Chapter IX.

by James Fenimore Cooper

　　Now all admire, in each high-flavored dishThe capabilities of flesh--fowl--fish;In order due each guest assumes his station,Throbs high his breast with fond anticipation,And prelibates the joys of mastication. "--Heliogabaliad.

　　The apartment to which Monsieur Le Quoi handed Elizabeth communicatedwith the hall, through the door that led under the urn which wassupposed to contain the ashes of Dido. The room was spacious, and ofvery just proportions; but in its ornaments and furniture the samediversity of taste and imperfection of execution were to be observedas existed in the hall. Of furniture, there were a dozen green,wooden arm-chairs, with cushions of moreen, taken from the same pieceas the petticoat of Remarkable. The tables were spread, and theirmaterials and workmanship could not be seen; but they were heavy andof great size, An enormous mirror, in a gilt frame, hung against thewall, and a cheerful fire, of the hard or sugar maple, was burning onthe hearth. The latter was the first object that struck the attentionof the Judge, who on beholding it exclaimed, rather angrily, toRichard:

　　"How often have I forbidden the use of the sugar maple in my dwelling!The sight of that sap, as it exudes with the heat, is painful to me,Richard, Really, it behooves the owner of woods so extensive as mine,to be cautious what example he sets his people, who are alreadyfelling the forests as if no end could be found to their treasures,nor any limits to their extent. If we go on in this way, twenty yearshence we shall want fuel."

　　"Fuel in these hills, Cousin Duke!" exclaimed Richard, in derision--"fuel! why, you might as well predict that the fish will die for thewant of water in the lake, because I intend, when the frost gets outof the ground, to lead one or two of the spring; through logs, intothe village. But you are always a little wild on such subject;Marmaduke."

　　"Is it wildness," returned the Judge earnestly, "to condemn a practicewhich devotes these jewels of the forest, these precious gifts ofnature, these mines of corn- I fort and wealth, to the common uses ofa fireplace? But I must, and will, the instant the snow is off theearth, send out a party into the mountains to explore for coal."

　　"Coal!" echoed Richard. "Who the devil do you think will dig for coalwhen, in hunting for a bushel. he would have to rip up more of treesthan would keep him in fuel for a twelvemonth? Poh! poh! Marmaduke:you should leave the management of these things to me, who have anatural turn that way. It was I that ordered this fire, and a nobleone it is, to warm the blood of my pretty Cousin Bess."

　　The motive, then, must be your apology, Dick on," said the Judge.--"But, gentlemen, we are waiting.-- Elizabeth, my child, take the head ofthe table; Richard, I see, means to spare me the trouble of carving,by sitting opposite to you."

　　"To be sure I do," cried Richard. "Here is a turkey to carve; and Iflatter myself that I understand carving a turkey, or, for thatmatter, a goose, as well as any man alive.--Mr. Grant! Wheres Mr.Grant? Will you please to say grace, sir? Everything in getting cold.Take a thing from the fire this cold weather, and it will freeze infive minutes. Mr. Grant, we want you to say grace. For what we areabout to receive, the Lord make, us thankful Come, sit down, sit down.Do you eat wing or breast, Cousin Bess?"

　　But Elizabeth had not taken her seat, nor Was she in readiness toreceive either the wing or breast. Her Laughing eyes were glancing atthe arrangements of the table, and the quality and selection of thefood. The eyes of the father soon met the wondering looks of hisdaughter, and he said, with a smile:

　　"You perceive, my child, how much we are indebted to Remarkable forher skill in housewifery. She has indeed provided a noble repast--suchas well might stop the cravings of hunger."

　　"Law!" said Remarkable, "Im glad if the Judge is pleased; but Imnotional that youll find the sace over done. I thought, asElizabeth was coming home, that a body could do no less than makethings agreeable."

　　"My daughter has now grown to womans estate, and is from this momentmistress of my house," said the Judge; "it is proper that all who livewith me address her as Miss Temple.

　　"Do tell!" exclaimed Remarkable, a little aghast; "well, who everheerd of a young womans being called Miss? If the Judge had a wifenow, I shouldnt think of calling her anything but Miss Temple; but--"

　　"Having nothing but a daughter you will observe that style to her, ifyou please, in future," interrupted Marmaduke.

　　As the Judge looked seriously displeased, and, at such moments,carried a particularly commanding air with him, the wary housekeepermade no reply; and, Mr. Grant entering the room, the whole party wereseated at the table. As the arrangements of this repast were much inthe prevailing taste of that period and country, we shall endeavor togive a short description of the appearance of the banquet.

　　The table-linen was of the most beautiful damask, and the plates anddishes of real china, an article of great luxury at this early periodof American commerce. The knives and forks were of exquisitelypolished steel, and were set in unclouded ivory. So much, beingfurnished by the wealth of Marmaduke, was not only comfortable buteven elegant. The contents of the several dishes, and theirpositions, however, were the result of the sole judgment ofRemarkable. Before Elizabeth was placed an enormous roasted turkey,and before Richard one boiled, in the centre of the table stood a pairof heavy silver casters, surrounded by four dishes: one a fricasseethat consisted of gray squirrels; another of fish fried; a third offish boiled; the last was a venison steak. Between these dishes andthe turkeys stood, on the one side, a prodigious chine of roastedbears meat, and on the other a boiled leg of delicious mutton.Interspersed among this load of meats was every species of vegetablesthat the season and country afforded. The four corners were garnishedwith plates of cake. On one was piled certain curiously twisted andcomplicated figures, called "nut-cakes," On another were heaps of ablack-looking sub stance, which, receiving its hue from molasses, wasproperly termed "sweet-cake ;" a wonderful favorite in the coterie ofRemarkable, A third was filled, to use the language of thehousekeeper, with "cards of gingerbread ;" and the last held a " plum-cake," so called from the number of large raisins that were showingtheir black heads in a substance of suspiciously similar color. Ateach corner of the table stood saucers, filled with a thick fluid ofsome what equivocal color and consistence, variegated with small darklumps of a substance that resembled nothing but itself, whichRemarkable termed her "sweetmeats." At the side of each plate, whichwas placed bottom upward, with its knife and fork most accuratelycrossed above it, stood another, of smaller size, containing a motley-looking pie, composed of triangular slices of apple, mince, pump kin,cranberry, and custard so arranged as to form an entire whole,Decanters of brandy, rum, gin, and wine, with sundry pitchers ofcider, beer, and one hissing vessel of "flip," were put wherever anopening would admit of their introduction. Notwithstanding the sizeof the tables, there was scarcely a spot where the rich damask couldbe seen, so crowded were the dishes, with their associated bottles,plates, and saucers. The object seemed to be profusion, and it wasobtained entirely at the expense of order and elegance.

　　All the guests, as well as the Judge himself, seemed perfectlyfamiliar with this description of fare, for each one commenced eating,with an appetite that promised to do great honor to Remarkables tasteand skill. What rendered this attention to the repast a littlesurprising, was the fact that both the German and Richard had beensummoned from another table to meet the Judge; but Major Hartmann bothate and drank without any rule, when on his excursions; and Mr. Jonesinvariably made it a point to participate in the business in hand, letit be what it would. The host seemed to think some apology necessaryfor the warmth he had betrayed on the subject of the firewood, andwhen the party were comfortably seated, and engaged with their knivesand forks, he observed:

　　"The wastefulness of the settlers with the noble trees of this countryis shocking, Monsieur Le Quoi, as doubt less you have noticed. I haveseen a man fell a pine, when he has been in want of fencing stuff, androll his first cuts into the gap, where he left it to rot, though itstop would have made rails enough to answer his purpose, and its buttwould have sold in the Philadelphia market for twenty dollars."

　　"And how the devil--I beg your pardon, Mr. Grant," interrupted Richard:"but how is the poor devil to get his logs to the Philadelphia market,pray? put them in his pocket, ha! as you would a handful of chestnuts,or a bunch of chicker-berries? I should like to see you walking upHigh Street, with a pine log in each pocket!-- Poh! poh! Cousin Duke,there are trees enough for us all, and some to spare. Why, I canhardly tell which way the wind blows, when Im out in the clearings,they are so thick and so tall; I couldnt at all, if it wasnt for theclouds, and I happen to know all the points of the compass, as itwere, by heart."

　　"Ay! ay! squire," cried Benjamin, who had now entered and taken hisplace behind the Judges chair, a little aside withal, in order to beready for any observation like the present; "look aloft, sir, lookaloft. The old seamen say, that the devil wouldnt make a sailor,unless he looked aloft As for the compass, why, there is no suchthing as steering without one. Im sure I never lose sight of themain-top, as I call the squires lookout on the roof, but I set mycompass, dye see, and take the bearings and distance of things, inorder to work out my course, if so be that it should cloud up, or thetops of the trees should shut out the light of heaven. The steeple ofSt. Pauls, now that we nave got it on end, is a great help to thenavigation of the woods, for, by the Lord Harry! as was--"

　　"It is well, Benjamin," interrupted Marmaduke, observing that hisdaughter manifested displeasure at the major-domos familiarity; "butyou forget there is a lady in company, and the women love to do mostof the talking themselves."

　　"The Judge says the true word," cried Benjamin, with one of hisdiscordant laughs. "Now here is Mistress Remarkable Pettibones; justtake the stopper off her tongue, and youll hear a gabbling worse likethan if you should happen to fall to leeward in crossing a Frenchprivateer, or some such thing, mayhap, as a dozen monkeys stowed inone bag."

　　It were impossible to say how perfect an illustration of the truth ofBenjamins assertion the housekeeper would have furnished, if she haddared; but the Judge looked sternly at her, and unwilling to incur hisresentment, yet unable to contain her anger, she threw herself out ofthe room with a toss of the body that nearly separated her frail formin the centre.

　　"Richard," said Marmaduke, observing that his displeasure had producedthe desired effect, "can you inform me of anything concerning theyouth whom I so unfortunately wounded? I found him on the mountainhunting in company with the Leather-Stocking, as if they were of thesame family; but there is a manifest difference in their manners. Theyouth delivers himself in chosen language, such as is seldom heard inthese hills, and such as occasions great surprise to me, how one someanly clad, and following so lowly a pursuit, could attain. Moheganalso knew him. Doubtless he is a tenant of Nattys hut. Did youremark the language of the lad. Monsieur Le Quoi?"

　　"Certainement, Monsieur Temple," returned the French man, "he deedconvairse in de excellent Anglaise."

　　"The boy is no miracle," exclaimed Richard; "Ive known children thatwere sent to school early, talk much better before they were twelveyears old. There was Zared Coe, old Nehemiahs son, who first settledon the beaver-dam meadow, he could write almost as good . hand asmyself, when he was fourteen; though its true, I helped to teach hima little in the evenings. But this shooting gentleman ought to be putin the stocks, if he ever takes a rein in his hand again. He is themost awkward fellow about a horse I ever met with. I dare say henever drove anything but oxen in his life."

　　"There, I think, Dickon, you do the lad injustice," said the Judge;"he uses much discretion in critical moments. Dost thou not think so,Bess?"

　　There was nothing in this question particularly to excite blushes, butElizabeth started from the revery into which she had fallen, andcolored to her forehead as she answered:

　　"To me, dear sir, he appeared extremely skilful, and prompt, andcourageous; but perhaps Cousin Richard will say I am as ignorant asthe gentleman himself."

　　"Gentleman!" echoed Richard; "do you call such chaps gentlemen, atschool, Elizabeth?"

　　"Every man is a gentleman that knows how to treat a woman with respectand consideration," returned the young lady promptly, and a littlesmartly.

　　"So much for hesitating to appear before the heiress in his shirt-sleeves," cried Richard, winking at Monsieur Le Quoi, who returned thewink with one eye, while he rolled the other, with an expression ofsympathy, toward the young lady. "Well, well, to me he seemedanything but a gentleman. I must say, however, for the lad, that hedraws a good trigger, and has a true aim. Hes good at shooting abuck, ha! Marmaduke?"

　　"Richart," said Major Hartmann, turning his grave countenance towardthe gentleman he addressed, with much earnestness, "ter poy is goot.He savet your life, and my life, and ter life of iominie Grant, andter life of ter Frenchman; and, Richard, he shall never vant a pet tosleep in vile olt Fritz Hartmann has a shingle to cover his het mit.""Well, well, as you please, old gentleman," returned Mr. Jones,endeavoring to look indifferent; "put him into your own stone house,if you will, Major. I dare say the lad never slept in anything betterthan a bark shanty in his life, unless it was some such hut as thecabin of Leather-Stocking. I prophesy you will soon spoil him; anyone could see how proud he grew, in a short time, just because hestood by my horses heads. while I turned them into the highway."

　　"No, no. my old friend," cried Marmaduke, "it shall be my task toprovide in some manner for the youth; I owe him a debt of my own,besides the service he has done me through my friends. And yet Ianticipate some little trouble in inducing him to accept of myservices. He showed a marked dislike, I thought, Bess, to my offer ofa residence within these walls for life."

　　"Really, dear sir," said Elizabeth, projecting her beautiful under-lip, "I have not studied the gentleman so closely as to read hisfeelings in his countenance. I thought he might very naturally feelpain from his wound, and therefore pitied him; but"--and as she spokeshe glanced her eye, with suppressed curiosity, toward the major-domo--" I dare say, sir, that Benjamin can tell you something about him, Hecannot have been in the village, and Benjamin not have seen himoften."

　　"Ay! I have seen the boy before," said Benjamin, who wanted littleencouragement to speak; "he has been backing and filling in the wakeof Natty Bumppo, through the mountains, after deer, like a Dutch long-boat in tow of an Albany sloop. He carries a good rifle, too, theLeather-Stocking said, in my hearing, before Betty Hollisters bar-room fire, no later than the Tuesday night, that the younger wascertain death to the wild beasts. If so be he can kill the wild-catthat has been heard moaning on the lake-side since the hard frosts anddeep snows have driven the deer to herd, he will be doing the thingthat is good. Your wild-cat is a bad shipmate, and should be made tocruise out of the track of Christian men,"

　　"Lives he in the hut of Bumppo?" asked Marmaduke, with some interest.

　　"Cheek by jowl; the Wednesday will be three weeks since he first hovein sight, in company with Leather-Stocking. They had captured a wolfbetween them, and had brought in his scalp for the bounty. ThatMister Bump-ho has a handy turn with him in taking off a scalp; andtheres them, in this here village, who say he larnt the trade byworking on Christian men. If so be that there is truth in the saying,and I commanded along shore here, as your honor does, why, d'ye see,Id bring him to the gangway for it, yet. Theres a very pretty postrigged alongside of the stocks; and for the matter of a cat, I can fitone with my own hands; ay! and use it too, for the want of a better."

　　"You are not to credit the idle tales you hear of Natty; he has a kindof natural right to gain a livelihood in these mountains; and if theidlers in the village take it into their heads to annoy him, as theysometimes do reputed rogues, they shall find him protected by thestrong arm of the law,"

　　"Ter rifle is petter as ter law," said the Major sententiously.

　　"That for his rifle!" exclaimed Richard, snapping his fingers; "Ben isright, and I--" He was stopped by the sound of a common ship-bell, thathad been elevated to the belfry of the academy, which now announced,by its incessant ringing, that the hour for the appointed service hadarrived. "For this and every other instance of his goodness-- I begpardon, Mr. Grant, will you please to return thanks, sir? It is timewe should be moving, as we are the only Episcopalians in theneighborhood; that is, I and Benjamin, and Elizabeth; for I counthalf-- breeds, like Marmaduke as bad as heretics."

　　The divine arose and performed the office meekly and fervently, andthe whole party instantly prepared them selves for the church--orrather academy.