He was unbound. His friends, except Buffalo1 Bill, were with him. As he knew of this last effort which was being made in his behalf, he was, of course, waiting for the verdict in great excitement.
Congo was the first to speak.
“Here comes Massa Cody! He’s a-shakin’ his head an’ lookin’ berry sober. I reckon it’s all ober wid you.”
So it was. The decision was against mercy by a majority of fifteen votes.
A shout from the prisoner and a beckoning2 of his hands toward his friends showed that he desired them to come to him. They at once followed the rabble3 of squaws and children who were moving, with the condemned4 man in their midst, toward the place where the gantlet was to be run.
The lines were already being formed, almost at the same spot where the mimic5 punishment had taken place half an hour before.
Poor Hare now seemed too much frightened to stand any chance of escape in the ordeal6 that was before him—that was now so close at hand.
He had already thrown off his hunting jacket, and was dressed only in his underclothing, shirt and trousers, with boots and a sombrero.
He was deathly pale about the forehead and temples, but there was a flush on his cheeks which went and came quickly. This, with his pallor, his wide-open nostrils7, and his glaring eyes, proclaimed his excitement to be little less than that of a madman.
Perhaps it would have been well for him if he had been mad at this moment, for insanity8 might have nerved him to some deed of daring that would have saved his life.
His conductors stopped for his friends to come up when they saw that was his wish, and he handed to Buffalo Bill the letters which he had written to his wife and father. He had kept them by him until now, for the purpose of adding some pencil postscripts9 to them from time to time.
He had given his watch and pocketbook to Buffalo Bill secretly the evening before, being afraid that he might be plundered10 of them, though the border king had faith enough in the honor of the Sioux to believe that there was no danger of such a thing happening.
Two redskins caught hold of the prisoner’s arm and dragged him along, one of them saying impatiently, in English:
“Too much talk. No good!”
Hare looked back and exclaimed:
“Try—try, Cody, for mercy’s sake! Don’t give me up yet! Try something—try anything!”
“We would fight it out for you, Hare,” Cody replied—even at the risk of the Indians understanding. “But you know we must think of the women first. What would their fate be if we fell, as fall we almost certainly all would?”
Hare made some reply, but his custodians12 hurried[269] him along and Cody could not hear it. The crowd which now enveloped13 the prisoner prevented the white men from getting near him.
Black Panther was hurrying to and fro like a field officer on parade day, except that he was on foot; and if he came near the white men he gave them no opportunity to address him, but plainly showed by his manner toward them that he considered their presence there an impertinence and an intrusion.
“He feels mighty14 big,” said Congo angrily. “I should just like to have him alone a little while out in a field dere, widout any weapons ’cept our fists. I’d give him such a drubbin’ dat he’d squeal15 like a dog cotched under a wagon16 wheel.”
“Come, Cody,” said the captain, who saw the painfully anxious look of the king of the scouts18. “It is plain that nothing more can be done. We must think of the women before everything. It will never do to turn the vengeance19 of these savages20 against the whole lot of us.”
“Don’t let us stay and see the man butchered,” said another of the party.
“So say I,” agreed another. “We have stayed here too long for the safety of the women already.”
“Go, my friends, if you consider it your duty,” he said. “There are the boats—take them and go. I shall certainly stay. I promised this poor man to stay by him to the last, and I shall do it. We cannot tell what chance may turn up, even at this eleventh hour. I do not think he has many minutes of life left, but still there may be an opportunity of saving him.”
Captain Meinhold hesitated, but, as it now became evident that the lines were complete and the race about to begin, curiosity detained him. Indeed, that same feeling—morbid, though not unnatural—induced the whole party to press closer to the course to get a better view.
The crowd had broken away from the starting end of the line; some of the squaws and larger boys having taken their places in the ranks, clubs in hand, and others being scattered22 along the route, where they could better see its whole extent.
As the white spectators were scarcely more than fifty yards distant from the lists, they could now distinctly see everything that took place.
Hare, catching23 sight of them through the opening that had been made, beckoned24 to them eagerly to come nearer.
Buffalo Bill alone attempted to comply, but when he advanced about halfway25 he was stopped by loud cries and angry gestures from the Indians.
Thinking still of the women and the danger of provoking a conflict, he went no nearer.
The prisoner was stationed with his back against a tree, and the nearest of his watchful26 foes27 were about six feet from him, they being two lads of sixteen or seventeen years at the head of the line. They were evidently anxious to bring him down at the very outset of his course.
They did not look in any way wrathful, Buffalo Bill thought. They even exchanged nods and smiles now and then, while they waited for the “sport” to begin; but as the starting moment drew nearer there was an eager, intent look on their faces, like that of hunters when the deer is breaking cover.
Running Water was seated at the end of the ground at the lower end of the lists, where he could command a view of the race and see that no rule of the course was violated. By him, also, the signal for the start was to be given.
One who acted as a sort of marshal rode along the lines to see that every man was in his proper place.
Half a minute later the starting signal was given by the chief rising to his feet and clapping his hands loudly. Before he had struck them twice together the prisoner sprang forward with an unexpected velocity28 that carried him past the first half dozen of his enemies unharmed, while their swift blows fell upon the empty air.
Inspired by this success, the young man dashed onward29, receiving some blows from the women and dodging30 others, and now and then stooping low and darting31 beneath the extended clubs of his assailants.
Some happy instinct, or some rapid mental action, appeared to govern his movements, for he seemed to see where his most formidable foes were stationed, and to avoid them by brushing close along the other line—too close for club blows and too swiftly for arrest or detention32 by the grapple of long arms, which, dropping their weapons, strove to clutch him as he passed.
Never, perhaps, had so singular a race been run; for although the desperate fugitive33 violated no rule of the lists, he made so many feints and dodges34 and sudden turns that he disappointed all calculations as to where he would be found at any given instant.
In fact, his unexpected pluck and activity surprised both friends and foes.
But the cheer was ill-timed and evoked36 a defiant37 response from the lower half of the line, where the best warriors38 were stationed.
As yet the panting man had encountered but few of the braves, though there were several sturdy young men and still active old ones among those whom he had baffled and passed by.
But even when he had entered upon the latter half of his race his good fortune seemed still to attend him. Although some sounding blows fell upon him and staggered him at times, he kept on, making a little progress, though doubling often and standing11 at bay occasionally for a few seconds to get breath for renewed exertions39.
And now, to the astonishment40 of all, he had passed two-thirds of his foes and yet retained his feet, while a tumult41 of cries and shouts came up from those he had deluded42, inciting43 the others to more vigilant44 and energetic action.
That he should have gone so far unharmed seemed little less than a miracle, but Buffalo Bill was nearly certain that some of the blows seemingly aimed at him with the greatest fury were mere45 feints, and were made by those warriors who had voted for his release in council, and were still willing to see him go free.
Black Panther, perhaps, had anticipated it; for many of his partisans47 were stationed near him, and they formed a terrible phalanx which the prisoner had yet to pass before his safety could be attained48.
There was no mercy in the fierce faces before him. The sacred teachings of forgiveness had not moved those fierce hearts.
The despised and trembling prisoner had grown almost into a hero in their estimation, whom it would be an honor to imitate and whose escape would be a lasting51 disgrace to their prowess.
The result was almost inevitable52.
Poor Hare, after his really gallant53 effort to escape, fell under a heavy blow. He was not a dozen yards from the goal of safety, but he lay stunned54 and motionless on the ground. To all appearance he was quite dead.
His friends, indeed, hoped that such might be the case and that his sufferings were ended.
But in this they were disappointed, for when a few gourdfuls of water had been dashed over him by his exultant55 foes he revived and showed that he had yet enough of life in him to gratify their ferocity, which was only now fully17 awakened56.
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1
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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2
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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4
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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mimic
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| v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人 | |
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ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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9
postscripts
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| （信末签名后的）附言，又及( postscript的名词复数 )； （正文后的）补充说明 | |
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plundered
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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custodians
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| n.看守人，保管人( custodian的名词复数 ) | |
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13
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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15
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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17
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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18
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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19
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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20
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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21
concurred
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| 同意（concur的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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26
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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27
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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28
velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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30
dodging
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| n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避 | |
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31
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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32
detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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33
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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34
dodges
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| n.闪躲( dodge的名词复数 )；躲避；伎俩；妙计v.闪躲( dodge的第三人称单数 )；回避 | |
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35
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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36
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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37
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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38
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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39
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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40
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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41
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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42
deluded
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| v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
inciting
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| 刺激的，煽动的 | |
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44
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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45
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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46
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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47
partisans
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| 游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙 | |
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48
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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49
jaded
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| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
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50
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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51
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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52
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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53
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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54
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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55
exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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56
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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