There is something at all times commanding in honest indignation, and Hiram did not stay to provoke the wrath of the old hunter to extremities.
When the intruder was out of sight, Natty proceeded to the hut, where he found all quiet as the grave.
He fastened his dogs, and tapping at the door, which was opened by Edwards, asked;
“Is all safe, lad?”
“Everything,” returned the youth.
“Some one attempted the lock, but it was too strong for him.”
“I know the creatur’,” said Natty, “but he’ll not trust himself within the reach of my rifle very soon——” What more was uttered by the Leather-Stocking, in his vexation, was rendered inaudible by the closing of the door of the cabin.
CHAPTER XXIX.
“It is noised, he hath a mass of treasure.”
—Timon of Athens.
When Marmaduke Temple and his cousin rode through the gate of the former, the heart of the father had been too recently touched with the best feelings of our nature, to leave inclination for immediate discourse.
There was an importance in the air of Richard, which would not have admitted of the ordinary informal conversation of the sheriff, without violating all the rules of consistency; and the equestrians pursued their way with great diligence, for more than a mile, in profound silence.
At length the soft expression of parental affection was slowly chased from the handsome features of the Judge, and was gradually supplanted by the cast of humor and benevolence that was usually seated on his brow.
“Well, Dickon,” he said, “since I have yielded myself so far implicitly to your guidance, I think the moment has arrived when I am entitled to further confidence.
Why and wherefore are we journeying together in this solemn gait?”
The sheriff gave a loud hem, that rang far in the forest, and keeping his eyes fixed on objects before him like a man who is looking deep into futurity:
“There has always been one point of difference between us, Judge Temple, I may say, since our nativity,” he replied; “not that I would insinuate that you are at all answerable for the acts of Nature; for a man is no more to be condemned for the misfortunes of his birth, than he is to be commended for the natural advantages he may possess; but on one point we may be said to have differed from our births, and they, you know, occurred within two days of each other.”
“I really marvel, Richard, what this one point can be, for, to my eyes, we seem to differ so materially, and so often—”
“Mere consequences, sir,” interrupted the sheriff; “all our minor differences proceed from one cause, and that is, our opinions of the universal attainments of genius.”
“In what, Dickon?”
“I speak plain English, I believe, Judge Temple: at least I ought; for my father, who taught me, could speak——”
“Greek and Latin,” interrupted Marmaduke.
“I well know the qualifications of your family in tongues, Dickon.
But proceed to the point; why are we travelling over this mountain to-day?”
“To do justice to any subject, sir, the narrator must be suffered to proceed in his own way,” continued the sheriff.
“You are of opinion, Judge Temple, that a man is to be qualified by nature and education to do only one thing well, whereas I know that genius will supply the place of learning, and that a certain sort of man can do anything and everything.”
“Like yourself, I suppose,” said Marmaduke, smiling.
“I scorn personalities, sir, I say nothing of myself; but there are three men on your Patent, of the kind that I should term talented by nature for her general purposes though acting under the influence of different situations.”
“We are better off, then, than I had supposed.
Who are these triumviri?”
“Why, sir, one is Hiram Doolittle; a carpenter by trade, as you know—and I need only point to the village to exhibit his merits.
Then he is a magistrate, and might shame many a man, in his distribution of justice, who has had better opportunities.”
“Well, he is one,” said Marmaduke, with the air of a man that was determined not to dispute the point.
“Jotham Riddel is another.”
“Who?”
“Jotham Riddel.”
“What, that dissatisfied, shiftless, lazy, speculating fellow! he who changes his county every three years, his farm every six months, and his occupation every season! an agriculturist yesterday, a shoemaker to-day, and a school master to-morrow! that epitome of all the unsteady and profitless propensities of the settlers without one of their good qualities to counterbalance the evil!
Nay, Richard, this is too bad for even—but the third.”
“As the third is not used to hearing such comments on his character, Judge Temple, I shall not name him.”
“The amount of all this, then, Dickon, is that the trio, of which you are one, and the principal, have made some important discovery.”
“I have not said that I am one, Judge Temple.
As I told you before, say nothing egotistical.
But a discovery has been made, and you are deeply interested in it.”
“Proceed—I am all ears.”
“No, no, ‘Duke, you are bad enough, I own, but not so bad as that, either; your ears are not quite full grown.”
The sheriff laughed heartily at his own wit, and put himself in good humor thereby, when he gratified his patient cousin with the following explanation:
“You know, ‘Duke, there is a man living on your estate that goes by the name of Natty Bumppo.
Here has this man lived, by what I can learn, for more than forty years—by himself, until lately; and now with strange companions.”
“Part very true, and all very probable,” said the Judge.
“All true, sir; all true.