The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 7: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1635
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 7: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1635
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
the body." "No," said he, "I see nothing except with the eyes of
the body, save in sleeping, and thou dost not approve our dreams."
"Hear me to the end," I said. "When thou passest a deserted cabin,
and seest yet standing the circle of poles, and the floor of the
cabin covered with Pine twigs, when thou seest the hearth still
smoking, is it not true that thou knowest positively, and that thou
seest clearly, that Savages have been there, and that these poles
and all the [238] rest of the things that you leave when you break
camp, are not brought together by chance?" "Yes," he answered.
"Now I say the same. When thou seest the beauty and grandeur of
this world,--how the Sun incessantly turns round without stopping,
how the seasons follow each other in their time, and how perfectly
all the Stars maintain their order,--thou seest clearly that men
have not made these wonders, and that they do not govern them;
hence there must be some one more noble than men, who has built
and who rules this grand mansion. Now it is he whom we call God,
who sees all things, and whom we do not see; but we shall see him
after death, and we shall be forever happy with him, if we love and
obey him." "Thou dost not know what thou art talking about," he
answered, "learn to talk and we will listen to thee."
Là dessus ie priay l'Apostat de déduire mes raisons & de les expliquer
en Sauuage: car i'en voyois de fort attentifs: mais ce miserable
Renegat, craignant de deplaire à son frere, ne voulut iamais ouurir
la bouche. Ie le prie, [239] ie le coniure auec toute douceur, en fin
ie redouble ma voix, & le menace de la part de Dieu, luy protestant
qu'il seroit responsable de l'ame de la femme de son frere le Sorcier,
laquelle ie voyois fort malade, & pour laquelle i'estois entré en
discours, esperant que si les Sauuages goustoient mes raisons, qu'ils
me permettroient aisément de l'instruire; ce coeur de bronze ne
flechit iamais, ny à mes prieres, ny à mes menaces; Ie prie Dieu qu'il
luy fasse misericorde, mon hoste me voyant parler d'vn accent assez
haut, me dit, _Nicanis_ ne te fasche point, auec le temps tu parleras
comme nous, & tu nous enseigneras ce que tu sçais, nous te presterons
l'oreille plus volontiers qu'à cet opiniastre qui n'a point d'esprit,
auquel nous n'auons nulle creance, voila les eloges qu'il donnoit à ce
Renegat. Ie luy repliquay, si ceste femme se portoit bien ie serois
consolé, mais elle est pour mourir dans peu de iours, & son ame faute
de cognoistre Dieu sera perduë, que si ton frere me vouloit prester
sa parole ie l'instruirois en peu de temps, sa réponse fut que ie le
laissasse, & que ie sçauois bien que c'estoit [240] vn lourdaut, pour
conclusion on dit les mots qui terminent le festin, & chacun se retira,
moy bien dolent de voir ceste ame se perdre en ma presence sans la
pouuoir secourir: car le Sorcier ayant commencé à leuer le masque &
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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