Chapter XXI.

by James Fenimore Cooper

　　She was an only child--her name Ginevra, The joy, the pride of an indulgent father; And in her fifteenth year became a bride, Marrying an only son, Francesco Dona, Her playmate from her birth, and her first love. --ROGERS.During the hunt there was little leisure for reflection on theseemingly extraordinary manner in which the bee-hunter had pointedout the spot where the bears were to be found. No one of the Indianshad seen him apply the glass to his eye, for, leading the party, hehad been able to do this unobserved; but, had they witnessed such aprocedure, it would have been as inexplicable as all the rest. It istrue, Crowsfeather and one or two of his companions had taken a lookthrough that medicine-glass, but it rather contributed to increasethe conjuror's renown, than served to explain any of the marvels heperformed.

　　Peter was most struck with all that had just occurred. He had oftenheard of the skill of those who hunted bees, and had several timesmet with individuals who practised the art, but this was the firstoccasion on which he had ever been a witness, in his own person, ofthe exercise of a craft so wonderful! Had the process been simplythat of catching a bee, filling it with honey, letting it go, andthen following it to its hive, it would have been so simple as torequire no explanation. But Peter was too intelligent, as well astoo observant, not to have seen that a great deal more than this wasnecessary. On the supposition that the bee flew toward the forest,as had been the fact with two of the bees taken that morning, inwhat part of that forest was the hunter to look for the bee-tree? Itwas the angle that perplexed Peter, as it did all the Indians; forthat angle, to be understood, required a degree of knowledge andcalculation that entirely exceeded all he had ever acquired. Thus isit with us ever. The powers, and faculties, and principles that arenecessary fully to comprehend all that we see and all that surroundsus, exist and have been bestowed on man by his beneficent Creator.Still, it is only by slow degrees that he is to become their master,acquiring knowledge, step by step, as he has need of its services,and learns how to use it. Such seems to be the design of Providence,which is gradually opening to our inquiries the arcana of nature, inorder that we may convert their possession into such uses as willadvance its own wise intentions. Happy are they who feel this truthin their character of individuals! Thrice happy the nations whichcan be made to understand, that the surest progress is that which ismade on the clearest principles, and with the greatest caution! Thenotion of setting up anything new in morals, is as fallacious intheory as it will be found to be dangerous in practice.

　　It has been said that a sudden change had come over the fiercepurposes of Peter. For some time, the nature, artlessness, truth,feminine playfulness and kindness, not to say personal beauty ofMargery, had been gradually softening the heart of this sternsavage, as it respected the girl herself. Nothing of a weak naturewas blended with this feeling, which was purely the growth of thatdivine principle that is implanted in us all. The quiet, earnestmanner in which the girl had, that day, protested her desire to seethe rights of the red man respected, completed her conquest; and, sofar as the great chief was concerned, secured her safety. It mayseem singular, however, that Peter, with all his influence, wasunable to say that even one that he was so much disposed to favor,should be spared. By means of his own eloquence, and perseverance,and deep desire for vengeance, however, he had aroused a spiritamong his followers that was not so easily quelled. On severaloccasions, he had found it difficult to prevent the younger and moreimpetuous of the chiefs from proceeding at once to secure the scalpsof those who were in their power; and this he had done, only bypromising to increase the number of the victims. How was he then tolessen that number? and that, too, when circumstances did not seemlikely to throw any more immediately into his power, as he had oncehoped. This council must soon be over, and it would not be in hispower to send the chiefs away without enumerating the scalps of thepale-faces present among those which were to make up the sum oftheir race.

　　Taking the perplexity produced by the bee-hunter's necromancy, andadding it to his concern for Margery, Peter found ample subject forall his reflections. While the young men were dressing their bears,and making the preparations for a feast, he walked apart, like a manwhose thoughts had little in common with the surrounding scene. Eventhe further proceedings of le Bourdon, who had discovered his bee-tree, had felled it, and was then distributing the honey among theIndians, could not draw him from his meditations. The great councilof all was to be held that very day--there, on Prairie Round--and itwas imperative on Peter to settle the policy he intended to pursue,previously to the hour when the fire was to be lighted, and thechiefs met in final consultation.

　　In the mean time, le Bourdon, by his distribution of the honey, noless than by the manner in which he had found it, was winning goldenopinions of those who shared in his bounty. One would think that theidea of property is implanted in us by nature, since men in allconditions appear to entertain strong and distinct notions of thisright. Natural it may not be, in the true signification of the term;but it is a right so interwoven with those that are derived fromnature, and more particularly with our wants, as almost to identifyit with the individual being. It is certain that all we have ofcivilization is dependent on a just protection of this right; for,without the assurance of enjoying his earnings, who would producebeyond the supply necessary for his own immediate wants? Among theAmerican savages the rights of property are distinctly recognized,so far as their habits and resources extend. The hunting-groundbelongs to the tribe, and occasionally the field; but the wigwam,and the arms, and the skins, both for use and for market, and oftenthe horses, and all other movables, belong to the individual. Sosacred is this right held to be, that not one of those who stood by,and saw le Bourdon fell his tree, and who witnessed the operation ofbringing to light its stores of honey, appeared to dream of meddlingwith the delicious store, until invited so to do by its lawfulowner. It was this reserve, and this respect for a recognizedprinciple, that enabled the bee-hunter to purchase a great deal ofpopularity, by giving away liberally an article so much prized.None, indeed, was reserved; Boden seeing the impossibility ofcarrying it away. Happy would he have been, most happy, could hehave felt the assurance of being able to get Margery off, withoutgiving a second thought to any of his effects, whether present orabsent.

　　As has been intimated, the bee-hunter was fast rising in the favorof the warriors; particularly of those who had a weakness on thescore of the stomach. This is the first great avenue to the favor ofman--the belly ruling all the other members, the brains included.All this Peter noted, and was now glad to perceive; for, in additionto the favor that Margery had found in his eyes, that wary chief hadcertain very serious misgivings on the subject of the prudence ofattempting to deal harshly with a medicine man of Boden's calibre.Touching the whiskey-spring he had been doubtful, from the first;even Crowsfeather's account of the wonderful glass through whichthat chief had looked, and seen men reduced to children and thenconverted into giants, had failed to conquer his scepticism; but hewas not altogether proof against what he had that day beheld withhis own eyes. These marvels shook his previous opinion touching theother matters; and, altogether, the effect was to elevate the bee-hunter to a height, that it really appeared dangerous to assail.

　　While Peter was thus shaken with doubts--and that, too, on a pointon which he had hitherto stood as firm as a rock--there was anotherin the crowd, who noted the growing favor of le Bourdon with deepdisgust. This man could hardly be termed a chief, though hepossessed a malignant power that was often wielded to thediscomfiture of those who were. He went by the significantappellation of "The Weasel," a sobriquet that had been bestowed onhim for some supposed resemblance to the little pilfering, prowlingquadruped after which he was thus named. In person, and in physicalqualities generally, this individual was mean and ill-favored; andsqualid habits contributed to render him even less attractive thanhe might otherwise have been. He was, moreover, particularlyaddicted to intemperance; lying, wallowing like a hog, for days at atime, whenever his tribe received any of the ample contribution offire-water, which it was then more the custom than it is to-day, tosend among the aborigines. A warrior of no renown, a hunter soindifferent as to compel his squaw and pappooses often to beg forfood in strange lodges, of mean presence, and a drunkard, it mayseem extraordinary that the Weasel should possess any influence amidso many chiefs renowned for courage, wisdom, deeds in arms, on thehunt, and for services around the council-fire. It was all due tohis tongue. Ungque, or the Weasel, was eloquent in a high degree--possessing that variety of his art which most addresses itself tothe passions; and, strange as it may seem, men are oftener and moreeasily led by those who do little else than promise, than by thosewho actually perform. A lying and fluent tongue becomes a power ofitself, with the masses; subverting reason, looking down justice,brow-beating truth, and otherwise placing the wrong before theright. This quality the Weasel possessed in a high degree, and wasever willing to use, on occasions that seemed most likely to defeatthe wishes of those he hated. Among the last was Peter, whose knownascendancy in his own particular tribe had been a source of greatenvy and uneasiness to this Indian. He had struggled hard to resistit, and had even dared to speak in favor of the pale-faces, and inopposition to the plan of cutting them all off, purely with adisposition to oppose this mysterious stranger. It had been in vain,however; the current running the other way, and the fiery eloquenceof Peter proving too strong even for him. Now, to his surprise, froma few words dropped casually, this man ascertained that theirgreatest leader was disposed so far to relent, as not to destroy allthe pale-faces in his power. Whom, and how many he meant to spare,Ungque could not tell; but his quick, practised discernment detectedthe general disposition, and his ruthless tendency to oppose, causedhim to cast about for the means of resisting this sudden inclinationto show mercy. With the Weasel, the moving principle was ever thatof the demagogue; it was to flatter the mass that he might lead it;and he had an innate hostility to whatever was frank, manly, andnoble.

　　The time had now come when the Indians wished to be alone. At thiscouncil it was their intention to come to an important decision; andeven the "young men," unless chiefs, were to be merely distantspectators. Peter sent for le Bourdon, accordingly, and communicatedhis wish that all the whites would return to the castle, whither hepromised to join them about the setting of the sun, or early thesucceeding day.

　　"One of you, you know--dat my wigwam," said the grim chief, smilingon Margery with a friendly eye, and shaking hands with the bee-hunter, who thought his manner less constrained than on formersimilar occasions. "Get good supper for ole Injin, young squaw; datjuss what squaw good for."

　　Margery laughingly promised to remember his injunction, and went herway, closely attended by her lover. The corporal followed, armed tothe teeth, and keeping at just such a distance from the youngpeople, as might enable them to converse without being overheard. Asfor the missionary, he was detained a moment by Peter, the othersmoving slowly, in order to permit him to come up, ere they had gonetheir first mile. Of course, the mysterious chief had not detainedParson Amen without a motive.

　　"My brother has told me many curious things," said Peter, when alonewith the missionary, and speaking now in the language of theOjebways--"many very curious things. I like to listen to them. Oncehe told me how the pale-face young men take their squaws."

　　"I remember to have told you this. We ask the Great Spirit to blessour marriages, and the ceremony is commonly performed by a priest.This is our practice, Peter; though not necessary, I think it good."

　　"Yes; good alway for pale-face to do pale-face fashion, and forInjin to do Injin fashion. Don't want medicine-man to get red-skinsquaw. Open wigwam door, and she come in. Dat 'nough. If she don'twish to come in, can't make her. Squaw go to warrior she likes;warrior ask squaw he likes. But it is best for pale-face to take hiswife in pale-face fashion. Does not my brother see a young man ofhis people, and a young maiden, that he had better bring togetherand bless?"

　　"You must mean Bourdon and Margery," answered the missionary, inEnglish, after a moment's reflection. "The idea is a new one to me;for my mind has been much occuoccupied of late, with other and moreimportant matters; though I now plainly see what you mean!"

　　"That flower of the Openings would soon fade, if the young bee-hunter should leave it alone on the prairies. This is the will ofthe Great Spirit. He puts it into the minds of the young squaws tosee all things well that the hunters of their fancy do. Why he hasmade the young with this kindness for each other, perhaps my brotherknows. He is wise, and has books. The poor Injins have none. Theycan see only with the eyes they got from Injins, like themselves.But one thing they know. What the Great Spirit has commanded, isgood. Injins can't make it any better. They can do it harm, but theycan do it no good. Let my brother bless the couple that the Manitouhas brought together."

　　"I believe I understand you. Peter, and will think of this. And nowthat I must leave you for a little while, let me beg you to think ofthis matter of the origin of your tribes, candidly, and with care.Everything depends on your people's not mistaking the truth, in thisgreat matter. It is as necessary for a nation to know its duties, asfor a single man. Promise me to think of this, Peter."

　　"My brother's words have come into my ears--they are good," returnedthe Indian, courteously. "We will think of them at the council, ifmy brother will bless his young man and young maiden, according tothe law of his people."

　　"I will promise to do this, Peter; or to urge Bourdon and Margery todo it, if you will promise to speak to-day, in council, of thehistory of your forefathers, and to take into consideration, oncemore, the great question of your being Hebrews."

　　"I will speak as my brother wishes--let him do as I wish. Let himtell me that I can say to the chiefs before the sun has fallen thelength of my arm, that the young pale-face bee-hunter has taken theyoung pale-face squaw into his wigwam."

　　"I do not understand your motive, Peter; but that which you ask iswise, and according to God's laws, and it shall be done. Fare youwell, then, for a season. When we again meet, Bourdon and Margeryshall be one, if my persuasions can prevail, and you will havepressed this matter of the lost tribes, again, home to your people.Fare you well, Peter; fare you well."

　　They separated; the Indian with a cold smile of courtesy, but withhis ruthless intentions as respected the missionary in no degreechanged. Boden and Margery alone were exempt from vengeance,according to his present designs. An unaccountable gentleness offeeling governed him, as connected with the girl; whilesuperstition, and the dread of an unknown power, had its fullinfluence on his determination to spare her lover. There might besome faint ray of human feeling glimmering among the fierce firesthat so steadily burned in the breast of this savage; but they wereso much eclipsed by the brighter light that gleamed around them, asto be barely perceptible, even to himself. The result of all thesepassions was, a determination in Peter to spare those whom he hadadvised the missionary to unite--making that union a mysteriousargument in favor of Margery--and to sacrifice all the rest. The redAmerican is so much accustomed to this species of ruthlessproceeding, that the anguish he might occasion the very beings towhom he now wished to be merciful, gave the stern chief very littleconcern. Leaving the Indians in the exclusive possession of PrairieRound, we will return to the rest of the party.

　　The missionary hastened after his friends as fast as he could go.Boden and Margery had much to say to each other in that walk, whichhad a great deal about it to bring their thoughts within the circleof their own existence. As has been said, the fire had run throughthat region late, and the grasses were still young, offering butlittle impediment to their movements. As the day was now near itsheat, le Bourdon led his spirited, but gentle companion, through thegroves, where they had the benefit of a most delicious shade, arelief that was now getting to be very grateful. Twice had theystopped to drink at cool, clear springs, in which the water seemedto vie with the air in transparency. As this is not the generalcharacter of the water of that region, though marked exceptionsexist, Margery insisted that the water was eastern and not westernwater.

　　"Why do we always think the things we had in childhood better thanthose we enjoy afterward?" asked Margery, after making one of thesecomparisons, somewhat to the disadvantage of the part of the countryin which she then was. "I can scarce ever think of home--what I callhome, and which was so long a home to me--without shedding tears.Nothing here seems as good of its kind as what I have left behindme. Do you have the same longings for Pennsylvania that I feel forthe sea-coast and for the rocks about Quincy?"

　　"Sometimes. When I have been quite alone for two or three months, Ihave fancied that an apple, or a potato, or even a glass of ciderthat came from the spot where I was born, would be sweeter than allthe honey bees ever gathered in Michigan."

　　"To me it has always seemed strange, Bourdon, that one of your kindfeelings should ever wish to live alone, at all; yet I have heardyou say that a love of solitude first drew you to your trade."

　　"It is these strong cases which get a man under, as it might be, andalmost alter his nature. One man will pass his days in hunting deer;another in catching fish; my taste has been for the bees, and forsuch chances with other creatures as may offer. What betweenhunting, and hiving, and getting the honey to market, I have verylittle time to long for company. But my taste is altering, Margery;has altered."

　　The girl blushed, but she also smiled, and, moreover, she lookedpleased.

　　"I am afraid that you are not as much altered as you think," sheanswered, laughingly, however. "It may seem so now; but when youcome to live in the settlements again, you will get tired ofcrowds."

　　"Then I will come with you, Margery, into these Openings, and we canlive together here, surely, as well, or far better than I can livehere alone. You and Gershom's wife have spoiled my housekeeping. Ireally did not know, until you came up here, how much a woman can doin a chiente.

　　"Why, Bourdon, you have lived long enough in the settlements to knowthat!"

　　"That is true; but I look upon the settlements as one thing, and onthe Openings as another. What will do there isn't needed here; andwhat will do here won't answer there. But these last few days haveso changed Castle Meal, that I hardly know it myself."

　　"Perhaps the change is for the worse, and you wish it undone,Bourdon," observed the girl, in the longing she had to hear anassurance to the contrary, at the very moment she felt certain thatassurance would be given.

　　"No, no, Margery. Woman has taken possession of my cabin, and womanshall now always command there, unless you alter your mind, andrefuse to have me. I shall speak to the missionary to marry us, assoon as I can get him alone. His mind is running so much on theJews, that he has hardly a moment left for us Christians."

　　The color on Margery's cheek was not lessened by this declaration;though, to admit the truth, she looked none the less pleased. Shewas a warm-hearted and generous girl, and sometimes hesitated aboutseparating herself and her fortunes from those of Gershom andDorothy; but the bee-hunter had persuaded her this would beunnecessary, though she did accept him for a husband. The point hadbeen settled between them on previous occasions, and muchconversation had already passed, in that very walk, which wasconfined to that interesting subject. But Margery was not nowdisposed to say more, and she adroitly improved the hint thrown outby Boden, to change the discourse.

　　"It is the strangest notion I ever heard of," she cried, laughing,"to believe Injins to be Jews!"

　　"He tells me he is by no means the first who has fancied it. Manywriters have said as much before him, and all he claims is, to havebeen among them, and to have seen these Hebrews with his own eyes.But here he comes, and can answer for himself."

　　Just as this was said, Parson Amen joined the party, Corporal Flintclosing to the front, as delicacy no longer required him to act as arear-guard. The good missionary came up a little heated; and, inorder that he might have time to cool himself, the rate of movementwas slightly reduced. In the mean time the conversation did not theless proceed.

　　"We were talking of the lost tribes," said Margery, half smiling asshe spoke, "and of your idea, Mr. Amen, that these Injins are Jews.It seems strange to me that they should have lost so much of theirancient ways, and notions, and appearances, if they are really thepeople you think."

　　"Lost! It is rather wonderful that, after the lapse of two thousandyears and more, so much should remain. Whichever way I look, signsof these people's origin beset me. You have read your Bible,Margery--which I am sorry to say all on this frontier have not--butyou have read your Bible, and one can make an allusion to you withsome satisfaction. Now, let me ask you if you remember such a thingas the scape-goat of the ancient Jews. It is to be found inLeviticus, and is one of those mysterious customs with which thatextraordinary book is full."

　　"Leviticus is a book I never read but once, for we do not read it inour New England schools. But I do remember that the Jews werecommanded to let one of two goats go, from which practice it has, Ibelieve, been called a scape-goat."

　　"Well," said le Bourdon, simply, "what a thing is 'l'arnin'!' Now,this is all news to me, though I have heard of 'scape-goats,' andtalked of 'scape-goats' a thousand times! There's a meanin' toeverything, I find; and I do not look upon this idea of the losttribes as half as strange as I did before I l'arnt this!"

　　Margery had not fallen in love with the bee-hunter for his biblicalknowledge, else might her greater information have received a rudeshock by this mark of simplicity; but instead of dwelling on thisproof of le Bourdon's want of "schooling," her active mind was moredisposed to push the allusion to scape-goats to some usefulconclusion.

　　"And what of the goat, Mr. Amen?" she asked; "and how can it belongto anything here?"

　　"Why were all those goats turned into the woods and deserts, in theolden time, Margery? Doubtless to provide food for the ten tribes,when these should be driven forth by conquerors and hard task-masters. Time, and climate, and a difference of food, has alteredthem, as they have changed the Jews themselves, though they stillretain the cleft hoof, the horns, the habits, and the generalcharacteristics of the goats of Arabia. Yes; naturalists will findin the end, that the varieties of the deer of this continent,particularly the antelope, are nothing but the scape-goats of theancient world, altered and perhaps improved by circumstances."

　　As this was much the highest flight the good missionary had ever yettaken, not trifling was the astonishment of his young friendsthereat. Touching the Jews, le Bourdon did not pretend to, or infact did not possess much knowledge; but when the question wasreduced down to one of venison, or bears' meat, or bisons' humps,with the exception of the professed hunters and trappers, few knewmore about them all than he did himself. That the deer, or even theantelopes of America ever had been goats, he did not believe; norwas he at all backward in letting his dissent to such a theory beknown.

　　"I'm sorry, Parson Amen, you've brought in the deer," he cried. "Hadyou stuck to the Jews, I might have believed all that you fancy, inthis business; but the deer have spoiled all. As for scape-goats,since Margery seems to agree with you, I suppose you are right aboutthem though my notion of such creatures has been to keep clear ofthem, instead of following them up, as you seem to think theseHebrews have done. But if you are no nearer right in your doctrineabout the Injins than you are about their game, you'll have tochange your religion."

　　"Do not think that my religion depends on any thread so slight,Bourdon. A man may be mistaken in interpreting prophecy, and stillbe a devout Christian. There are more reasons than you may at firstsuppose, for believing in this theory of the gradual change of thegoat into the deer, and especially into the antelope. We do not anyof us believe that Noah had with him, in the ark, all the animalsthat are now to be found, but merely the parent-stems, in eachparticular case, which would be reducing the number many fold. Ifall men came from Adam, Bourdon, why could not all deer come fromgoats?"

　　"Why this matter about men has a good deal puzzled me, Parson, and Ihardly know what answer to give. Still, men are men, wherever youfind them. They may be lighter or darker, taller or shorter, withhair or wool, and yet you can see they are men. Perhaps food, andclimate, and manner of living, may have made all the changes we seein them; but Lord, Parson, a goat has a beard!"

　　"What has become of the thousands of scape-goats that the ancientHebrews must have turned loose in the wilderness? Answer me that,Bourdon?"

　　"You might as well ask me, sir, what has become of the thousands ofHebrews who turned them loose. I suppose all must be dead a thousandyears ago. Scape-goats are creatures that even Injins would notlike."

　　"All this is a great mystery, Bourdon--a much greater mystery thanour friend Peter, whom you have so often said was a man sounaccountable. By the way, he has given me a charge to perform anoffice between you and Margery, that I had almost forgotten. Fromwhat he said to me, I rather think it may have some connection withour safety. We have enemies among these savages, I feel verycertain; though I believe we have also warm friends."

　　"But what have you in charge that has anything to do with Bourdonand me?" asked the wondering Margery, who was quick to observe theconnection, though utterly at a loss to comprehend it.

　　The missionary now called a halt, and finding convenient seats, hegradually opened the subject with which he had been charged by Peterto his companions. The reader is probably prepared to learn thatthere was no longer any reserve between le Bourdon and Margery onthe subject of their future marriage. The young man had alreadypressed an immediate union, as the wisest and safest course to bepursued. Although the savage American is little addicted to abusinghis power over female captives, and seldom takes into his lodge anunwilling squaw, the bee-hunter had experienced a good deal ofuneasiness on the score of what might befall his betrothed. Margerywas sufficiently beautiful to attract attention, even in a town; andmore than one fierce-looking warrior had betrayed his admirationthat very day, though it was in a very Indian-like fashion.Rhapsody, and gallant speeches, and sonnets, form no part of Indiancourtship; but the language of admiration is so very universal,through the eyes, that it is sufficiently easy of comprehension. Itwas possible that some chief, whose band was too formidable to beopposed, might take it into his head to wish to see a pale-facesquaw in his wigwam; and, while it was not usual to do much violenceto a female's inclinations on such occasions, it was not common tooffer much opposition to those of a powerful warrior. The marriedtie, if it could be said to exist at all, however, was muchrespected; and it was far less likely that Margery, a wife, wouldthus be appropriated, than Margery, unmarried. It is true, cases ofunscrupulous exercise of power are to be found among Indians, aswell as among civilized men, but they are rare, and usually are muchcondemned.

　　The bee-hunter, consequently, was well disposed to second Peter'sproject. As for Margery herself, she had half yielded all herobjections to her lover's unaided arguments, and was partlyconquered before this reinforcement was brought into the fieldagainst her. Peter's motive was much canvassed, no one of them allbeing able to penetrate it. Boden, however, had his private opinionon the subject, nor was it so very much out of the way. He fanciedthat the mysterious chief was well disposed to Margery, and wishedto put her as far as possible beyond the chances of an Indianwigwam; marriage being the step of all others most likely to affordher this protection. Now this was not exactly true, but it was rightenough in the main. Peter's aim was to save the life of the girl;her gentle attractions, and kind attentions to himself havingwrought this much in her favor; and he believed no means of doing soas certain as forming a close connection for her with the greatmedicine-bee-hunter. Judging of them by himself, he did not thinkthe Indians would dare to include so great a conjurer in theirschemes of vengeance, and was willing himself that le Bourdon shouldescape, provided Margery could go free and unharmed with him. As forthe bee-hunter's powers, he had many misgivings; they might bedangerous to the red men, and they might not. On this subject, hewas in the painful doubts of ignorance, and had the wide area ofconjecture open before his mind. He saw; but it was "as in a glass,darkly."

　　Margery was disposed to delay the ceremony, at least until herbrother and sister might be present. But to this le Bourdon himselfwas not much inclined. It had struck him that Gershom was opposed toan early marriage, most probably because he fancied himself moresecure of the bee-hunter's ingenious and important aid in gettingback to the settlements, so long as this strong inducement existedto cling to himself, than if he should release his own hold ofMargery, by giving her at once to her lover. Right or wrong, suchwas the impression taken up by le Bourdon, and he was glad when themissionary urged his request to be permitted to pronounce thenuptial benediction on the spot.

　　Little ceremony is generally used in an American marriage. In a vastmany cases no clergyman is employed at all; and where there is, mostof the sects have no ring, no giving away, nor any of thoseobservances which were practised in the churches of old. Thereexisted no impediment, therefore; and after a decent interval spentin persuasions, Margery consented to plight her vows to the man ofher heart before they left the spot. She would fain have had Dorothypresent, for woman loves to lean on her own sex on such occasions,but submitted to the necessity of proceeding at once, as the bee-hunter and the missionary chose to term it.

　　A better altar could not have been selected in all that vast region.It was one of nature's own erecting; and le Bourdon and his prettybride placed themselves before it, with feelings suited to thesolemnity of the occasion. The good missionary stood within theshade of a burr oak in the centre of those park-like Openings, everyobject looking fresh, and smiling, and beautiful. The sward wasgieen, and short as that of a well-tended lawn; the flowers were,like the bride herself, soft, modest, and sweet; while charmingrural vistas stretched through the trees, much as if art had beensummoned in aid of the great mistress who had designed thelandscape. When the parties knelt in prayer--which all present did,not excepting the worthy corporal--it was on the verdant ground,with first the branches of the trees, and then the deep, fathomlessvault of heaven for a canopy. In this manner was the marriagebenediction pronounced on the bee-hunter and Margery Waring, in thevenerable Oak Openings. No gothic structure, with its fretted aislesand clustered columns, could have been onehalf as appropriate forthe union of such a couple.