burlesques-第15章

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watchmaker　in　his　empire？〃



The　King　cast　a　pleased　glance　at　his　repeater；　and　kissed　with

courtly　grace　the　fair　hand　of　her　who　had　made　him　the　compliment。

〃My　Lord　Bishop　of　Autun；〃　said　he　to　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand

Perigord；　who　followed　the　royal　pair；　in　his　quality　of　arch…

chamberlain　of　the　empire；　〃I　pray　you　look　through　the　gardens；

and　tell　his　Excellency　Doctor　Franklin　that　the　King　waits。〃　　The

Bishop　ran　off；　with　more　than　youthful　agility；　to　seek　the　United

States'　Minister。　　〃These　Republicans；〃　he　added；　confidentially；

and　with　something　of　a　supercilious　look；　〃are　but　rude　courtiers；

methinks。〃



〃Nay；〃　interposed　the　lovely　Antoinette；　〃rude　courtiers；　Sire；

they　may　be；　but　the　world　boasts　not　of　more　accomplished

gentlemen。　　I　have　seen　no　grandee　of　Versailles　that　has　the　noble

bearing　of　this　American　envoy　and　his　suite。　　They　have　the

refinement　of　the　Old　World；　with　all　the　simple　elegance　of　the

New。　　Though　they　have　perfect　dignity　of　manner；　they　have　an

engaging　modesty　which　I　have　never　seen　equalled　by　the　best　of

the　proud　English　nobles　with　whom　they　wage　war。　　I　am　told　they

speak　their　very　language　with　a　grace　which　the　haughty　Islanders

who　oppress　them　never　attained。　　They　are　independent；　yet　never

insolent；　elegant；　yet　always　respectful；　and　brave；　but　not　in　the

least　boastful。〃



〃What！　savages　and　all；　Marie？〃　exclaimed　Louis；　laughing；　and

chucking　the　lovely　Queen　playfully　under　the　royal　chin。　　〃But

here　comes　Doctor　Franklin；　and　your　friend　the　Cacique　with　him。〃

In　fact；　as　the　monarch　spoke；　the　Minister　of　the　United　States

made　his　appearance；　followed　by　a　gigantic　warrior　in　the　garb　of

his　native　woods。



Knowing　his　place　as　Minister　of　a　sovereign　state；　（yielding　even

then　in　dignity　to　none；　as　it　surpasses　all　now　in　dignity；　in

valor；　in　honesty；　in　strength；　and　civilization；）　the　Doctor

nodded　to　the　Queen　of　France；　but　kept　his　hat　on　as　he　faced　the

French　monarch；　and　did　not　cease　whittling　the　cane　he　carried　in

his　hand。



〃I　was　waiting　for　you；　sir；〃　the　King　said；　peevishly；　in　spite　of

the　alarmed　pressure　which　the　Queen　gave　his　royal　arm。



〃The　business　of　the　Republic；　sire；　must　take　precedence　even　of

your　Majesty's　wishes；〃　replied　Dr。　Franklin。　　〃When　I　was　a　poor

printer's　boy　and　ran　errands；　no　lad　could　be　more　punctual　than

poor　Ben　Franklin；　but　all　other　things　must　yield　to　the　service

of　the　United　States　of　North　America。　　I　have　done。　　What　would

you；　Sire？〃　and　the　intrepid　republican　eyed　the　monarch　with　a

serene　and　easy　dignity；　which　made　the　descendant　of　St。　Louis

feel　ill　at　ease。



〃I　wished　toto　say　farewell　to　Tatua　before　his　departure；〃　said

Louis　XVI。；　looking　rather　awkward。　　〃Approach；　Tatua。〃　　And　the

gigantic　Indian　strode　up；　and　stood　undaunted　before　the　first

magistrate　of　the　French　nation：　again　the　feeble　monarch　quailed

before　the　terrible　simplicity　of　the　glance　of　the　denizen　of　the

primaeval　forests。



The　redoubted　chief　of　the　Nose…ring　Indians　was　decorated　in　his

war…paint；　and　in　his　top…knot　was　a　peacock's　feather；　which　had

been　given　him　out　of　the　head…dress　of　the　beautiful　Princess　of

Lamballe。　　His　nose；　from　which　hung　the　ornament　from　which　his

ferocious　tribe　took　its　designation；　was　painted　a　light…blue；　a

circle　of　green　and　orange　was　drawn　round　each　eye；　while

serpentine　stripes　of　black；　white；　and　vermilion　alternately　were

smeared　on　his　forehead；　and　descended　over　his　cheek…bones　to　his

chin。　　His　manly　chest　was　similarly　tattooed　and　painted；　and

round　his　brawny　neck　and　arms　hung　innumerable　bracelets　and

necklaces　of　human　teeth；　extracted　（one　only　from　each　skull）　from

the　jaws　of　those　who　had　fallen　by　the　terrible　tomahawk　at　his

girdle。　　His　moccasins；　and　his　blanket；　which　was　draped　on　his

arm　and　fell　in　picturesque　folds　to　his　feet；　were　fringed　with

tufts　of　hairthe　black；　the　gray；　the　auburn；　the　golden　ringlet

of　beauty；　the　red　lock　from　the　forehead　of　the　Scottish　or　the

Northern　soldier；　the　snowy　tress　of　extreme　old　age；　the　flaxen

down　of　infancyall　were　there；　dreadful　reminiscences　of　the

chief's　triumphs　in　war。　　The　warrior　leaned　on　his　enormous　rifle；

and　faced　the　King。



〃And　it　was　with　that　carabine　that　you　shot　Wolfe　in　'57？〃　said

Louis；　eying　the　warrior　and　his　weapon。　　〃'Tis　a　clumsy　lock；　and

methinks　I　could　mend　it；〃　he　added　mentally。



〃The　chief　of　the　French　pale…faces　speaks　truth；〃　Tatua　said。

〃Tatua　was　a　boy　when　he　went　first　on　the　war…path　with　Montcalm。〃



〃And　shot　a　Wolfe　at　the　first　fire！〃　said　the　King。



〃The　English　are　braves；　though　their　faces　are　white；〃　replied　the

Indian。　　〃Tatua　shot　the　raging　Wolfe　of　the　English；　but　the　other

wolves　caused　the　foxes　to　go　to　earth。〃　　A　smile　played　round　Dr。

Franklin's　lips；　as　he　whittled　his　cane　with　more　vigor　than　ever。



〃I　believe；　your　Excellency；　Tatua　has　done　good　service　elsewhere

than　at　Quebec；〃　the　King　said；　appealing　to　the　American　Envoy：

〃at　Bunker's　Hill；　at　Brandywine；　at　York　Island？　　Now　that

Lafayette　and　my　brave　Frenchmen　are　among　you；　your　Excellency

need　have　no　fear　but　that　the　war　will　finish　quicklyyes；　yes；

it　will　finish　quickly。　　They　will　teach　you　discipline；　and　the

way　to　conquer。〃



〃King　Louis　of　France；〃　said　the　Envoy；　clapping　his　hat　down　over

his　head；　and　putting　his　arms　a…kimbo；　〃we　have　learned　that　from

the　British；　to　whom　we　are　superior　in　everything：　and　I'd　have

your　Majesty　to　know　that　in　the　art　of　whipping　the　world　we　have

no　need　of　any　French　lessons。　　If　your　reglars　jine　General

Washington；　'tis　to　larn　from　HIM　how　Britishers　are　licked；　for

I'm　blest　if　YU　know　the　way　yet。〃



Tatua　said；　〃Ugh；〃　and　gave　a　rattle　with　the　butt　of　his　carabine；

which　made　the　timid　monarch　start；　the　eyes　of　the　lovely

Antoinette　flashed　fire；　but　it　played　round　the　head　of　the

dauntless　American　Envoy　harmless　as　the　lightning　which　he　knew

how　to　conjure　away。



The　King　fumbled　in　his　pocket；　and　pulled　out　a　Cross　of　the　Order

of　the　Bath。　　〃Your　Excellency　wears　no　honor；〃　the　monarch　said；

〃but　Tatua；　who　is　not　a　subject；　only　an　ally；　of　the　United

States；　may。　　Noble　Tatua；　I　appoint　you　Knight　Companion　of　my

noble　Order　of　the　Bath。　　Wear　this　cross　upon　your　breast　in

memory　of　Louis　of　France；〃　and　the　King　held　out　the　decoration　to

the　Chief。



Up　to　that　moment　the　Chief's　countenance　had　been　impassible。　　No

look　either　of　admiration　or　dislike　had　appeared　upon　that　grim

and　war…painted　visage。　　But　now；　as　Louis　spoke；　Tatua's　face

assumed　a　glance　of　ineffable　scorn；　as；　bending　his　head；　he　took

the　bauble。



〃I　will　give　it　to　one　of　my　squaws；〃　he　said。　　〃The　papooses　in　my

lodge　will　play　with　it。　　Come；　Medecine；　Tatua　will　go　and　drink

fire…water；〃　and；　shouldering　his　carabine；　he　turned　his　broad

back　without　ceremony　upon　the　monarch　and　his　train；　and

disappeared　down　one　of　the　walks　of　the　garden。　　Franklin　found

him　when　his　own　interview　with　the　French　Chief　Magistrate　was

over；　being　attracted　to　the　spot　where　the　Chief　was；　by　the　crack

of　his　well…known　rifle。　　He　was　laughing　in　his　quiet　way。　　He　had

shot　the　Colonel　of　the　Swiss　Guards　through　his　cockade。



Three　days　afterwards；　as　the　gallant　frigate；　the　〃Repudiator；〃

was　sailing　out　of　Brest　Harbor；　the　gigantic　form　of　an　Indian

might　be　seen　standing　on　the　binnacle　in　conversation　with

Commodore　Bowie；　the　commander　of　the　noble　ship。　　It　was　Tatua；

the　Chief　of　the　Nose…rings。





II。





Leatherlegs　and　Tom　Coxswain　did　not　accompany　Tatua　when　he　went

to　the　Parisian　metropolis　on　a　visit　to　the　father　of　the　French

pale…faces。　　Neither　the　Legs　nor　the　Sailor　cared　for　the　gayety

and　the　crowd　of　cities；　the　stout　mariner's　home　was　in　the

puttock…shrouds　of　the　old　〃Repudiator。〃　　The　stern　and　simple

trapper　loved　the　sound　of　the　waters　better　than　the　jargon　of　the

French　of　the　old　country。　　〃I　can　follow　the　talk　of　a　Pawnee；〃　he

said；　〃or　wag　my　jaw；　if　so　be　necessity　bids　me　to　speak；　by　a

Sioux's　council…fire　and　I　can　patter　Canadian　French　with　the

hunters　who　come　for　peltries　to　Nachitoches　or　Thichimuchimachy；

but　from　the　tongue　of　a　Frenchwoman；　with　white　flour　on　her　head；

and　war…paint　on　her　face；　the　Lord　deliver　poor　Natty　Pumpo。〃



〃Amen　and　amen！〃　said　Tom　Coxswain。　　〃There　was　a　woman　in　our　aft…

scuppers　when　I　went　a…whalin　in　the　little　'Grampus'and　Lord

love　you；　Pumpo；　you　poor　land…swab；　she　WAS　as　pretty　a　craft　as

ever　dowsed　a　tarpaulingthere　was　a　woman　on　board　the　'Grampus；'

who　before　we'd　struck　our　first　fish；　or　biled　our　first　blubber；

set　the　whole　crew　in　a　mutiny。　　I　mind　me　of　her　now；　Natty；her

eye　was　sich　a　piercer　that　you　could　see　to　steer　by　it　in　a

Newfoundland　fog；　her　nose　stood　out　like　the　'Grampus's'　jibboom；

and　her　woice；　Lord　love　you；　her　woice　sings　in　my　ears　even　now：

it　set　the　Captain　a…quarrelin　with　the　Mate；　who　was　hanged　in

Boston　harbor　for　harpoonin　of　his　officer　in　Baffin's　Bay；it　set

me　and　Bob　Bunting　a…pouring　broadsides　into　each　other's　old

timbers；　whereas　me　and　Bob　was　worth　all　the　women　that　ever

shipped　a　hawser。　　It　cost　me　three　years'　pay　as　I'd　stowed　away

for　the　old　mother；　and　might　have　cost　me　ever　so　much　more；　only

bad　luck　to　me；　she　went　and　married　a　little　tailor　out　of

Nantucket；　and　I've　hated　women　and　tailors　ever　since！〃　　As　he

spoke；　the　hardy　tar　dashed　a　drop　of　brine　from　his　tawny　cheek；

and　once　more　betook　himself　to　splice　the　taffrail。



Though　the　brave　frigate　lay　off　Havre　de　Grace；　she　was　not　idle。

The　gallant　Bowie　and　his　intrepid　crew　made　repeated　descents　upon

the　enemy's　seaboard。　　The　coasts　of　Rutland　and　merry

Leicestershire　have　still　many　a　legend　of　fear　to　tell；　and　the

children　of　the　British　fishermen　tremble　even　now　when　they　speak

of　the　terrible　〃Repudiator。〃　　She　was　the　first　of　the　mighty

American　war…ships　that　have　taught　the　domineering　Briton　to

respect　the　valor　of　the　Republic。



The　novelist　ever　and　anon　finds　himself　forced　to　adopt　the

sterner　tone　of　the　historian；　when　describing　deeds　connected　with

his　country's　triumphs。　　It　is　well　known　that　during　the　two

months　in　which　she　lay　off　Havre；　the　〃Repudiator〃　had　brought

more　prizes　into　that　port　than　had　ever　before　been　seen　in　the

astonished　French　waters。　　Her　actions　with　the　〃Dettingen〃　and　the

〃Elector〃　frigates　form　part　of　our　country's　history；　their

defenceit　may　be　said　without　prejudice　to　national　vanitywas

worthy　of　Britons　and　of　the　audacious　foe　they　had　to　encounter；

and　it　must　be　owned；　that　but　for　a　happy　fortune　which　presided

on　that　day　over　the　destinies　of　our　country；　the　chance　of　the

combat　might　have　be