praised!  And now; June; I may hope for a
  little time to compose my thoughts to prayer; that I may
  not die like Jennie; thinking only of life and the things
  of the world。〃
  June laid aside the rifle; and came and seated herself
  near the box on which Mabel had sunk; under that physi…
  cal reaction which accompanies joy as well as sorrow。  She
  looked steadily in our heroine's face; and the latter thought
  that her countenance had an expression of severity mingled
  with its concern。
  〃Arrowhead great warrior;〃 said the Tuscarora's wife。
  〃All the girls of tribe look at him much。  The pale…face
  beauty has eyes too?〃
  〃June!  what do these words  that look  imply? what
  would you say?〃
  〃Why you so 'fraid June shoot Arrowhead?〃
  〃Would it not have been horrible to see a wife destroy
  her own husband?  No; June; rather would I have died
  myself。〃
  〃Very sure; dat all?〃
  〃That was all; June; as God is my judge!  and surely
  that was enough。  No; no! there have been sufficient hor…
  rors to…day; without increasing them by an act like this。
  What other motive can you suspect?〃
  〃Don't know。  Poor Tuscarora girl very foolish。  Arrow…
  head great chief; and look all round him。  Talk of pale…
  face beauty in his sleep。  Great chief like many wives。〃
  〃Can a chief possess more than one wife; June; among
  your people?〃
  〃Have as many as he can keep。  Great hunter marry
  often。  Arrowhead got only June now; but he look too
  much; see too much; talk too much of pale…face girl。〃
  Mabel was conscious of this fact; which had distressed
  her not a little; in the course of their journey; but it
  shocked her to hear this allusion; coming; as it did; from
  the mouth of the wife herself。  She knew that habit and
  opinions made great differences in such matters; but; in
  addition to the pain and mortification she experienced at
  being the unwilling rival of a wife; she felt an apprehension
  that jealousy would be but an equivocal guarantee for
  her personal safety in her present situation。  A closer look
  at June; however; reassured her; for; while it was easy to
  trace in the unpractised features of this unsophisticated
  being the pain of blighted affections; no distrust could
  have tortured the earnest expression of her honest counte…
  nance into that of treachery or hate。
  〃You will not betray me; June?〃 Mabel said; pressing
  the other's hand; and yielding to an impulse of generous
  confidence。  〃You will not give up one of your own sex
  to the tomahawk?〃
  〃No tomahawk touch you。  Arrowhead no let 'em。  If
  June must have sister…wife; love to have you。〃
  〃No; June; my religion; my feelings; both forbid it;
  and; if I could be the wife of an Indian at all; I would
  never take the place that is yours in a wigwam。〃
  June made no answer; but she looked gratified; and even
  grateful。  She knew that few; perhaps no Indian girl
  within the circle of Arrowhead's acquaintance; could com…
  pare with herself in personal attractions; and; though it
  might suit her husband to marry a dozen wives; she knew
  of no one; beside Mabel; whose influence she could really
  dread。  So keen an interest; however; had she taken in the
  beauty; winning manners; kindness; and feminine gentle…
  ness of our heroine; that when jealousy came to chill these
  feelings; it had rather lent strength to that interest; and;
  under its wayward influence; had actually been one of the
  strongest of the incentives that had induced her to risk so
  much in order to save her imaginary rival from the conse…
  quences of the attack that she so well knew was about to
  take place。  In a word; June; with a wife's keenness of
  perception; had detected Arrowhead's admiration of Mabel;
  and; instead of feeling that harrowing jealousy that might
  have rendered her rival hateful; as would have been apt
  to be the case with a woman unaccustomed to defer to the
  superior rights of the lordly sex; she had studied the looks
  and character of the pale…face beauty; until; meeting with
  nothing to repel her own feelings; but everything to en…
  courage them; she had got to entertain an admiration and
  love for her; which; though certainly very different; was
  scarcely less strong than that of her husband's。  Arrow…
  head himself had sent her to warn Mabel of the coming
  danger; though he was ignorant that she had stolen upon
  the island in the rear of the assailants; and was now in…
  trenched in the citadel along with the object of their joint
  care。  On the contrary; he supposed; as his wife had said;
  that Cap and Muir were in the blockhouse with Mabel; and
  that the attempt to repel him and his companions had
  been made by the men。
  〃June sorry the Lily〃  for so the Indian; in her poeti…
  cal language; had named our heroine  〃June sorry the
  Lily no marry Arrowhead。  His wigwam big; and a great
  chief must get wives enough to fill it。〃
  〃I thank you; June; for this preference; which is not
  according to the notion of us white women;〃 returned
  Mabel; smiling in spite of the fearful situation in which
  she was placed; 〃but I may not; probably never shall;
  marry at all。〃
  〃Must have good husband;〃 said June; 〃marry Eau…
  douce; if don't like Arrowhead。〃
  〃June! this is not a fit subject for a girl who scarcely
  knows if she is to live another hour or not。  I would obtain
  some signs of my dear uncle's being alive and safe; if pos…
  sible。〃
  〃June go see。〃
  〃Can you?  will you?  would it be safe for you to be
  seen on the island? is your presence known to the warriors;
  and would they be pleased to find a woman on the war…
  path with them?〃
  All this Mabel asked in rapid connection; fearing that
  the answer might not be as she wished。  She had thought
  it extraordinary that June should be of the