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"I greatly admire your patience."

"Pah! 'tis but the long practice of a soldier. Yet I am somewhat weary
from the night, and, if you have talked enough, will seek rest to dream
of Naladi, trusting she may send for me ere long. Did you note the
beauty of her eyes?"

"I marked their cruelty."

"_Le Diable_! I ever admired spirit in a woman; 'tis the greater
pleasure to watch them take on softer light. In such orbs love shines
the clearer, once awakened."

I sat there some time in silence until he fell asleep. Then, realizing
how useless it was for me, wearily as my eyelids drooped, to strive
longer in thought, I sought another robe to rest upon, and was soon
happily unconscious also.

I presume some unusual noise aroused me, for as I awoke and stared
about, unable at the moment to comprehend my situation, I noticed, by
evidence of the sun shining through the entrance of the hut, it was
already past the noon hour. Consciousness becoming more acute, I
perceived, standing barely within the shadows of the interior, the
dusky figure of a warrior, unarmed, and motionless except for a gesture
of the hand which seemed to command my following him. Retaining
concealed within my doublet the sharp knife intrusted to me by Madame,
I felt little trepidation at the fellow's presence, nor was there
anything about his countenance to foster alarm, he appearing the least
ferocious of aspect of all I had observed among the tribe. A moment I
hesitated, then believing him a messenger from the Queen, I followed
his retreating figure out into the sunlight.

The village reposed in loneliness and silence, nor did I see even child
or dog playing before the square huts as we passed them. As we mounted
higher along the slope and began climbing the strangely rounded hill on
the summit of which perched the altar-house, I glanced back curiously
over the plain outspread below. Little clusters of dark figures were
scattered here and there throughout the pleasant valley, many of them
congregated along the greener banks of the circling water-course,
others scattered more widely afield, yet all earnestly engaged in
cultivation of the ground. This quiet, pastoral scene was so foreign
to all my previous conception of Indian nature that for the moment I
paused amazed, gazing upon this picture of peaceful agriculture in the
heart of the wilderness. Surely, cruel, revengeful savages though they
were, yet here was a people retaining traditions of a higher life than
that of the wild chase and desert war. I could perceive no guards
stationed anywhere, yet felt no doubt that every entrance leading into
this hidden paradise, this rock-barricaded basin amid the hills, would
be amply protected by armed and vigilant warriors, confining us as
securely within its narrow limits as if a dozen savages followed our
every footfall. My silent guide, after one glance across his naked
shoulder, to assure himself that I followed, led straight forward up
the hill on a dog-trot, soon placing him far in advance. At the
entrance of the altar-house he paused, showing disinclination to enter.
In obedience to a gesture I passed within, leaving him standing there,
as if awaiting my return, a silent statue in light bronze, the glow of
the sunshine upon him.

Wondering what my mission might be, I remained a moment motionless
slightly within the entrance, my eyes almost totally blinded by the
sudden transition from the garish day to that dull interior. Slowly
the scene within resolved itself into clearer detail. I began to
perceive the crawling red flames licking with hungry tongues along the
sides of the huge log resting upon the altar block, and later
distinguished the black figure of a priest moving silently from point
to point amid the shadows, engaged upon the grewsome functions of his
office, his presence ever manifested by the dismal crooning with which
he worked his magic spells. Beyond these vague suggestions of
life--for they seemed scarcely more--it was like endeavoring to sound
the depths of a cavern, so black, still, and void was all within and
about. Yet, even as I stood thus, peering uneasily into the gloom, I
was thoroughly startled at the sudden booming forth of a voice,
apparently issuing from the darkest corner.

"May the Lord God forgive ye, Master Benteen, and be merciful unto ye,
for thus placing His minister in such stress. 'T is I, Ezekiel
Cairnes, who hath become an abomination unto Israel."

There was a tone of such utter depression in the great roaring voice, I
feared some serious mishap had befallen him, and hastened to cross the
room, heading toward the corner whence the sound came. As I attained
the outer edge of the platform, groping my passage through the dense
gloom, I was halted in the midst of a dozen or more savages, lying
prone upon the hard floor, evidently in adoration of that grotesque
figure perched above, and now clearly revealed by a blazing up of the
charred log. Not one among them stirred from his prostrate position at
my approach. Forgetting them instantly, my whole attention became
riveted upon the marvellous transformation presented by my old Puritan
comrade. Odds! what a sight! He sat bolt upright, as though bound in
that stiff posture, occupying a low dais, almost at the edge of the
platform. This latter had been covered with a glaring crimson cloth,
roughly woven, presumably of native manufacture, peculiarly brilliant
in its coloring, and hence of rare beauty to Indian eyes. At my
approach he began straining at the cords which held him helpless, and I
soon saw that his entire body was wrapped about with ropes of grass in
such a manner as to render vain any hope of escape. His oddly shapen
figure, with the wide, square shoulders and short legs, was
likewise-draped in red, above which flared his fiery shock of
dishevelled hair, while a face fairly distorted with rage, gray from
loss of sleep, and rendered ludicrous by its little snapping eyes,
glared down upon me.

"Memory of Beelzebub! It would be no matter of laughter for ye, Master
Benteen," he snorted savagely, straining at his cords, "could I burst
these accursed strings, and lay my hands to your throat. Ay! nor would
yonder idolatrous swine lie there long if I once got free among them.
Imagine not, vain and presumptuous unbeliever that the Lord God
Almighty--He who rideth in the chariot of the whirlwind--will long
permit the heathen to profane His holy places, or triumph in the misery
of one of the elect. There cometh the Day of Judgment, when the wicked
shall be scattered as chaff."

"You are in a most unpleasant condition, friend," I replied,
endeavoring to speak so as to calm his temper. "It is in sorrow, not
pleasure, I behold you thus."

"I am entangled in the snare of the Evil One, Master Benteen. But I
continue manfully to war against the adversary even as becomes my high
station."

"Have you been long in so pitiful a state? I dreamed not it would ever
come to this."

"It may be true you were ignorant of the wiles of that emissary of
Satan who doth encompass us," he acknowledged, a trifle mollified by my
sympathy. "I would not be guilty of evil thought even toward an
unregenerated heretic. Yet I have sat thus, wrapped like a mummy of
the Egyptians, since early dawn. Ay, verily have I been sore oppressed
both of body and spirit. Nor has there been any surcease, when the
heathen have not lain thus at my feet. What means such action?"

"They mistake you for a god, and prostrate themselves in worship. You
are unto them a mysterious visitant from the Sun--so the Queen named
you, inspired by the color of your hair."

He groaned aloud, his chin dropping dejectedly upon his breast.

"I feared as much, and the thought greatly oppressed me. 'T is as if I
were a golden calf set aloft in the wilderness to mock the true God.
It resteth heavy on my spirit to abide as a vain idol in the tents of
these idolaters. When first they draped me with this foul livery of
Satan," he touched the scarlet robe gingerly with his chin, "I made so
vigorous a protest two of the black imps went down before me, but the
others overpowered my struggles, binding me fast, as you see. But,
verily, I have delivered unto them the whole truth as revealed unto the
saints; have struck and spared not--ay! the very language of the
scriptures have I poured forth unstinted upon them, and drawn before
their eyes that fiery hell over which they dangle in their sins. It
must be their understandings are darkened, for they hearken not unto my
exhortations, only lie thus, or dance before me by the hour in unholy
worship, snapping their fingers and shouting strange words, while twice
yonder black emissary of false religion held his smoking torch so
closely to my face the flame scorched the skin. Nor have my most
fervent prayers availed to drive them hence, or ease the prickings of
the spirit. 'T is as if the ear of the Lord had been turned aside from
the supplications of His servant; yea, verily, as if the vials of His
wrath were being poured forth upon my head, because, in a moment of
weakness, I yielded to the machinations of that scarlet woman."

"Have you again seen her?" I questioned anxiously, as he paused for
breath.

"Seen her!--the accursed of God, the moral leper who rules this foul
nest? Ay; I have, and may the Lord forgive my ever casting eyes upon
such a shameless creature. 'T was she who brought me this disgrace.
She stood by with mocking smile, bidding her savage minions bind me
fast. She is the chief imp of Satan in spite of her fair face, and
shall yet be stricken low by the avenging arm of the Almighty. 'Tis no
gleam of mercy cometh to me from her taunts, nor in the harlot blood
flowing through her veins. I tell you, Master Benteen, she is the
worst devil, for all her softness, in all this heathen crew; and if she
spared our lives from the torture, it was done through some dark
project born of the demon within her soul. Nothing good can come forth
from such as she. Marked you the eyes she cast on De Noyan?"

"I paid no heed," I answered, wondering he had observed so much. "Have
you supposed we may owe our escape unto him?"

"Ay! she has marked him victim to her snare, nor do I doubt the full
success of her venture. 'T is small stock of virtue which bedecks
itself in such Punchinello dress as that gay gallant wears. Amalekite
is written upon his raiment, and he is ever attired as becomes a
bridegroom to the shameless harlot ruling this devils' den. Marry, he
may be good enough wielding a sword, yet will prove the undoing of all
who company with him in this adventure."

"You are unjustly angry," I insisted, striving to make light of his
words. "I value not the mercy of the woman, yet she used the only
means she had for restraining her savage followers. It was stern
necessity driving her to reliance on the magic of your red hair with
which to save us all. No doubt she intends giving you early release
from so painful a situation."

"You also are bewitched by her vain fleshly beauty," he bellowed
stoutly. "'Tis a carnal generation. I tell you, Master Benteen, I am
an old man, uplifted by communion of the Spirit above all fleshly
lusts. I have faithfully preached the word of salvation to civilized
and savage more than forty years, and am not likely to be led astray by
a glimpse of a fair face tempting me hellward. I speak you truth, as
delivered of God, so surely as were the tablets of the law delivered
unto Moses, when I say that she who, by some wile of the Devil, rules
this tribe and holds our lives in her hands, is an incarnate fiend, who
will yet mock our agony whenever her own accursed lust shall be
satisfied. 'T is not only that she jeered at me with cruel smiles, and
affronted a preacher of the Word by so ribald a covering; she did as
clearly reveal the hideous sin of her heart unto that sweet lady we
have in our keeping."

"Madame de Noyan?" I cried in awakened interest. "Mean you this woman
dared do wrong by her?"

"I report only what my eyes beheld, for I can make nothing out of their
heathen gibberish. Yet she who journeyed with us, ever proving herself
a modest, high-bred lady in times of sore trial, begged upon her knees,
with tears hot upon her cheeks, to be permitted to accompany you and
her husband. What result? Why, this good Queen; this charming
creature, stood there, like an insensate stone, gazing down upon her;
and later, when the poor lady would not walk voluntarily, that painted
harlot ordered two lecherous warriors to drag her forth, and laughed
like a fiend at the scene."

"Where did they take her?"

"I know not; beyond the entrance she made no outcry that reached my
ears, while that red-draped witch came back smiling to work her will on
me."

This comprised all he knew, and, no matter what depth of sympathy I may
have then felt for Master Cairnes in his unfortunate predicament, it
was equally clear I could do nothing to aid him. My heart was so
heavily laden by the plight of Eloise, I retained no other desire than
a longing to return at once to the hut and hold consultation with De
Noyan. That same silent spectre accompanied me along the brief
journey, leaving me unguarded at the entrance. I entered hastily only
to find the room vacant, my comrade gone.




CHAPTER XXVI

THE CHRONICLES OF THE NATCHEZ

These pages have been poorly written if he who reads has not discovered
that I am of a nature not easily discouraged by events, or disheartened
by misfortune. God had sufficiently armored me with hope; so that in
the midst of much darkness I sought for whatever light of guidance
there might be, making the most of it. Yet the intense, unanticipated
loneliness of that bare hut chilled my blood, and I scarcely recall a
more wretched time than while I waited, stung and tortured by fears,
for the return of De Noyan.

In truth the rough conclusions voiced by the angry sectary merely
confirmed my own fear. I had marked within the eyes of Naladi--dreamy
as they appeared beneath the shading of long lashes--no promise of
tenderness of heart. I believed it was seldom she inclined to mercy,
seldom she would step between her warriors and their revenge. I
acknowledge freely I felt to some degree the strange spell of her
power, the magic influence of her soft, sinuous beauty, which I doubt
if any man could utterly resist. Yet I recognized her from the first,
even as she stood wrapped in the sun's rays on the rock summit, as one
who, by instinct and nature, was scarce less a savage than her most
desperate follower, although she possessed the rare gift of masking her
cruelty beneath the pleasing smile of a woman not entirely unacquainted
with the courtesies of refinement.

I marvelled greatly who she could be, thus sporting the polite graces
of a reception-room in the midst of these squalid huts. What was her
strange life-story? How ever came such a woman, with charm of face,
and grace of manner, to be acknowledged leader over such a people? It
was not so odd that a clever, resourceful woman, driven perhaps by
necessity, should have made unscrupulous use of their dominant
superstitions, and, by naming herself "Daughter of the Sun," have
obtained supreme power. The perfect acting of such an assumed
character would not prove difficult to her, while their servile worship
of the protesting Puritan, whose red hair alone had elevated him to
sainthood, proved how easily these savages might be deceived, and led
slaves by subtle magic. Yet who was the woman? Whence came she? Why
should she ever have chosen such a life?

And Eloise! Through what misfortune had she already attained the
undisguised dislike of this Amazon? To what fate would this unmerited
disfavor condemn her? It is a terrible thing to remain chained and
helpless at such a time, to realize that cruel wrong, possibly torture,
is being visited upon another, upon one you know and love, and yet be
unable to uplift hand or voice in warning. I am by nature cool in
action, yet there are few who fret more grievously when held in leash,
compelled to await in uncertainty the coming of the unknown.

All I could do that day was to pace the hard earthen floor, vainly
endeavoring to quiet the wild throbbing of my heart with every hope I
might conjure up, now and then approaching the unguarded entrance of
the lodge to search anxiously for some ground of hope. It was thus the
long afternoon wore away, until the deepening shadows of sun-setting
rested heavily along the western cliffs, and the workers in the fields
began trooping through the village, their shouts of greeting shrill and
discordant, while the grim priests found place before the draped
entrance to their dread altar-house, with blazing fagots signalling
their distant brethren on the dizzy summit. It was then De Noyan
finally returned and found me raging from wall to wall like one
distracted.

It required but a glance to note the subtile change the afternoon had
wrought in his personal appearance, yet at the time I did not greatly
marvel at it. The stains of battle and exposure, that had so decidedly
disfigured him, had disappeared before the magic of new raiment, which
had about it the color and cut of French fashion; so it was now a fair
and prosperous gallant of the court, powdered of hair, waxen of
moustache, who came jauntily forward with his greetings.

"What said I, Master Benteen?" he questioned cheerily to my stare of
surprise. "Did I not boldly contend that this would yet prove a
pleasant resting-place to relieve the tedium of a journey? Can you
gaze upon this gay attire, longer doubting the verity of my dreams?
But no happiness finds reflection in your face; 'tis gloomy as a day of
rain. Prithie, the afternoon must have been passed by you far less
pleasantly than its hours sped with me."

"I have been conversing with good Master Cairnes," I responded gravely.
"I found him in no state of mind or body to bring me pleasant thought."

"_Parbleu_! I warrant not from all I hear of that worthy servant," the
Chevalier laughed gayly. "'T is told me the grim-faced old hypocrite
sits in worshipful state, a veritable god, trussed like a bronze idol
or some mummy of the Egyptians. By my faith, I should enjoy gazing on
his solemn face, and listening to his words withal."

"'T is an unhappy experience for a Christian."

"Ay! a pity; yet it should do the canting preacher good to play heathen
god a while. She pictured to me most vividly his struggles to escape a
fit draping with which to match his hair. _Sacre_! I have not laughed
so heartily since leaving New Orleans."

"She?" I exclaimed in new interest. "Have you been with your wife?"

He stroked his moustache, gazing at me in apparent surprise.

"Nay, friend Benteen; you must be the very soul of innocence to make
such hasty guess. I rested beneath the same roof with her, so I was
informed, yet she who spake thus regarding the plight of the Puritan
chanced to be the fair Queen, Naladi."

"Naladi? But you speak no Spanish,--how could you hold converse with
her?"

"There are always ways, if the lady be fair. The hands, eyes, lips can
all be made into messengers of speech. But in this case she brought
forth a black boy--a most mischievous imp--who managed to convey her
words in my own tongue. Still it was difficult to do justice in such a
way to so charming a woman; much came to my lips which I hesitated to
utter through the medium of that interpreter."

I looked at him in speechless amazement at this revelation of his
supreme conceit, his reckless vanity. Anxiety alone prompted me to
smother my resentment, hoping thus to obtain information.

"But your wife, Madame de Noyan? You say she was beneath the same
roof, and yet you saw her not? Do you mean you made no effort to
obtain speech with her?"

He leaned back against the wall of the hut, crossing his long limbs
negligently over the soft fur of the robe beneath, drawing from his
pocket a small mirror.

"Ay, I mentioned it; but _la reine Naladi_ appeared not overly well
pleased with the suggestion, so I concluded not to press the matter
unduly. One never gains by being ungallant at such a time. Besides,
there is no doubt Eloise is well attended; the Queen referred to her
most kindly."

"The preacher told me," I broke forth indignantly, determined to test
him to the full, "that this same sweet Naladi compelled her savage
minions to drag Madame harshly forth from the altar-house, despite her
pleadings. Perchance this tender-spoken Queen has little of the angel
beneath her fairness of skin."

"_Sacre_! I hope not. I opine an angel would prove wearisome to
company with for long. My own taste inclines toward flesh and blood.
You say Master Cairnes told you this sad tale?"

"Ay, adding that the pitiful Naladi only laughed at the sobs of Madame."

"Pish! between the two, her word has most weight with me. No doubt
'twas a vision born of his own temper. The Queen assured me most
graciously of the welfare and contentment of Eloise. It would have
been boorish to question her further. Besides, she took my thought
from other things, repeating to me the strange tale of these savages,
although the black made poor enough work with her words."

It was abundantly evident the man was fairly crazed with conceit,
already well entangled in the web of this designing creature. For the
hour, at least, all serious consideration of her who should rightfully
claim his attention had been completely blotted out. He had become a
willing victim to a will infinitely stronger than his own, his
conscience deadened by the poison of beauty; so, while my blood rioted
in protest to his simpering French vanity, I could perceive no means by
which I might arouse him to more manly action. To cross such a man
only invites to the surface the worst elements of his nature; besides,
were I to stir him by strong protest, it might be doubtful if he
comprehended the nature of my scruples in the matter. Any such
misunderstanding would result in the exchange of hard words, and in my
making an enemy where now I possessed a friend. Not that the Chevalier
was a particularly valuable ally, yet he wielded a good sword upon
occasion, and would prove more useful in friendship than in enmity. I
might despise him, yet he remained the husband of Madame, and I durst
pick no quarrel with him. To do so would raise a barrier between us,
rendering our situation among the savages darker than ever. As to the
moral side of the affair, it would be sheer waste of words to broach
it, as De Noyan could form no clearer conception of such an issue than
a babe unborn. He swung as the wind blew, and in all his pampered life
had probably never dreamed of denying himself a liberty. Saint Andrew!
it was a knotty problem for such a head as mine to solve. I believe I
chose the better course in assuming the role of a neutral, as I sat
staring at the fellow while he twisted his moustaches into their
old-time curl, gazing at himself in the pocket mirror, utterly
oblivious of my presence.

"So this beauty of a Queen told you the tale of her people," I remarked
at last, determining to humor his mood. "It would interest me to hear
the story. Those I have thus far seen differ widely from any other
order of savages with whom I have come in contact."

"Your judgment is right. As she tells the story, they are not of
Indian blood, but belong to a far older race. She says they are the
remnant of a master people--although regarding their exact lineage she
spoke but little--who once, hundreds of years ago no doubt, held
undisputed dominion from the banks of a great red river flowing through
the prairies far to the northward, down to the salted sea bounding the
land upon the east. She said their ancestors mined in the rocks, and
cultivated the rich land of the valleys. They were ruled over by five
kings; and when one of these died all their wives were burned above the
grave, and a hundred slaves sacrificed to the Sun, which they
worshipped, and called Elagabalus. These were all buried around the
body of the king, whose tomb was of rock, and a huge mound of earth
erected over them by the labor of thousands of slaves taken in battle.
Yet their chief king, in the day of their great power, she called
Palenque, placing his capital to north and east of this place, a land
journey of thirty days. Here was built a great city of wood and stone,
surrounded by an immense wall of earth, to which all the smaller kings
journeyed in state once each year to make account of their kingdoms,
and offer up slaves on the altar of the great temple in sacrifice to
the Sun. They would gather thus from noon to noon, and thousands of
captives would be slaughtered before the altar by the priests. She
told me they once possessed vast store of yellow metal and flashing
stones, with other treasures. Cities were set apart under guard to
have special care over them. Some of these have descended even unto
the present, but are kept hidden away by the priests, though she
promised later to let me view them secretly. And she related a most
strange tale of destiny--of a long, barbarous war, filled with the
names of warriors and towns sounding most uncouth to my ears; a war
lasting many years, during which the Chichimes--for so she named the
wild hordes sweeping down upon them from the northward--drove their
fathers backward from city to city, beginning far away in the kingdom
named Talapa, and pillaging clear to the banks of the great river where
Palenque reigned. Their ancestors erected vast forts of earth, thus
managing to hold their own against the invaders, so long as their
slaves remained loyal. But at last these also rose in revolt, and,
when all supplies had been cut off, the hopeless remnant of defenders
fell back down the broad river, bearing with them much of their most
valued treasure, never permitting the sacred flame, which was the gift
of the Sun, to die out upon their altars. Like flies they died in the
preservation of this symbol of their religion; for 'tis their faith,
that if it be kept burning undimmed, there will yet come to them a
great leader from the Sun to restore their lost glories. She described
to me the arts of that past, the many beautiful things the race had
made, those wondrous cities protected by high walls, the vast mounds of
earth moulded into strange figures of extinct animals, uplifted as
altars, and sometimes utilized for the burial of their dead and their
treasure. _Sacre_! I can recall a portion of the story, yet it was a
weird, fascinating tale as she told it slowly, and with all
seriousness, although the black boy stammered so badly in his words I
got only dim pictures here and there."

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