At last winter came upon us in earnest. It had been threatening for a considerable time. Sharp frosts had occurred during the nights, and more than once we had on rising found thin ice forming on the lake, though the motion of the running water had as yet prevented our stream from freezing; but towards the end of October there came a day which completely changed the condition and appearance of things.
Every one knows the peculiar1, I may say the exhilarating, sensations that are experienced when one looks out from one’s window and beholds2 the landscape covered completely with the first snows of winter.
Well, those sensations were experienced on the occasion of which I write in somewhat peculiar circumstances. Lumley and I were out hunting at the time: we had been successful; and, having wandered far from the fort, resolved to encamp in the woods, and return home early in the morning.
“I do love to bivouac in the forest,” I said, as we busied ourselves spreading brush-wood on the ground, preparing the kettle, plucking our game, and kindling3 the fire, “especially at this season of the year, when the sharp nights render the fire so agreeable.”
“Yes,” said Lumley, “and the sharp appetites render food so delightful4.”
“To say nothing,” I added, “of the sharp wits that render intercourse5 so pleasant.”
“Ah, and not to mention,” retorted Lumley, “the dull wits, stirred into unwonted activity, which tone down that intercourse with flashes of weakly humour. Now then, Max, clap on more wood. Don’t spare the firing—there’s plenty of it, so—isn’t it grand to see the thick smoke towering upwards7 straight and solid like a pillar!”
“Seldom that one experiences a calm so perfect,” said I, glancing upward at the slowly-rising smoke. “Don’t you think it is the proverbial calm before the storm?”
“Don’t know, Max. I’m not weather-wise. Can’t say that I understand much about calms or storms, proverbial or otherwise, and don’t much care.”
“That’s not like your usual philosophical8 character, Lumley,” said I—“see, the column is still quite perpendicular—”
“Come, Max,” interrupted my friend, “don’t get sentimental9 till after supper. Go to work, and pluck that bird while I fill the kettle.”
“If anything can drive away sentiment,” I replied, taking up one of the birds which we had shot that day, “the plucking and cleaning of this will do it.”
“On the contrary, man,” returned Lumley, taking up the tin kettle as he spoke10, “true sentiment, if you had it, would induce you to moralise on that bird as you plucked it—on the romantic commencement of its career amid the reeds and sedges of the swamps in the great Nor’-west; on the bold flights of its maturer years over the northern wilderness11 into those mysterious regions round the pole, which man, with all his vaunted power and wisdom, has failed to fathom12, and on the sad—I may even say inglorious—termination of its course in a hunter’s pot, to say nothing of a hunter’s stom—”
“Lumley,” said I, interrupting, “do try to hold your tongue, if you can, and go fill your kettle.”
With a laugh he swung off to a spring that bubbled at the foot of a rock hard by, and when he returned I had my bird plucked, singed13, split open, and cleaned out. You must understand, reader, that we were not particular. We were wont6 to grasp the feathers in large handfuls, and such as would not come off easily we singed off.
“You see, Lumley,” said I, when he came back, “I don’t intend that this bird shall end his career in the pot. I’ll roast him.”
“’Tis well, most noble Max, for I wouldn’t let you pot him, even if you wished to. We have only one kettle, and that must be devoted14 to tea.”
It was not long before the supper was ready. While it was preparing Lumley and I sat chatting by the fire, and gazing in a sort of dreamy delight at the glorious view of land and water which we could see through an opening among the trees in front of us; for, not only was there the rich colouring of autumn everywhere—the greens, yellows, browns, and reds of mosses15, grasses, and variegated16 foliage—but there was a bright golden glow cast over all by the beams of the setting sun.
While we slept, the Creator was preparing that wonderful and beautiful change to which I have referred. Clouds gradually overspread the sky—I observed this when, in a half-sleeping state I rose to mend our fire, but thought nothing of it. I did not, however, observe what followed, for sleep had overpowered me again the instant I lay down.
Softly, silently, persistently20, and in large flakes21, the snow must have fallen during the entire night, for, when we awoke it lay half a foot deep upon us, and when we shook ourselves free and looked forth22 we found that the whole landscape, far and near, was covered with the same pure white drapery. The uniformity of the scene was broken by the knolls23 of trees and shrubs24 and belts of forest which showed powerfully against the white ground, and by the water of the numerous ponds and lakes and streams which, where calm, reflected the bright blue sky, and, where rough, sparkled in the rising sun; while every twig25 and leaf of bush and tree bore its little fringe or patch of snow, so that we were surrounded by the most beautiful and complicated forms of lacework conceivable of Nature’s own making.
“It is glorious to look at,” said Lumley, after our first burst of enthusiasm, “but it will be troublesome to walk through, I fear.”
We did not, however, find it as troublesome as we had expected; for, although nearly a foot deep, the snow was quite dry, owing to the frost which had set in, and we could drive it aside with comparative ease when we started on our journey homeward.
Arrived at the fort we found our men and the few Indians who had not left us for their hunting-grounds, busy at the nets, or finishing the buildings that were yet incomplete.
We also found that Big Otter26 had come in, bringing with him his wife, and his niece Waboose, with her mother. The health of the latter had broken down, and Big Otter had brought her to the fort in the hope that the white chief could do something for her.
“I’ll do what I can,” said Lumley, on hearing her case stated, “though I make no pretence27 to being a medicine-man, but I will do this for you and her:— I will engage you, if you choose, to help Blondin at his fishery, and your wife to make moccasins for us. I’ll also let you have that little hut beside our kitchen to live in. You’ll find it better and warmer than a wigwam, and as there are two rooms in it you won’t be overcrowded.”
Big Otter was delighted with this arrangement, and I took him away at once to show him the hut he was to occupy.
As this was the first time I had met with the unknown Englishman’s widow, and the mother of Waboose, it was with no little interest and curiosity that I regarded her.
She was evidently in very bad health, but I could easily see that when young she must have been a very handsome woman. Besides being tall and well-formed, she had a most expressive28 countenance29 and a dignified30 air, coupled with a look of tender kindness in it, which drew me to her at once. She seemed in many respects much superior—in manners and habits—to the other Indian women of the tribe, though still far below her daughter in that respect, and I could easily perceive that the latter owed her great superiority and refinement31 of manner to her father, though she might well have derived32 her gentleness from her mother.
What the illness was that broke that mother down I cannot tell. It resembled consumption in some respects, though without the cough, but she improved in health decidedly at first on getting into her new house, and set to work with zeal33 to assist in the making of moccasins and other garments. Of course Waboose helped her; and, very soon after this arrival, I began to give her lessons in the English language.
Lumley quizzed me a good deal about this at first, but afterwards he became more serious.
“Now, Max, my boy,” he said to me, one evening when we were alone, in that kindly-serious manner which seemed to come over him whenever he had occasion to find fault with any one, “it is all very well your giving lessons in English to that Indian girl, but what I want to know is, what do you expect to be the upshot of it?”
“Marriage,” said I with prompt decision, “if—if she will have me,” I added with a more modest air.
“But think, Max, you are only just entering on manhood; you can’t be said to know your own mind yet. Suppose, now, that you were to express an intention to marry Waboose, the Hudson’s Bay Company might object till you had at least finished your apprenticeship35.”
“But I would not think of it before that,” said I.
“And then,” continued Lumley, not noticing the interruption, “if you do marry her you can never more return to the civilised world, for she is utterly36 ignorant of its ways, and would feel so ill at ease there, and look so much out of place, that you would be obliged to take to the woods again, and live and die there—and—what would your father say to that?”
I confess that this reference to my dear father shook me.
“But, Lumley,” said I, “she is not a mere37 Indian girl, and would not look out of place anywhere. Her father was obviously a gentleman, and has tried, with much success I find, to cultivate a naturally gentle and delicate mind and disposition38 in his child. Surely, very little is required to make a lady of her—I mean in the sense that society understands by that term—and even if that were not possible, is mere polish to be weighed in the balance against gentleness, sweetness, unselfishness, tenderness, truthfulness39, modesty40, loving-kindness—to say nothing of beauty—”
“Oh! Max, I admit that polish must go down before such a splendid array of virtues42. But,” added my friend, becoming grave again, “is Waboose a Christian43?”
“Yes,” I replied, stoutly44, “a far, far better Christian than I am, for I find that her father has taught her the truths of the Bible—and you—you see that fruit in her which I fear you don’t see much of in me.”
“Well, we have not had much time to see the fruit yet, but now I must speak to you as your chief. You say you have no thought of marriage till your apprenticeship is up. That is a good while yet. You may change your mind.”
“Never!” said I, with emphasis.
“Well, I respect your honourable45 feelings, my boy, but it is just possible that even if she were willing (which has yet to be proved) she may change her mind, therefore you must promise me faithfully that in all this teaching of English there shall be no lovemaking. You are bound in honour, Max, to avoid trying to win her affections, or in any way to influence her till—till time, a considerable time—shall have passed.”
“I promise you, Lumley, with all my heart. I think it is ennobling to a man to love a girl because of her pure and sterling46 qualities irrespective of her looks, and I would count it foul47 disgrace to do anything to win her unless I saw my way quite clearly to wed19 her.”
“Which you do not at present, Max?”
“Which I do not at present, Lumley, so I will continue the lessons with the air and manner of a heartless pedagogue48!”
This having been arranged between us, the subject was dropped, and not again referred to for many months.
Meanwhile winter advanced with rapid strides. One night an intense frost set in and covered the entire lake, as far at least as we could see, with a sheet of pure ice. It had set fast in a profound calm, and the surface was so smooth that every tree and bush on the outlying islets was reflected as if in water. Indeed, it could scarcely be told that the ice was not water except by going on it.
Being a somewhat expert skater, and having brought my skates with me, I put them on, resolved to enjoy a few hours of what used to be a favourite amusement when I was a boy. Lumley could not skate, to my regret; besides, he had no skates, and none of the men had ever learned the art, so that I was forced to skate alone. And at this time I learned a lesson about solitary49 amusement which I never afterwards forgot.
“Max,” said Lumley, as I went down to the lake, skates in hand, “while you’re off amusing yourself I’ll go finish the track on the hillside—that will afford amusement enough for me and the men. I’ll give them a holiday, as it is such a splendid day.”
“That’s a new kind of holiday,” said I with a laugh, as I fixed50 on my skates, “to set them to the finishing of a track!”
The track referred to was a straight wide cutting up the face of the hill at the side of the fort. Lumley had ordered the men to clear it of trees and shrubs, from the hill-top—which extended far behind as well as high above the fort—down to the edge of the lake. It had remained in this unfinished state for some time, and now, being covered with snow, formed a long white-floored avenue to the hill-top.
“I’m sorry you can’t join me,” said I, making a few circles before starting. “It feels so selfish to go off alone.”
“Never mind, old boy, off you go, and see that you don’t get upon weak ice.”
Lumley waved his hand as he spoke, and I shot swiftly away over the glassy lake.
Oh! it was a glorious burst, that first dash over an apparently51 illimitable sheet of water, for, although small for an American lake, the opposite shore of Wichikagan was so far-off as to appear dim and low, while, in one direction, the sky and water met at the horizon, so that I enjoyed the romantic feeling of, as it were, skating out to sea! The strength of youth thrilled in every nerve and muscle; the vigour52 of health and life coursed in every vein53. I felt, just then, as if exhaustion54 were impossible. The ice was so smooth that there was no sensation of roughness under foot to tell of a solid support. The swift gliding55 motion was more like the skimming of the swallow than the skating of a man. The smallest impulse sent me shooting ahead with an ease that almost surprised me. In sensation, as well as in appearance, I was rushing over a surface of water in which the sun was reflected with a brilliancy that quite dazzled me. I became almost wild with delight. Indeed I grew reckless, and gave a sort of leap—with what intent I know not—which caused the back of my head to smite56 the ice and my body to proceed fifty yards or more on its back, with the legs in the air and a starry constellation57 corruscating in the brain!
Considerably58 sobered by this, I arose and cut the figure of eight thoughtfully for five minutes. After this I resumed my rapid pace, which I kept up until the necessity of pausing to recover breath impressed me. Making a wide circle outwards59 with my left leg in the air and my right hand pointed60 to the sky in the most approved manner, I gradually caused the circle to diminish until I came to a stand.
Looking back, I saw Fort Wichikagan like a mere speck61 on the horizon. In the opposite direction the lake still presented a limitless horizon. On either side the distant shores marked, but could hardly be said to bound, the view, while, closer at hand, the islets were reflected in the ice as clearly as if it had been water. I felt as if standing62 on a liquid ocean. Once more a bounding sense of joyous63 freedom and strength filled me. The starry corruscations had vanished. The bump on the back of my head had ceased to grieve me. Away I went again like—but words fail me. Imagery and description avail nothing when the indescribable is reached!
After an hour of this enjoyment64 I took to circling, and, in the exuberance65 of my feelings, attempted some quite new and complex performances, which resulted in a few more corruscations and bumps. But these were trifles. I heeded66 them not.
At last, however, I stood still and became thoughtful. We must all become thoughtful sooner or later. A sense of loneliness began to oppress me, and I longed for companionship in my joy. Knowing that this was a useless longing67, I cast it aside and resumed my evolutions, rushes, bumps, and corruscations. But it would not do. The longing returned with redoubled violence. After another hour I turned to skate homeward, very much toned down in spirits, and deeply convinced of the truth—in more senses than one—of the words, “It is not good that man should be alone.”
Before leaving this subject I may add that I tried skating again the next day, but again grew weary of it in less than an hour for want of companionship; that I made up my mind, in disgust to try no more; and that, on the day following, sympathetic Nature aided me in my resolve by covering the entire lake with eighteen inches of snow—thus rendering68 my once favourite exercise impossible.
But, to return. When I drew near to the fort, I observed that several black specks69 were gliding with lightning speed down the white track on the hillside which Lumley had undertaken to finish. These specks, after descending70 the steep hill, slid over the level shore and shot far out upon the lake, where some of them seemed to roll over and over. Wondering what this could be, I put on a spurt71. Suddenly the truth dawned upon me. My friend Lumley had cleared the slope for the purpose of sledging72 down it!
“Max,” he had remarked to me, long before, when talking about our men and our plans, “‘All work and no play,’ you know, ‘makes Jack73 a dull boy;’ so I’ll get up some kind of winter amusement for the lads which will keep them in health and spirits.”
Need I say that my recent cogitations and experience led me to join this riotous74 crew with redoubled ardour? Taking off my skates hurriedly and climbing up the hill, I leaped on the tail of Big Otter’s toboggan, without invitation, just as he was starting at the top of the snow-slope to follow Lumley. I gave the sled such an impetus75 that we overtook our chief, and upset him just as he reached the lake, causing him to collide with Donald Bane and James Dougall, who, seated on the same toboggan, were anxiously striving to keep their balance. The result was, that we all resolved ourselves into a conglomerate76 of toboggans and men, which went shooting and struggling over the smooth lake for fifty yards or upwards at the rate of twelve miles an hour, if not more. This, of course, afforded unutterable delight to the rest of our men, and to Waboose and her mother; as well as to several Indians, who had just arrived. Among these last were Attick and Maqua with his son Mozwa.
It was rough but health-giving, as well as enjoyable, work, and sent us to our respective beds that night in a condition of readiness to fall promptly77 into a state of absolute oblivion.
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1
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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beholds
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| v.看，注视( behold的第三人称单数 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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kindling
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| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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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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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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singed
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| v.浅表烧焦( singe的过去式和过去分词 )；（毛发）燎，烧焦尖端[边儿] | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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mosses
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| n. 藓类, 苔藓植物 名词moss的复数形式 | |
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variegated
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| adj.斑驳的，杂色的 | |
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starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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persistently
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| ad.坚持地；固执地 | |
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flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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knolls
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| n.小圆丘，小土墩( knoll的名词复数 ) | |
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shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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twig
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otter
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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expressive
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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banter
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| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
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apprenticeship
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| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
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utterly
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mere
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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truthfulness
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| n. 符合实际 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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sterling
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| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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pedagogue
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| n.教师 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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56
smite
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| v.重击；彻底击败；n.打；尝试；一点儿 | |
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57
constellation
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| n.星座n.灿烂的一群 | |
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58
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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59
outwards
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| adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形 | |
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60
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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62
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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63
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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64
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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65
exuberance
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| n.丰富；繁荣 | |
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66
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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68
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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69
specks
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| n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 ) | |
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70
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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71
spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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72
sledging
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| v.乘雪橇( sledge的现在分词 )；用雪橇运载 | |
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73
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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74
riotous
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| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
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75
impetus
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| n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力 | |
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76
conglomerate
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| n.综合商社，多元化集团公司 | |
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77
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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