“Well, sir,” he said, sternly, “and so you will not confess who is the principal instigator4 of these Indian atrocities5? Beware, for I can order you out to be shot in one minute.”
“And if you shoot me ten times over, monsieur,” said the other, in a shaking voice, “I could tell no more. I am but a poor dealer6 in snuff and tobacco, and know nothing of Indian plots. Ask Monsieur Rocheblave. He knows all. There was an Indian embassy came to him only yesterday evening.”
Rocheblave, at the first mention of his name, had been signaling the other to keep quiet, but in vain.
“No, you need not wink7 at me, monsieur; I shall tell the American General all I know. I will not be shot to please you. There were twelve chiefs from the Wabash, monsieur, with Mademoiselle Rubie, the daughter of the Grand Door,[68] and they were quartered in the old arsenal8 for the night, if they have not escaped.”
Clark turned grimly on Rocheblave.
“Why did I not know this, sir?”
“Indeed, monsieur le colonel, I meant no harm,” said Rocheblave, hastily; “and, indeed, these fellows are only friends of a cousin of my wife’s, Mademoiselle Rubie Roland.”
“Ruby9 Roland,” repeated Clark, slowly; “is that the adopted daughter of old Tabac?”
“The same, monsieur,” said the snuff-merchant, eagerly.
“Then, if she is here, I am glad,” said Clark, quietly. “You can go back home, sir; but do not stop to speak to a soul. The patrol has orders to shoot any citizen standing still in the streets. Go, and remember.”
The snuff-merchant bowed down to the very ground, and backed from the room, just as a tremendous clatter10 of hoofs11 outside announced the arrival of Ruby Roland and her cavalcade12.
Clark hurried to the window, somewhat startled, and beheld13 the twelve stalwart Indians and the girl springing off their horses.
The sight of his boy adjutant’s uniform among them reassured14 him of their intentions, for Clark had grown to feel almost a superstitious15 confidence in this reckless lad.
He returned to his seat, then, with measured steps, for he knew the importance of preserving dignity before the stately Indians. With perfect patience he remained sitting, waiting for his new guests, while Rocheblave, who felt his position keenly, fidgeted about uneasily in his chair.
In a few minutes more the sentry at the door challenged, as the sound of moccasined feet approached.
“Let them pass, sentry,” said Clark, quietly; and into the room swept Ruby Roland, in a perfect blaze of splendor16, followed by her dusky escort.
Involuntarily Clark rose, and bowed with the deepest respect to the beautiful creature. It seemed to him as if he beheld her for the first time.
It was not quite true, as he had told Frank, that Ruby had failed to leave any impression on his mind the year before,[69] when he had seen her under the disadvantages of fatigue17 and hunger, which had reduced her features to gauntness. Still, his own mind had been so much preoccupied18 at the time with his Kaskaskia scheme, that he apparently19 noticed little else.
Now, however, in the moment of his triumph, when this beautiful girl approached him, dressed like a princess, the bold leader, for the first time in his life, felt a curious throbbing20 at his heart, as he bowed before her to the very ground, at least as deep as the obsequious21 snuff-merchant.
To his surprise, Ruby returned the courtesy with the very least inclination22 of the head, then turned and addressed a few words to her retinue23, who gravely seated themselves in a line on the floor, in front of the door.
Then the girl advanced to Rocheblave, who stood undecided what to do, and gravely embraced him in the French fashion.
“My cousin,” she said, “I have heard of your misfortune. Why did you not listen to my words? I warned you that the door would be shut; but you see I have come, as I promised.”
“You might as well have stayed away,” said the ex-Governor, sulkily. “You must have known these people were coming, and would not warn your old allies.”
“Our old ally was my father’s king,” said Ruby, proudly; “and it was to please him that I did not betray the Big-Knives. I have been with them on their march when they knew not, and my warriors24 have watched every step they took. Where were your senses, that you only watched the river? The road over the prairie from Fort Massac is straight. A child could follow it to Kaskaskia.”
“Spare me your sneers25, mademoiselle,” said Rocheblave, not without dignity; “there is my captor, if you wish to turn to the rising sun. I can entertain no further proposals, for I am a prisoner.”
“I did not come here to reproach you, my cousin,” said Ruby, gently; “but for a kinder purpose by far. I will open the door again, if you will enter. See now, you were born a Frenchman, and the French king owned all this place. Now France and America are allies, and I call to you to[70] return to your old allegiance; desert this sour-faced British nation, and be a gay friend of America as I am.”
“Never,” exclaimed Rocheblave, angrily—“never will I submit to be called a friend of these accursed rebel hounds. Let them do their worst. I have eaten the king’s bread, and I will never desert him. Go, tempt26 Coralie, if you like. I will not yield.”
“And where is Coralie?” asked Ruby, with a slight smile.
“In her chamber27, which the rebel dogs dare not profane,” said the Governor, loftily. “Even there they had the insolence28 to penetrate29 last night.”
“They found but little, I venture to say,” answered Ruby. “I know Coralie too well to doubt her ability to hoodwink these men of Kentucky, who—between us, cousin—are easily blinded by a fine woman. By this time, I doubt not that the agreements with Blackfish and the Chickasaw chiefs are burnt. How much do you pay for white scalps this year, cousin?”
Clark had been a silent and interested listener to this brief colloquy30, and he noticed that the Governor turned deadly pale at the home-thrust of the girl. Now he advanced himself and spoke31 to Ruby.
“Mademoiselle,” he said, “I may possibly have passed out of your remembrance, but I have not forgotten the lady who came through such perils32 to Harrodsburg, to propose to me the alliance of the tribes of the Wabash. Whatever papers Madame Rocheblave may destroy, mademoiselle, it were better she should do it than that we should insult a lady. That is a point of honor with us rough Kentuckians.”
Ruby looked at him critically, and unconsciously Clark turned crimson33 under the glance. It seemed to him that he had never before seemed so dirty and unkempt in his life, as when he stood before this brilliant beauty, in his ragged34 campaign uniform, with his unshaven face.
“You Kentuckians have more mercy than we women,” she said. “I would have got those papers for you. But you Americans are easily worked on by a pretty face. I remember once when you were not so polite as now. You were rude to me, monsieur.”
[71]
And Clark, greatly confused, stammered35 that he “did not quite remember to what she referred,” as the straightforward36 beauty fixed37 him with her great dark eyes.
“I know,” she said. “I have a good memory, monsieur, and, if I have a mind, I can overturn all your fine expedition in the moment of success. Be polite now, for you will find that one year has made a great difference with Ruby Roland.”
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1
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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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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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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instigator
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| n.煽动者 | |
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atrocities
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| n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪 | |
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dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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arsenal
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| n.兵工厂，军械库 | |
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ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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10
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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13
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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14
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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obsequious
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| adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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retinue
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| n.侍从；随员 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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sneers
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| 讥笑的表情（言语）( sneer的名词复数 ) | |
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tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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colloquy
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| n.谈话，自由讨论 | |
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31
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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perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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34
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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35
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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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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