“Marie, my beloved,” said the ruler of France, taking out his watch, “’tis time that the Minister of America should be here.”
“Your Majesty6 should know the time,” replied Marie Antoinette, archly, and in an Austrian accent; “is not my Royal Louis the first watchmaker in his empire?”
The King cast a pleased glance at his repeater, and kissed with courtly grace the fair hand of her who had made him the compliment. “My Lord Bishop7 of Autun,” said he to Monsieur de Talleyrand Perigord, who followed the royal pair, in his quality of arch-chamberlain of the empire, “I pray you look through the gardens, and tell his Excellency Doctor Franklin that the King waits.” The Bishop ran off, with more than youthful agility8, to seek the United States’ Minister. “These Republicans,” he added, confidentially9, and with something of a supercilious10 look, “are but rude courtiers, methinks.”
“Nay,” interposed the lovely Antoinette, “rude courtiers, Sire, they may be; but the world boasts not of more accomplished11 gentlemen. I have seen no grandee12 of Versailles that has the noble bearing of this American envoy13 and his suite14. They have the refinement15 of the Old World, with all the simple elegance16 of the New. Though they have perfect dignity of manner, they have an engaging modesty17 which I have never seen equalled by the best of the proud English nobles with whom they wage war. I am told they speak their very language with a grace which the haughty18 Islanders who oppress them never attained19. They are independent, yet never insolent20; elegant, yet always respectful; and brave, but not in the least boastful.”
“What! savages21 and all, Marie?” exclaimed Louis, laughing, and chucking the lovely Queen playfully under the royal chin. “But here comes Doctor Franklin, and your friend the Cacique with him.” In fact, as the monarch22 spoke23, the Minister of the United States made his appearance, followed by a gigantic warrior24 in the garb25 of his native woods.
Knowing his place as Minister of a sovereign state, (yielding even then in dignity to none, as it surpasses all now in dignity, in valor26, in honesty, in strength, and civilization,) the Doctor nodded to the Queen of France, but kept his hat on as he faced the French monarch, and did not cease whittling27 the cane28 he carried in his hand.
“I was waiting for you, sir,” the King said, peevishly29, in spite of the alarmed pressure which the Queen gave his royal arm.
“The business of the Republic, sire, must take precedence even of your Majesty’s wishes,” replied Dr. Franklin. “When I was a poor printer’s boy and ran errands, no lad could be more punctual than poor Ben Franklin; but all other things must yield to the service of the United States of North America. I have done. What would you, Sire?” and the intrepid30 republican eyed the monarch with a serene31 and easy dignity, which made the descendant of St. Louis feel ill at ease.
“I wished to — to say farewell to Tatua before his departure,” said Louis XVI., looking rather awkward. “Approach, Tatua.” And the gigantic Indian strode up, and stood undaunted before the first magistrate32 of the French nation: again the feeble monarch quailed33 before the terrible simplicity34 of the glance of the denizen35 of the primaeval forests.
The redoubted chief of the Nose-ring Indians was decorated in his war-paint, and in his top-knot was a peacock’s feather, which had been given him out of the head-dress of the beautiful Princess of Lamballe. His nose, from which hung the ornament36 from which his ferocious37 tribe took its designation, was painted a light-blue, a circle of green and orange was drawn38 round each eye, while serpentine39 stripes of black, white, and vermilion alternately were smeared40 on his forehead, and descended41 over his cheek-bones to his chin. His manly42 chest was similarly tattooed43 and painted, and round his brawny44 neck and arms hung innumerable bracelets45 and necklaces of human teeth, extracted (one only from each skull) from the jaws46 of those who had fallen by the terrible tomahawk at his girdle. His moccasins, and his blanket, which was draped on his arm and fell in picturesque47 folds to his feet, were fringed with tufts of hair — the black, the gray, the auburn, the golden ringlet of beauty, the red lock from the forehead of the Scottish or the Northern soldier, the snowy tress of extreme old age, the flaxen down of infancy48 — all were there, dreadful reminiscences of the chief’s triumphs in war. The warrior leaned on his enormous rifle, and faced the King.
“And it was with that carabine that you shot Wolfe in ‘57?” said Louis, eying the warrior and his weapon. “’Tis a clumsy lock, and methinks I could mend it,” he added mentally.
“The chief of the French pale-faces speaks truth,” Tatua said. “Tatua was a boy when he went first on the war-path with Montcalm.”
“And shot a Wolfe at the first fire!” said the King.
“The English are braves, though their faces are white,” replied the Indian. “Tatua shot the raging Wolfe of the English; but the other wolves caused the foxes to go to earth.” A smile played round Dr. Franklin’s lips, as he whittled49 his cane with more vigor50 than ever.
“I believe, your Excellency, Tatua has done good service elsewhere than at Quebec,” the King said, appealing to the American Envoy: “at Bunker’s Hill, at Brandywine, at York Island? Now that Lafayette and my brave Frenchmen are among you, your Excellency need have no fear but that the war will finish quickly — yes, yes, it will finish quickly. They will teach you discipline, and the way to conquer.”
“King Louis of France,” said the Envoy, clapping his hat down over his head, and putting his arms a-kimbo, “we have learned that from the British, to whom we are superior in everything: and I’d have your Majesty to know that in the art of whipping the world we have no need of any French lessons. If your reglars jine General Washington, ’tis to larn from HIM how Britishers are licked; for I’m blest if YU know the way yet.”
Tatua said, “Ugh,” and gave a rattle51 with the butt52 of his carabine, which made the timid monarch start; the eyes of the lovely Antoinette flashed fire, but it played round the head of the dauntless American Envoy harmless as the lightning which he knew how to conjure53 away.
The King fumbled54 in his pocket, and pulled out a Cross of the Order of the Bath. “Your Excellency wears no honor,” the monarch said; “but Tatua, who is not a subject, only an ally, of the United States, may. Noble Tatua, I appoint you Knight55 Companion of my noble Order of the Bath. Wear this cross upon your breast in memory of Louis of France;” and the King held out the decoration to the Chief.
Up to that moment the Chief’s countenance56 had been impassible. No look either of admiration57 or dislike had appeared upon that grim and war-painted visage. But now, as Louis spoke, Tatua’s face assumed a glance of ineffable58 scorn, as, bending his head, he took the bauble59.
“I will give it to one of my squaws,” he said. “The papooses in my lodge60 will play with it. Come, Medecine, Tatua will go and drink fire-water;” and, shouldering his carabine, he turned his broad back without ceremony upon the monarch and his train, and disappeared down one of the walks of the garden. Franklin found him when his own interview with the French Chief Magistrate was over; being attracted to the spot where the Chief was, by the crack of his well-known rifle. He was laughing in his quiet way. He had shot the Colonel of the Swiss Guards through his cockade.
Three days afterwards, as the gallant61 frigate62, the “Repudiator,” was sailing out of Brest Harbor, the gigantic form of an Indian might be seen standing63 on the binnacle in conversation with Commodore Bowie, the commander of the noble ship. It was Tatua, the Chief of the Nose-rings.
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1
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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2
alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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supercilious
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| adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲 | |
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11
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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12
grandee
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| n.贵族；大公 | |
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envoy
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| n.使节，使者，代表，公使 | |
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suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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15
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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16
elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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17
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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18
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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19
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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20
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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21
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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22
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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23
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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24
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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valor
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| n.勇气，英勇 | |
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whittling
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| v.切，削（木头），使逐渐变小( whittle的现在分词 ) | |
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28
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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29
peevishly
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| adv．暴躁地 | |
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30
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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31
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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32
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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33
quailed
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| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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35
denizen
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| n.居民，外籍居民 | |
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36
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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37
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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38
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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serpentine
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| adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的 | |
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40
smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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41
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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42
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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43
tattooed
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| v.刺青，文身( tattoo的过去式和过去分词 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击 | |
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44
brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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45
bracelets
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| n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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46
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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47
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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48
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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49
whittled
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| v.切，削（木头），使逐渐变小( whittle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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51
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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52
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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53
conjure
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| v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法 | |
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54
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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55
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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56
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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57
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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58
ineffable
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| adj.无法表达的，不可言喻的 | |
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59
bauble
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| n.美观而无价值的饰物 | |
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60
lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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61
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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62
frigate
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| n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰 | |
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63
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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