| OCR Text |
Show GO TilE LILY Ai'O TilE TOTE~!. as humiliation of his subordinate. It will scarcely be believed that, \Vhcn fairly out of ~ight of the village of AuJusta, IH~ rebuked Gucrnachc ~harply, for leaving the pinnace against hi.:1 ordcn, and even spoke of puuishing him for tl1is Ji.sobl!dicncC'.• Dut the nwrmurs of some of his officers, and, pc1lmps, a \iulc lurking sentiment of shame in his own bosom, prc\'cntcd him from attempting any such di<~gmccful proceeding. Uut the feeling of hostility only r:wkh·d the more because of its su pprc~sion, and he soon conlri,·cd to slww Gucrnnchc and, indeed, C\'Crybody besides, that from that hour he was l1is most bitter and unforgiving enemy, with a little and malignant spirit, he employed various petty arts, which a superior of a base nature may readily command on all occasions, by which to make the poor fellow feel how completely he was at his mercy; and each day exposed him to some little snare, or some stern caprice, by which Gucrnachc became involuntarily an offender. His tyrant subjected him to duties the most troublesome and humiliating, wl1ile denying, or stinting him of all t!Josc pr ivileges wl1ich were yet commonly accorded to his comrades. But all this would have been as nothing to Gucrnache, if be h:.d not been denied permission to vi-dt, as before, the hamlet of Audusta., where l1is pr incess dwelt. On the miserable pre text that the priesthood might rC\'Cngo upon him the misconduct of Renaud, Albert insisted upon his abst:,ining wl1olly from the Indian territories. But this pretence deceived nobody, and nobody less than Guernache. Little did the • Charlevoix thus d8Cribu Caphin Albert: "Lc Command~nt de Charles· Fort itoit un hom me de main, l't qui nc manquoiL pu ~I.M!o\umcnt dcconduite, mais i\ etoit bru1aljusqu'b. Ia f@rocitli,et ne 5{"avoit pu meme gard('r les bienshnces. . . . .. II puuinoi~ le• moindrct fauter, and toujoun avec exc~3, &.c.-N. France, Li1·. I. p. tit. Til£ LEOEN'O OF OUEIINACEUL 61 ]Jetty t.yrant of F'ort Charles imr~giM tltr~t tl1c object of his malice enjoyed a peculiar source or consolation for all thcso privations. His comrades were his friends. They treated him with :l w:mnth and kindness, .~tudiously proportioned to the i\14 h·er~tment of his superior. They nssistcd him in the severer tasks which were nllottcd ltim to fulfil-gave him their comp:my whenever tl1is was possible, while he was engaged in the execution of his most ci.Jccrlcilll duties, and soothed his sorrows by the expression of their almost. unanimous symp!dl,ics. Nor did they always withhold their bitter denunciations of tho miscrablo despotism under which he suffllred, and which they feared . Dark h ints of r emedy were s poken, brows frowned at the mention of tho wrongs of their companion, and the head shaken ominou,;ly, when \VOrds of threatening significance were uttered-appealed gratefully to certain bitter desires which had taken root in the mind of the victim. Dut these sympatl1ics, though grateful, were of small amon;lt in comparison with another source of consolation, which contributed to sustain Guernachc in his tribu4 lation. This was found in the secret companionship of his young o.nd l>cautiful Indian wife. Denied to sec him at the ,.jlJago of Audustn, tho fond and fearless woman determined to seek him nt all l1t1za.rds in his own domain. She stole away secretly to tho fortress of the Huguenots. Long and earnest was the watch which she maintl\incd upon its portals, from the thickets of the neighboring wood. licre, vigilant ns the sentinel tlmt momeutly expects l1is foe, s\10 bn.1·borcd close, in waiting for the beloveJ. ono. Her quick instincts had already taught her tho true cause , of his denial, and of her disappointment; and her Indian lessous had made that concc:llmeut,which she now believed to be ner.cssary to her pU!·po,ie, a part Jf the habitual policy of her people. |
