The Indian Princess Part 11

_WALTER and ALICE._

WALTER. One mouthful more. [_Kiss._] Oh! after a long lent of absence, what a charming relish is a kiss, served from the lips of a pretty wife, to a hungry husband.

ALICE. And, believe me, I banquet at the high festival of return with equal pleasure. But what has made your absence so tedious, prithee?

WALTER. Marry, girl, thus it was: when we had given the enemies of our ally, Powhatan, defeature, and sent the rough Miami in chains to Werocomoco, our captain dispatches his lieutenant, Rolfe, to supply his place, here, in the town; and leading us to the water's edge, and leaping into the pinnace, away went we on a voyage of discovery. Some thousand miles we sailed, and many strange nations discovered; and for our exploits, if posterity reward us not, there is no faith in history.

ALICE. And what were your exploits?

WALTER. Rare ones, egad!

We took the devil, Okee, prisoner.

ALICE. And have you brought him hither?

WALTER. No: his vot'ries Redeem'd him with some score or two of deer-skins.

Then we've made thirty kings our tributaries: Such st.u.r.dy rogues, that each could easily Fillip a buffalo to death with 's finger.

ALICE. But have you got their treasures?

WALTER. All, my girl.

Imperial robes of racc.o.o.n, crowns of feather; Besides the riches of their sev'ral kingdoms-- A full boat load of corn.

ALICE. Oh, wonderful!

WALTER. Aye, is it not? But, best of all, I've kiss'd The little finger of a mighty queen.

Sweet soul! among the court'sies of her court, She gave us a Virginian mascarado.

ALICE. Dost recollect the fas.h.i.+on of it?

WALTER. Oh!

Were I to live till Time were in his dotage, 'Twould never from mine eyes. Imagine first, The scene, a gloomy wood; the time, midnight; Her squaws.h.i.+p's maids of honour were the masquers; Their masks were wolves' heads curiously set on, And, bating a small difference of hue, Their dress e'en such as madam Eve had on Or ere she eat the apple.

ALICE. Pshaw!

WALTER. These dresses, All o'er perfum'd with the self-same pomado Which our fine dames at home buy of old Bruin, Glisten'd most gorgeously unto the moon.

Thus, each a firebrand brandis.h.i.+ng aloft, Rush'd they all forth, with shouts and frantic yells, In dance grotesque and diabolical, Madder than mad Bacchantes.

ALICE. O the powers!

WALTER. When they had finished the divertis.e.m.e.nt A beauteous Wolf-head came to me--

ALICE. To you?

WALTER. And lit me with her pine-knot torch to bedward, Where, as the custom of the court it was, The beauteous Wolf-head blew the flambeau out, And then--

ALICE. Well!

WALTER. Then, the light being out, you know, To all that follow'd I was in the dark.

Now you look grave. In faith I went to sleep.

Could a grim wolf rival my gentle lamb?

No, truly, girl: though in this wilderness The trees hang full of divers colour'd fruit, From orange-tawny to sloe-black, egad, They'll hang until they rot or ere I pluck them, While I've my melting, rosy nonpareil. [_Kiss._

ALICE. Oh! you're a Judas!

WALTER. Then am I a Jew!

_Enter SMITH, PERCY, NANTAQUAS, LARRY, &c._

SMITH. Yet, prince, accept at least my ardent thanks: A thousand times told over, they would fail To pay what you and your dear sister claim.

Through my long absence from my people here, You have sustain'd their feebleness.

NANTAQUAS. O brother, To you, the conqueror of our father's foes; To you, the sun which from our darken'd minds Has chas'd the clouds of error, what can we Not to remain your debtors?

SMITH. Gen'rous soul!

Your friends.h.i.+p is my pride. But who knows aught Of our young Rolfe?

PERCY. This morning, sir, I hear, An hour ere our arrival, the lieutenant Accompanied the princess to her father's.

SMITH. Methinks our laughing friend has found at last The power of sparkling eyes. What say you, prince, To a brave, worthy soldier for your brother?

NANTAQUAS. Were I to choose, I'd put all other by To make his path-way clear unto my sister.

But come, sir, shall we to my father's banquet?

One of my train I've sent to give him tidings Of your long-wish'd for coming.

SMITH. Gentle prince, You greet my fresh return with welcome summons, And I obey it cheerfully. Good Walter, And, worthy sir [_To LARRY._], be it your care To play the queen bee here, and keep the swarm Still gathering busily. Look to it well: Our new-raised hive must hold no drones within it.

Now, forward, sirs, to Werocomoco.

[_Exeunt SMITH, PRINCE, PERCY, &c._

_Manent WALTER and LARRY._

WALTER. So, my compeer in honour, we must hold The staff of sway between us.

LARRY. Arrah, man, If we hould it between us, any rogue Shall run clean off before it knocks him down, While at each end we tug for mastery.

WALTER. Tush, man! we'll strike in unison.

LARRY. Go to--

WALTER. And first, let's to the forest--the young sparks In silken doublets there are felling trees, Poor, gentle masters, with their soft palms blister'd; And, while they chop and chop, they swear and swear, Drowning with oaths the echo of their axe.

LARRY. Are they so hot in choler?

WALTER. Aye.

LARRY. We'll cool 'em; And pour cold patience down their silken sleeves.

WALTER. Cold patience!