The Hunters of the HillsAltsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
History
The Hunters of the Hills
Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
United States -- History -- French and Indian War, 1754-1763 -- Fiction
Tayoga remained in his dress of a young Indian chief. Even if he had had
any other he would not have put it on, and the fine deerskin and the
lofty headdress became him and stamped him for what he was, a prince of
the forest. He held in his heart, too, a deeper feeling against the
French than any that animated either Robert or Willet. He could not
forget that this was not Quebec, but Stadacona of the Ganeagaono, whose
rights were also the rights of the other nations of the Hodenosaunee,
and it was here that Frontenac, who had slaughtered the Iroquois, had
made his home and fortress. The heart of Tayoga of the clan of the Bear
of the nation Onondaga, of the great League of the Hodenosaunee, burned
within him and the blood in his veins would not grow cool.
"I suppose, Dave," said Robert, "since we have to wait two days for the
Marquis Duquesne, that we might go forth at once and begin seeing the
town."
"Food first," said the hunter. "We've come a long journey on the river
and we'll test the quality of the, inn."
It was too cool for the little terrace that adjoined the Inn of the
Eagle, and Monsieur Berryer had a table set for them in the great
dining-room, which had an oaken floor, oaken beams and much china and
glass on shelves about the walls, the whole forming an apartment in
which the host took a just pride. It was gayer and brighter than the
inns of Albany and New York, and again Robert found his spirit
responding to it.
A fire of light wood that blazed and sparkled merrily burned in a huge
stone fireplace at the end of the room, and its grateful warmth entered
into Robert's blood. He suddenly felt a great exaltation. He was glad to
be there. He was glad that Tayoga and Willet were with him. He was glad
that they had encountered dangers on their journey because they had won
a triumph in overcoming them, and by the very act of victory they had
increased their own strength and confidence. His sensitive, imaginative
nature, easily kindled to supreme efforts, thrilled with the thoughts of
the great deeds they might do.
His pleasure in the company and the atmosphere increased. Everything
about him made a strong appeal to good taste. At the end of the room,
opposite the fireplace, stood a vast sideboard, upon which china and
glass, arranged in harmonious groups, shone and glittered. The broad
shelves or niches in the walls held much cut glass, which now and then
threw back from many facets the ruddy light of the fire. Before sitting
down, they had dipped their hands in a basin of white china filled with
water, and standing beside the door, and that too had pleased Robert's
fastidious taste.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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