"If you lay hands on that skunk3," he had said, the malodorous epithet4 being his designation for Louis Laplante, "If you lay hands on that skunk, don't be a simpleton. Skin him, Sir, by the Lord, skin him! Let him play the ostrich5 act! Keep your own counsel and work him for all you're worth! Let him play his deceitful game! By Jove! Give the villain6 rope enough to hang himself! Gain your end! Afterwards forget and forgive if you like; but, by the Lord, remember and don't ignore the fact, that repentance7 can't turn a skunk into an innocent, pussy8 cat!"
And so Mr. Jack9 MacKenzie continued to warn me all the way from Quebec to Montreal, mixing his metaphors10 as topers mix drinks. But I had long since learned not to remonstrate11 against these outbursts of explosive eloquence—not though all the canons of Laval literati should be outraged12. "What, Sir?" he had roared out when I, in full conceit[Pg 71] of new knowledge, had audaciously ventured to pull him up, once in my student days. "What, Sir? Don't talk to me of your book-fangled balderdash! Is language for the use of man, or man for the use of language?" and he quoted from Hamlet's soliloquy in a way that set me packing my pedant13 lore14 in the unused lumber-room of brain lobes15. And so, I say, Mr. Jack MacKenzie continued to pour instructions into my ear for the venturesome life on which I had entered. "The lad's a fool, only a fool," he said, still harping16 on Louis, "and mind you answer the fool according to his folly17!"
"Most men are fools first, and then knaves18, knaves because they have been fools," I returned to my uncle, "and I fancy Laplante has graduated from the fool stage by this time, and is a full diploma knave19!"
"That's all true," he retorted, "but don't you forget there's always fool enough left in the knave to give you your opportunity, if you're not a fool. Joint20 in the armor, lad! Use your cutlass there."
Apart from the peppery discourses21 of my kinsman22, I remember very little of the trip up the St. Lawrence from Ste. Anne to Lachine with Eric sitting dazed and silent opposite me. We, of course, followed the river channel between the Island of Orleans and the north shore; and whenever our boats drew near the mainland, came whiffs of crisp, frosty air from the dank ravines, where snow patches yet lay in the shadow. Then the fleet would sidle towards the island and there[Pg 72] would be the fresh, spring odor of damp, uncovered mold, with a vague suggestiveness of violets and May-flowers and ferns bursting with a rush through the black clods. The purple folds of the mountains, with their wavy23 outlines fading in the haze24 of distance, lay on the north as they lie to-day; and everywhere on the hills were the white cots of habitant hamlets with chapel26 spires27 pointing above tree-tops. At the western end of the island, where boats sheer out into mid-current, came the dull, heavy roar of the cataract29 and above the north shore rose great, billowy clouds of foam30. With a sweep of our paddles, we were opposite a cleft31 in the vertical32 rock and saw the shimmering33, fleecy waters of Montmorency leap over the dizzy precipice34 churning up from their own whirling depths and bound out to the river like a panther after prey35.
Now the Isle36 of Orleans was vanishing on our rear and the bold heights of Point Levis had loomed37 up to the fore38; and now we had poked39 our prows40 to the right and the sluggish41, muddy tide of the St. Charles lapped our canoes, while a forest of masts and yard-arms and flapping sails arose from the harbor of Quebec City. The great walls of modern Quebec did not then exist; but the rude fortifications, that sloped down from the lofty Citadel42 on Cape43 Diamond and engirt the whole city on the hillside, seemed imposing44 enough to us in those days.
It was late in the afternoon when we passed. The sunlight struck across the St. Charles,[Pg 73] brightening the dull, gray stone of walls and cathedrals and convents, turning every window on the west to fire and transforming a multitude of towers and turrets45 and minarets46 to glittering gold. Small wonder, indeed, that all our rough tripmen stopped paddling and with eyes on the spire28 of Notre Dame47 des Victoires muttered prayers for a prosperous voyage. For some reason or other, I found my own hat off. So was Mr. Jack MacKenzie's, so was Eric Hamilton's. Then the voyageurs fell to work again. The canoes spread out. We rounded Cape Diamond and the lengthening48 shadow of the high peak darkened the river before us. Always the broad St. Lawrence seemed to be winding49 from headland to headland among the purple hills, in sunlight a mirror between shadowy, forest banks, at night, molten silver in the moon-track. Afternoon slipped into night and night to morning, and each hour of daylight presented some new panorama50 of forests and hills and torrents52. Here the river widened into a lake. There the lake narrowed to rapids; and so we came to Lachine—La Chine, named in ridicule53 of the gallant54 explorer, La Salle, who thought these vast waterways would surely lead him to China.
At Lachine, Mr. Jack MacKenzie, with much brusque bluster56 to conceal57 his longings58 for the life he was too old to follow and many cynical59 injunctions about "skinning the skunk" and "knocking the head off anything that stood in my way" and "always profiting from the follies[Pg 74] of other men"—"mind, have none yourself,"—parted from us. Here, too, Eric gripped my hand a tense, wordless farewell and left our party for the Hudson's Bay brigade under Colin Robertson.
It has always been a mystery to me why our rivals sent that brigade to Athabasca by way of Lachine instead of Hudson Bay, which would have been two thousand miles nearer. We Nor'-Westers went all the way to and from Montreal, solely60 because that was our only point of access to the sea; but the Hudson's Bay people had their own Hudson Bay for a starting place. Why, in their slavish imitation of the methods, which brought us success, they also adopted our disadvantages, I could never understand. Birch canoes and good tripmen could, of course, as the Hudson's Bay men say, be most easily obtained in Quebec; but with a good organizer, the same could have been gathered up two thousand miles nearer York Factory, on Hudson Bay. Indeed, I have often thought the sole purpose of that expedition was to get Nor'-Westers' methods by employing discarded Nor'-Westers as trappers and voyageurs. Colin Robertson, the leader, had himself been a Nor'-Wester; and all the men with him except Eric Hamilton were renegades, "turn-coat traders," as we called them. But I must not be unjust; for neither company could possibly exceed the other in its zeal61 to entice62 away old trappers, who would reveal opponents' secrets. Acting63 on my uncle's advice, I made shift to pick[Pg 75] up a few crumbs64 of valuable information. Had the Hudson's Bay known, I suppose they would have called me a spy. That was the name I gave any of them who might try such tricks with me. The General Assembly of the North-West partners was to meet at Fort William, at the head of Lake Superior. I learned that Robertson's brigade were anxious to slip past our headquarters at Fort William before the meeting and would set out that very day. I also heard they had sent forward a messenger to notify the Hudson's Bay governor at Fort Douglas of their brigade's coming.
Almost before I realized it, we were speeding up the Ottawa, past a second and third and fourth Ste. Anne's; for she is the voyageurs' patron saint and her name dots Canada's map like ink-blots on a boy's copybook. Wherever a Ste. Anne's is now found, there has the voyageur of long ago passed and repassed. In places the surface of the river, gliding65 to meet us, became oily, almost glassy, as if the wave-current ran too fast to ripple66 out to the banks. Then little eddies67 began whirling in the corrugated68 water and our paddlers with labored69 breath bent70 hard to their task. By such signs I learned to know when we were stemming the tide of some raging waterfall, or swift rapid. There would follow quick disembarking, hurried portages over land through a tangle71 of forest, or up slippery, damp rocks, a noisy launching far above the torrent51 and swifter progress when the birch canoes touched water again. Such was the tireless pace, which made North-West[Pg 76] voyageurs famous. Such was the work the great Bourgeois72 exacted of their men. A liberal supply of rum, when stoppages were made, and of bread and meat for each meal—better fare than was usually given by the trading companies—did much to encourage the tripmen. Each man was doing his utmost to out-distance the bold rivals following by our route. The Bourgeois were to meet at Fort William early in June. At all hazards we were determined73 to notify our company of the enemy's invading flotilla; and without margin74 for accidents we had but a month to cross half a continent.
At nightfall the fourth day from the shrine75, after a tiresome76 nine-mile traverse past the Chaudière Falls of the Ottawa, glittering camp-fires on the river bank ahead showed where a fresh relay of canoemen awaited us. They were immediately taken into the different crews and night-shifts of paddlers put to work. It was quite dark, when the new hands joined us; but in the moonlight, as the chief steersman told off the men by name, I watched each tawny77 figure step quickly to his place in the canoes, with that gliding Indian motion, which scarcely rocked the light craft. There came to my crew Little Fellow, a short, thick-set man, with a grinning, good-natured face, who—despite his size—would solemnly assure people he was equal in force to the sun. With him was La Robe Noire, of grave aspect and few words, mighty78 in stature79 and shoulder power. There were five or six others, whose names in the[Pg 77] clangor of voices I did not hear. Of these, one was a tall, lithe80, swift-moving man, whose cunning eyes seemed to gleam with the malice81 of a serpent. This canoeman silently twisted into sleeping posture82 directly behind me.
The signal was given, and we were in mid-stream again. Wrapping my blanket about me, half propped83 by a bale of stuff and breathing deep of the clear air with frequent resinous84 whiffs from the forest I drowsed off. The swish of waters rushing past and the roar of torrents, which I had seen and heard during the day, still sounded in my ears. The sigh of the night-wind through the forest came like the lonely moan of a far-distant sea, and I was sleepily half conscious that cedars85, pines and cliffs were engaged in a mad race past the sides of the canoe. A bed in which one may not stretch at random86 is not comfortable. Certainly my cramped87 limbs must have caused bad dreams. A dozen times I could have sworn the Indian behind me had turned into a snake and was winding round my chest in tight, smothering88 coils. Starting up, I would shake the weight off. Once I suddenly opened my eyes to find blanket thrown aside and pistol belt unstrapped. Lying back eased, I was dozing89 again when I distinctly felt a hand crawl stealthily round the pack on which I was pillowed and steal towards the dagger90 handle in the loosened belt. I struck at it viciously only to bruise91 my fist on my dagger. Now wide awake, I turned angrily towards the Indian. Not a muscle of the still[Pg 78] figure had changed from the attitude taken when he came into the canoe. The man was not asleep, but reclined in stolid92 oblivion of my existence. His head was thrown back and the steely, unflinching eyes were fixed93 on the stars.
"It may not have been you, my scowling94 sachem," said I to myself, "but snakes have fangs95. Henceforth I'll take good care you're not at my back."
I slept no more that night. Next day I asked the fellow his name and he poured out such a jumbled97 mouthful of quick-spoken, Indian syllables98, I was not a whit25 the wiser. I told him sharply he was to be Tom Jones on my boat, at which he gave an evil leer.
Without stay we still pushed forward. The arrowy pace was merciless to red men and white; but that was the kind of service the great North-West Company always demanded. Some ten miles from the outlet99 of Lake Nipissangue (Nipissing) foul100 weather threatened delay. The Bourgeois were for proceeding101 at any risk; but as the thunder-clouds grew blacker and the wind more violent, the head steersman lost his temper and grounded his canoe on the sands at Point à la Croix. Springing ashore102 he flung down his pole and refused to go on.
"Sacredie!" he screamed, first pointing to the gathering103 storm and then to the crosses that marked the fate of other foolhardy voyageurs, "Allez si vous voulez! Pour moi je n'irai pas; ne voyez pas le danger!"[Pg 79]
A hurricane of wind, snapping the great oaks as a chopper breaks kindling104 wood, enforced his words. Canoes were at once beached and tarpaulins105 drawn106 over the bales of provisions. The men struggled to hoist107 a tent; but gusts108 of wind tossed the canvas above their heads, and before the pegs110 were driven a great wall of rain-drift drenched111 every one to the skin. By sundown the storm had gone southeast and we unrighteously consoled ourselves that it would probably disorganize the Hudson's Bay brigade as much as it had ours. Plainly, we were there for the night. Point à la Croix is too dangerous a spot for navigation after dark. With much patience we kindled112 the soaked underbrush and finally got a pile of logs roaring in the woods and gathered round the fire.
The glare in the sky attracted the lake tribes from their lodges113. Indians, half-breeds and shaggy-haired whites—degenerate traders, who had lost all taste for civilization and retired114 with their native wives after the fashion of the north country—came from the Nipissangue encampments and joined our motley throng115. Presently the natives drew off to a fire by themselves, where there would be no white-man's restraint. They had either begged or stolen traders' rum, and after the hard trip from Ste. Anne, were eager for one of their mad boissons—a drinking-bout interspersed116 with jigs117 and fights.
Stretched before our camp, I watched the grotesque118 figures leaping and dancing between the[Pg 80] firelight and the dusky woods like forest demons119. With the leaves rustling120 overhead, the water laving the pebbles121 on the shore, and the washed pine air stimulating122 one's blood like an intoxicant, I began wondering how many years of solitary123 life it would take to wear through civilization's veneer124 and leave one content in the lodges of forest wilds. Gradually I became aware of my sulky canoeman's presence on the other side of the camp-fire. The man had not joined the revels125 of the other voyageurs but sat on his feet, oriental style, gazing as intently at the flames as if spellbound by some fire-spirit.
"What's wrong with that fellow, anyhow?" I asked a veteran trader, who was taking last pulls at a smoked-out pipe.
"You'd think he was near enough nature here to feel at home! Where's his tribe?"
"It ain't his tribe he wants," explained the trader.
"What, then?" I inquired.
"His wife, he's mad after her," and the trader took the pipe from his teeth.
"Faugh!" I laughed. "The idea of an Indian sentimental127 and love-sick for some fat lump of a squaw! Come! Come! Am I to believe that?"
"Don't matter whether you do, or not," returned the trader. "It's a fact. His wife's a Sioux chief's daughter. She went north with a gang of half-breeds and hunters last month; and he's been fractious crazy ever since."[Pg 81]
"What's his name?" I called, as my informant vanished behind the tent flaps.
Again that mouthful of Indian syllables, unintelligible128 and unspeakable for me was tumbled forth96. Then I turned to the fantastic figures carousing129 around the other camp fire. One form, in particular, I seemed to distinguish from the others. He was gathering the Indians in line for some native dance and had an easy, rakish sort of grace, quite different from the serpentine130 motions of the redskins. By a sudden turn, his profile was thrown against the fire and I saw that he wore a pointed131 beard. He was no Indian; and like a flash came one of those strange, reasonless intuitions, which precede, or proceed from, the slow motions of the mind. Was this the avant-courier of the Hudson's Bay, delayed, like ourselves, by the storm? I had hardly spelled out my own suspicion, when to the measured beatings of the tom-tom, gradually becoming faster, and with a low, weird132, tuneless chant, like the voices of the forest, the Indians began to tread a mazy, winding pace, which my slow eyes could not follow, but which in a strange way brought up memories of snaky convolutions about the naked body of some Egyptian serpent-charmer. The drums beat faster. The suppressed voices were breaking in shrill133, wild, exultant134 strains, and the measured tread had quickened from a walk to a run and from a swaying run to a swift, labyrinthine135 pace, which has no name in English, and which I can only liken to the wiggling of a green thing[Pg 82] under leafy covert136. The coiling and circling and winding of the dancers became bewildering, and in the centre, laughing, shouting, tossing up his arms and gesticulating like a maniac137, was the white man with the pointed beard. Then the performers broke from their places and gave themselves with utter abandon to the wild impulses of wild natures in a wild world; and there was such a scene of uncurbed, animal hilarity138 as I never dreamed possible. Savage139, furious, almost ferocious140 like the frisking of a pack of wolves, that at any time may fall upon and destroy a weaker one, the boisterous141 antics of these children of the forest fascinated me. Filled with the curiosity that lures142 many a trader to his undoing143, I rose and went across to the thronging144, shouting, shadowy figures. A man darted145 out of the woods full tilt146 against me. 'Twas he of the pointed beard, my suspect of the Hudson's Bay Company. Quick as thought I thrust out my foot and tripped him full length on the ground. The light fell on his upturned face. It was Louis Laplante, that past-master in the art of diplomatic deception147. He snarled148 out something angrily and came to himself in sitting posture. Then he recognized me.
"Mon Dieu!" he muttered beneath his breath, momentarily surprised into a betrayal of astonishment149. "You, Gillespie?" he called out, at once regaining150 himself and assuming his usual nonchalance151. "Pardon, my solemncholy! I took you for a tree."[Pg 83]
"Granted, your impudence," said I, ignoring the slight but paying him back in kind. I was determined to follow my uncle's advice and play the rascal152 at his own game. "Help you up?" said I, as pleasantly as I could, extending my hand to give him a lift; and I felt his palm hot and his arm tremble. Then, I knew that Louis was drunk and this was the fool's joint in the knave's armor, on which Mr. Jack MacKenzie bade me use my weapons.
"Tra-la!" he answered with mincing153 insult. "Tra-la, old tombstone! Good-by, my mausoleum! Au revoir, old death's-head! Adieu, grave skull154!" With an absurdly elaborate bow, he reeled back among the dancers.
"Get up, comrade," I urged, rushing into the tent, where the old trader I had questioned about my canoeman was now snoring. "Get up, man," and I shook him. "There's a Hudson's Bay spy!"
"Spy," he shouted, throwing aside the moose-skin coverlet. "Spy! Who?"
"It's Louis Laplante, of Quebec."
"Louis Laplante!" reiterated155 the trader. "A Frenchman employed by the Hudson's Bay! Laplante, a trapper, with them! The scoundrel!" And he ground out oaths that boded156 ill for Louis.
"Hold on!" I exclaimed, jerking him back. He was for dashing on Laplante with a cudgel. "He's playing the trapper game with the lake tribes."
"I don't know, really know," I began, clumsily conscious that I had no proof for my suspicions, "but it strikes me we'd better not examine this sort of suspect at too long range. If we're wrong, we can let him go."
"He's a hard one to bag."
"But he's drunk."
"Drunk, Oh! Drunk is he?" laughed the man. "He'll be drunker," and the trader began rummaging160 through bales of stuff with a noise of bottles knocking together. He was humming in a low tone, like a grimalkin purring after a full meal of mice—
"Rum for Indians, when they come,
Rum for the beggars, when they go,
That's the trick my grizzled lads
"What's your plan?" I asked with a vague feeling the trader had some shady purpose in mind.
"Squeamish? Eh? You'll get over that, boy. I'll trap your trapper and spy your spy, and Nor'-Wester your H. B. C.! You come down to the sand between the forest and the beach in about an hour and I'll have news for you," and he brushed past me with his arms full of something I could not see in the half-light.
Then, as a trader, began my first compromise[Pg 85] with conscience, and the enmity which I thereby163 aroused afterwards punished me for that night's work. I knew very well my comrade, with the rough-and-ready methods of traders, had gone out to do what was not right; and I hung back in the tent, balancing the end against the means, our deeds against Louis' perfidy164, and Nor'-Westers' interests against those of the Hudson's Bay. It is not pleasant to recall what was done between the cedars and the shore. I do not attempt to justify165 our conduct. Does the physician justify medical experiments on the criminal, or the sacrificial priest the driving of the scape-goat into the wilderness166? Suffice it to say, when I went down to the shore, Louis Laplante was sitting in the midst of empty drinking-flasks167, and the wily, old Nor'-Wester was tempting168 the silly boy to take more by drinking his health with fresh bottles. But while Louis Laplante gulped169 down his rum, becoming drunker and more communicative, the tempter threw glass after glass over his shoulder and remained sober. The Nor'-Wester motioned me to keep behind the Frenchman and I heard his drunken lips mumbling170 my own name.
"Rufush—prig—stuck-up prig—serve him tam right! Hamilton's—sh—sh—prig too—sho's his wife. Serve 'em all tam right!"
"Ask him where she is," I whispered over his head.
"Shioux squaw—Devil's wife—how you say it[Pg 86] in English? Lah Grawnd Deeahble," and he mouthed over our mispronunciation of his own tongue "Joke, isn't it?" he went on. "That wax-face prig—slave to Shioux Squaw. Rufush—a fool. Stuffed him to hish—neck. Made him believe shmall-pox was Hamilton's wife. I mean, Hamilton's wife was shmall-pox. Calf171 bellowed172 with fright—ran home—came back—'tamme,' I say, 'there he come again' 'shmall-pox in that grave,' say I. Joke—ain't it?" and he stopped to drain off another pint173 of rum.
"Biggest joke out of jail," said the Nor'-Wester dryly, with meaning which Louis did not grasp.
"Ask him where she is," I whispered, "quick! He's going to sleep." For Louis wiped his beard on his sleeve and lay back hopelessly drunk.
"Here you, waken up," commanded the Nor'-Wester, kicking him and shaking him roughly. "Where's the gal?"
"Shioux—Pays d'En Haut," drawled the youth. "Take off your boots! Don't wear boots. Pays d'En Haut—moccasins—softer," and he rolled over in a sodden174 sleep, which defied all our efforts to shake him into consciousness.
"Is that true?" asked the Nor'-Wester, standing175 above the drunk man and speaking across to me. "Is that true about the Indian kidnapping a woman?"
"True—too terribly true," I whispered back.
"I'd like to boot him into the next world," said the trader, looking down at Louis in a manner that might have alarmed that youth for his safety.[Pg 87] "I've bagged H. B. dispatches anyway," he added with satisfaction.
"What'll we do with him?" I asked aimlessly. "If he had anything to do with the stealing of Hamilton's wife——"
"He hadn't," interrupted the trader. "'Twas Diable did that, so Laplante says."
"Then what shall we do with him?"
"Do—with—him," slowly repeated the Nor'-Wester in a low, vibrating voice. "Do—with—him?" and again I felt a vague shudder176 of apprehension177 at this silent, uncompromising man's purpose.
The camp fires were dead. Not a sound came from the men in the woods and there was a gray light on the water with a vague stirring of birds through the foliage178 overhead. Now I would not have any man judge us by the canons of civilization. Under the ancient rule of the fur companies over the wilds of the north, 'twas bullets and blades put the fear of the Lord in evil hearts. As we stooped to gather up the tell-tale flasks, the drunken knave, who had lightly allowed an innocent white woman to go into Indian captivity179, lay with bared chest not a hand's length from a knife he had thrown down. Did the Nor'-Wester and I hesitate, and look from the man to the dagger, and from the dagger to the man; or is this an evil dream from a black past? Miriam, the guiltless, was suffering at his hands; should not he, the guilty, suffer at ours? Surely Sisera was not more unmistakably delivered into the power[Pg 88] of his enemies by the Lord than this man; and Sisera was discomfited180 by Barak and Jael. Heber's wife—says the Book—drove a tent nail—through the temples—of the sleeping man—and slew181 him! Day was when I thought the Old Volume recorded too many deeds of bloodshed in the wilderness for the instruction of our refined generation; but I, too, have since lived in the wilderness and learned that soft speech is not the weapon of strong men overmastering savagery182.
I know the trader and I were thinking the same thoughts and reading each other's thoughts; for we stood silent above the drunk man, neither moving, neither uttering a word.
"Well?" I finally questioned in a whisper.
"Well," said he, and he knelt down and picked up the knife. "'Twould serve him right." He was speaking in the low, gentle, purring voice he had used in the tent. "'Twould serve him jolly right," and he knelt over Louis hesitating.
My eyes followed his slow, deliberate motions with horror. Terror seemed to rob me of the power of speech. I felt my blood freeze with the fear of some impending183 crime. There was the faintest perceptible fluttering of leaves; and we both started up as if we had been assassins, glancing fearfully into the gloom of the forest. All the woods seemed alive with horrified184 eyes and whisperings.
"Stop!" I gasped185, "This is madness, the madness of the murderer. What would you do?" And I was trying to knock the knife out of his[Pg 89] hand, when among the shadowy green of the foliage, an open space suddenly resolved itself into a human face and there looked out upon us gleaming eyes like those of a crouching186 panther.
"Squeamish fool!" muttered the Nor'-Wester, raising his arm.
"Stop!" I implored187. "We are watched. See!" and I pointed to the face, that as suddenly vanished into blackness.
We both leaped into the thicket188, pistol in hand, to wreak189 punishment on the interloper. There was only an indistinct sound as of something receding190 into the darkness.
"Don't fire," said I, "'twill alarm the camp."
At imminent191 risk to our own lives, we poked sticks through the thicket and felt for our unseen enemy, but found nothing.
"Let's go back and peg109 him out on the sand, where the Hudson's Bay will see him when they come this way," suggested the Nor'-Wester, referring to Laplante.
"Yes, or hand-cuff him and take him along prisoner," I added, thinking Louis might have more information.
But when we stepped back to the beach, there was no Louis Laplante.
"He was too drunk to go himself," said I, aghast at the certainty, which now came home to me, that we had been watched.
"I wash my hands of the whole affair," declared the trader, in a state of high indignation, and he strode off to his tent, I, following, with[Pg 90] uncomfortable reflections trooping into my mind. Compunctions rankled192 in self-respect. How near we had been to a brutal193 murder, to crime which makes men shun194 the perpetrators. Civilization's veneer was rubbing off at an alarming rate. This thought stuck, but for obvious reasons was not pursued. Also I had learned that the worst and best of outlaws195 easily justify their acts at the time they commit them; but afterwards—afterwards is a different matter, for the thing is past undoing.
I heard the trader snorting out inarticulate disgust as he tumbled into his tent; but I stood above the embers of the camp fire thinking. Again I felt with a creepiness, that set all my flesh quaking, felt, rather than saw, those maddening, tiger eyes of the dark foliage watching me. Looking up, I found my morose196 canoeman on the other side of the fire, leaning so close to a tree, he was barely visible in the shadows. Thinking himself unseen by me, he wore such an insolent197, amused, malicious198 expression, I knew in an instant, who the interloper had been, and who had carried Louis off. Before I realized that such an act entails199 life-long enmity with an Indian, I had bounded over the fire and struck him with all my strength full in the face. At that, instead of knifing me as an Indian ordinarily would, he broke into hyena200 shrieks201 of laughter. He, who has heard that sound, need hear it only once to have the echo ring forever in his ears; and I have heard it oft and know it well.[Pg 91]
"Spy! Sneak202!" I muttered, rushing upon him. But he sprang back into the forest and vanished. In dodging203 me, he let fall his fowling-piece, which went off with a bang into the fire.
"Nothing—false alarm!" I called reassuringly205. Then there caught my eyes what startled me out of all presence of mind. There, reflecting the glare of the firelight was the Indian's fowling-piece, richly mounted in burnished206 silver and chased in the rare design of Eric Hamilton's family crest207. The morose canoeman was Le Grand Diable.
A few hours later, I was in the thick of a confused re-embarking. Le Grand Diable took a place in another boat; and a fresh hand was assigned to my canoe. Of that I was glad; I could sleep sounder and he, safer. The Bourgeois complained that too much rum had been given out.
"Keep a stiffer hand on your men, boy, or they'll ride over your head," one of the chief traders remarked to me.
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glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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skunk
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| n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥 | |
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epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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ostrich
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| n.鸵鸟 | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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pussy
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| n.(儿语)小猫，猫咪 | |
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9
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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10
metaphors
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| 隐喻( metaphor的名词复数 ) | |
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11
remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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12
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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13
pedant
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| n.迂儒；卖弄学问的人 | |
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14
lore
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| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
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15
lobes
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| n.耳垂( lobe的名词复数 )；（器官的）叶；肺叶；脑叶 | |
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16
harping
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| n.反复述说 | |
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17
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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18
knaves
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| n.恶棍，无赖( knave的名词复数 )；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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19
knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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20
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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21
discourses
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| 论文( discourse的名词复数 )； 演说； 讲道； 话语 | |
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22
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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23
wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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24
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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25
whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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26
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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27
spires
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| n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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28
spire
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| n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点 | |
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29
cataract
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| n.大瀑布，奔流，洪水，白内障 | |
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30
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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31
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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32
vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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33
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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34
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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35
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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36
isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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37
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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38
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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39
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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40
prows
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| n.船首( prow的名词复数 ) | |
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41
sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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42
citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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43
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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44
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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45
turrets
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| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
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46
minarets
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| n.（清真寺旁由报告祈祷时刻的人使用的）光塔( minaret的名词复数 ) | |
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47
dame
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| n.女士 | |
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48
lengthening
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长 | |
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49
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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50
panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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51
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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52
torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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53
ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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54
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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55
gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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56
bluster
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| v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声 | |
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57
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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58
longings
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| 渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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59
cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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60
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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61
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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62
entice
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| v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿 | |
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63
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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64
crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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65
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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66
ripple
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|
| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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67
eddies
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| （水、烟等的）漩涡，涡流( eddy的名词复数 ) | |
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68
corrugated
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|
| adj.波纹的；缩成皱纹的；波纹面的；波纹状的v.（使某物）起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词) | |
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69
labored
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|
| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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70
bent
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|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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71
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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72
bourgeois
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|
| adj./n.追求物质享受的(人)；中产阶级分子 | |
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73
determined
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|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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74
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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75
shrine
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|
| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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76
tiresome
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|
| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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77
tawny
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|
| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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78
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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79
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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80
lithe
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|
| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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81
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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82
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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83
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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84
resinous
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|
| adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的 | |
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85
cedars
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| 雪松，西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 ) | |
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86
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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87
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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88
smothering
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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89
dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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90
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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91
bruise
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|
| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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92
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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93
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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94
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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95
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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96
forth
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|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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97
jumbled
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|
| adj.混乱的；杂乱的 | |
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98
syllables
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| n.音节( syllable的名词复数 ) | |
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99
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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100
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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101
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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102
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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103
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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104
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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105
tarpaulins
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| n.防水帆布，防水帆布罩( tarpaulin的名词复数 ) | |
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106
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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107
hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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108
gusts
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| 一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作 | |
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109
peg
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| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
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110
pegs
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| n.衣夹( peg的名词复数 )；挂钉；系帐篷的桩；弦钮v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的第三人称单数 )；使固定在某水平 | |
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111
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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112
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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113
lodges
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| v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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114
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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115
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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116
interspersed
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| adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词 | |
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117
jigs
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| n.快步舞（曲）极快地( jig的名词复数 )；夹具v.（使）上下急动( jig的第三人称单数 ) | |
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118
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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119
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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120
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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121
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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122
stimulating
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| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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123
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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124
veneer
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| n.(墙上的)饰面，虚饰 | |
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125
revels
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| n.作乐( revel的名词复数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉v.作乐( revel的第三人称单数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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126
laconic
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| adj.简洁的；精练的 | |
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127
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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128
unintelligible
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| adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的 | |
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129
carousing
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| v.痛饮，闹饮欢宴( carouse的现在分词 ) | |
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130
serpentine
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| adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的 | |
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131
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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132
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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133
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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134
exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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135
labyrinthine
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| adj.如迷宫的；复杂的 | |
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136
covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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137
maniac
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| n.精神癫狂的人；疯子 | |
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138
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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139
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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140
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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141
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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142
lures
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| 吸引力，魅力（lure的复数形式） | |
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143
undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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144
thronging
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的现在分词 ) | |
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145
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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146
tilt
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| v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜 | |
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147
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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148
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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149
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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150
regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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151
nonchalance
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| n.冷淡，漠不关心 | |
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152
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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153
mincing
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| adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎 | |
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154
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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155
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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156
boded
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| v.预示，预告，预言( bode的过去式和过去分词 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待 | |
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157
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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158
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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159
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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160
rummaging
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| 翻找，搜寻( rummage的现在分词 )； 海关检查 | |
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161
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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162
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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163
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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164
perfidy
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| n.背信弃义，不忠贞 | |
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165
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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166
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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167
flasks
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| n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 ) | |
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168
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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169
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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170
mumbling
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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171
calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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172
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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173
pint
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| n.品脱 | |
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174
sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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175
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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176
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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177
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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178
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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179
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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180
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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181
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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182
savagery
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| n.野性 | |
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183
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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184
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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185
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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186
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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187
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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188
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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189
wreak
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| v.发泄；报复 | |
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190
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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191
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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192
rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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193
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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194
shun
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| vt.避开，回避，避免 | |
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195
outlaws
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| 歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯 | |
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196
morose
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| adj.脾气坏的，不高兴的 | |
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197
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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198
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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199
entails
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| 使…成为必要( entail的第三人称单数 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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200
hyena
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| n.土狼，鬣狗 | |
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201
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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202
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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203
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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204
bawled
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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205
reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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206
burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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207
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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