You know the difference between a smile and a laugh?"
"Laugh, best.
Hear Wah laugh, think bird sing!"
"I know that; her laugh is pleasant, but you must smile.
And then, Serpent, you mustn't make her carry burthens and hoe corn, as so many Indians do; but treat her more as the pale-faces treat their wives."
"Wah-ta-Wah no pale-face - got red-skin; red heart, red feelin's.
All red; no pale-face.
Must carry papoose."
"Every woman is willing to carry her child," said Hetty smiling, "and there is no harm in that.
But you must love Hist, and be gentle, and good to her; for she is gentle and good herself."
Chingachgook gravely bowed, and then he seemed to think this part of the subject might be dismissed.
Before there was time for Hetty to resume her communications, the voice of Deerslayer was heard calling on his friend, in the outer room.
At this summons the Serpent arose to obey, and Hetty joined her sister.
Chapter XIV.
"'A stranger animal,' cries one,
'Sure never liv'd beneath the sun; A lizard's body lean and long, A fish's head, a serpent's tongue, Its foot, with triple claw disjoined; And what a length of tail behind!'" James Merrick, "The Chameleon," 11.21-26.
The first act of the Delaware, on rejoining his friend, was to proceed gravely to disencumber himself of his civilized attire, and to stand forth an Indian warrior again.
The protest of Deerslayer was met by his communicating the fact that the presence of an Indian in the hut was known to the Iroquois, and that maintaining the disguise would be more likely to direct suspicions to his real object, than if he came out openly as a member of a hostile tribe.
When the latter understood the truth, and was told that he had been deceived in supposing the chief had succeeded in entering the Ark undiscovered, he cheerfully consented to the change, since further attempt at concealment was useless. A gentler feeling than the one avowed, however, lay at the bottom of the Indian's desire to appear as a son of the forest.
He had been told that Hist was on the opposite shore, and nature so far triumphed over all distinctions of habit, and tribes and people, as to reduce this young savage warrior to the level of a feeling which would have been found in the most refined inhabitant of a town, under similar circumstances.
There was a mild satisfaction in believing that she he loved could see him, and as he walked out on the platform in his scanty, native attire, an Apollo of the wilderness, a hundred of the tender fancies that fleet through lovers' brains beset his imagination and softened his heart.
All this was lost on Deerslayer, who was no great adept in the mysteries of Cupid, but whose mind was far more occupied with the concerns that forced themselves on his attention, than with any of the truant fancies of love.
He soon recalled his companion, therefore, to a sense of their actual condition, by summoning him to a sort of council of war, in which they were to settle their future course.
In the dialogue that followed, the parties mutually made each other acquainted with what had passed in their several interviews.
Chingachgook was told the history of the treaty about the ransom, and Deerslayer heard the whole of Hetty's communications.
The latter listened with generous interest to his friend's hopes, and promised cheerfully all the assistance he could lend.
"Tis our main ar'n'd, Sarpent, as you know, this battling for the castle and old Hutter's darters, coming in as a sort of accident.
Yes - yes - I'll be actyve in helping little Hist, who's not only one of the best and handsomest maidens of the tribe, but the very best and handsomest.
I've always encouraged you, chief, in that liking, and it's proper, too, that a great and ancient race like your'n shouldn't come to an end. If a woman of red skin and red gifts could get to be near enough to me to wish her for a wife, I'd s'arch for just such another, but that can never be; no, that can never be.
I'm glad Hetty has met with Hist, howsever, for though the first is a little short of wit and understanding, the last has enough for both.
Yes, Sarpent," laughing heartily - "put 'em together, and two smarter gals isn't to be found in all York Colony!"
"I will go to the Iroquois camp," returned the Delaware, gravely. "No one knows Chingachgook but Wah, and a treaty for lives and scalps should be made by a chief.
Give me the strange beasts, and let me take a canoe."
Deerslayer dropped his head and played with the end of a fish-pole in the water, as he sat dangling his legs over the edge of the platform, like a man who was lost in thought by the sudden occurrence of a novel idea.
Instead of directly answering the proposal of his friend, he began to soliloquize, a circumstance however that in no manner rendered his words more true, as he was remarkable for saying what he thought, whether the remarks were addressed to himself, or to any one else.
"Yes - yes -" he said - "this must be what they call love!
I've heard say that it sometimes upsets reason altogether, leaving a young man as helpless, as to calculation and caution, as a brute beast.
To think that the Sarpent should be so lost to reason, and cunning, and wisdom!
We must sartainly manage to get Hist off, and have 'em married as soon as we get back to the tribe, or this war will be of no more use to the chief, than a hunt a little oncommon extr'ornary.
Yes - Yes - he'll never be the man he was, till this matter is off his mind, and he comes to his senses like all the rest of mankind.
Sarpent, you can't be in airnest, and therefore I shall say but little to your offer.
But you're a chief, and will soon be sent out on the war path at head of the parties, and I'll just ask if you'd think of putting your forces into the inimy's hands, afore the battle is fou't?"
"Wah!" ejaculated the Indian.
"Ay - Wah - I know well enough it's Wah, and altogether Wah -Ra'ally, Sarpent, I'm consarned and mortified about you!
I never heard so weak an idee come from a chief, and he, too, one that's already got a name for being wise, young and inexper'enced as he is.
Canoe you sha'n't have, so long as the v'ice of fri'ndship and warning can count for any thing."
"My pale-face friend is right.
A cloud came over the face of Chingachgook, and weakness got into his mind, while his eyes were dim.
My brother has a good memory for good deeds, and a weak memory for bad.
He will forget."