"But, Lumley," said I, "she is _not_ a mere Indian girl, and would _not_
look out of place anywhere. Her father was obviously a gentleman, and
has tried, with much success I find, to cultivate a naturally gentle and
delicate mind and disposition in his child. Surely, very little is
required to make a lady of her--I mean in the sense that society
understands by that term--and even if that were not possible, is mere
polish to be weighed in the balance against gentleness, sweetness,
unselfishness, tenderness, truthfulness, modesty, loving-kindness--to
say nothing of beauty--"
A hearty laugh interrupted me here.
"Oh! Max, I admit that polish must go down before such a splendid array
of virtues. But," added my friend, becoming grave again, "is Waboose a
Christian?"
"Yes," I replied, stoutly, "a far, far better Christian than I am, for I
find that her father has taught her the truths of the Bible--and you--
you see that _fruit_ in her which I fear you don't see much of in me."
"Well, we have not had much time to see the fruit yet, but now I must
speak to you as your chief. You say you have no thought of marriage
till your apprenticeship is up. That is a good while yet. You may
change your mind."
"Never!" said I, with emphasis.
"Well, I respect your honourable feelings, my boy, but it is just
possible that even if she were willing (which has yet to be proved) she
may change _her_ mind, therefore you must promise me faithfully that in
all this teaching of English there shall be no lovemaking. You are
bound _in honour_, Max, to avoid trying to win her affections, or in any
way to influence her till--till time, a considerable time--shall have
passed."
"I promise you, Lumley, with all my heart. I think it is ennobling to a
man to love a girl because of her pure and sterling qualities
irrespective of her looks, and I would count it foul disgrace to do
anything to win her unless I saw my way quite clearly to wed her."
"Which you do not at present, Max?"
"Which I do not at present, Lumley, so I will continue the lessons with
the air and manner of a heartless pedagogue!"
This having been arranged between us, the subject was dropped, and not
again referred to for many months.
Meanwhile winter advanced with rapid strides. One night an intense
frost set in and covered the entire lake, as far at least as we could
see, with a sheet of pure ice. It had set fast in a profound calm, and
the surface was so smooth that every tree and bush on the outlying
islets was reflected as if in water. Indeed, it could scarcely be told
that the ice was not water except by going on it.
Being a somewhat expert skater, and having brought my skates with me, I
put them on, resolved to enjoy a few hours of what used to be a
favourite amusement when I was a boy. Lumley could not skate, to my
regret; besides, he had no skates, and none of the men had ever learned
the art, so that I was forced to skate alone. And at this time I
learned a lesson about solitary amusement which I never afterwards
forgot.
"Max," said Lumley, as I went down to the lake, skates in hand, "while
you're off amusing yourself I'll go finish the track on the hillside--
that will afford amusement enough for me and the men. I'll give them a
holiday, as it is such a splendid day."
"That's a new kind of holiday," said I with a laugh, as I fixed on my
skates, "to set them to the finishing of a track!"
The track referred to was a straight wide cutting up the face of the
hill at the side of the fort. Lumley had ordered the men to clear it of
trees and shrubs, from the hill-top--which extended far behind as well
as high above the fort--down to the edge of the lake. It had remained
in this unfinished state for some time, and now, being covered with
snow, formed a long white-floored avenue to the hill-top.
"I'm sorry you can't join me," said I, making a few circles before
starting. "It feels _so_ selfish to go off alone."
"Never mind, old boy, off you go, and see that you don't get upon weak
ice."
Lumley waved his hand as he spoke, and I shot swiftly away over the
glassy lake.
Oh! it was a glorious burst, that first dash over an apparently
illimitable sheet of water, for, although small for an American lake,
the opposite shore of Wichikagan was so far-off as to appear dim and
low, while, in one direction, the sky and water met at the horizon, so
that I enjoyed the romantic feeling of, as it were, skating out to sea!
The strength of youth thrilled in every nerve and muscle; the vigour of
health and life coursed in every vein. I felt, just then, as if
exhaustion were impossible. The ice was so smooth that there was no
sensation of roughness under foot to tell of a solid support. The swift
gliding motion was more like the skimming of the swallow than the
skating of a man. The smallest impulse sent me shooting ahead with an
ease that almost surprised me. In sensation, as well as in appearance,
I was rushing over a surface of water in which the sun was reflected
with a brilliancy that quite dazzled me. I became almost wild with
delight. Indeed I grew reckless, and gave a sort of leap--with what
intent I know not--which caused the back of my head to smite the ice and
my body to proceed fifty yards or more on its back, with the legs in the
air and a starry constellation corruscating in the brain!
Considerably sobered by this, I arose and cut the figure of eight
thoughtfully for five minutes. After this I resumed my rapid pace,
which I kept up until the necessity of pausing to recover breath
impressed me. Making a wide circle outwards with my left leg in the air
and my right hand pointed to the sky in the most approved manner, I
gradually caused the circle to diminish until I came to a stand.
Looking back, I saw Fort Wichikagan like a mere speck on the horizon.
In the opposite direction the lake still presented a limitless horizon.
On either side the distant shores marked, but could hardly be said to
bound, the view, while, closer at hand, the islets were reflected in the
ice as clearly as if it had been water. I felt as if standing on a
liquid ocean. Once more a bounding sense of joyous freedom and strength
filled me. The starry corruscations had vanished. The bump on the back
of my head had ceased to grieve me. Away I went again like--but words
fail me. Imagery and description avail nothing when the indescribable
is reached!
After an hour of this enjoyment I took to circling, and, in the
exuberance of my feelings, attempted some quite new and complex
performances, which resulted in a few more corruscations and bumps. But
these were trifles. I heeded them not.
At last, however, I stood still and became thoughtful. We must all
become thoughtful sooner or later. A sense of loneliness began to
oppress me, and I longed for companionship in my joy. Knowing that this
was a useless longing, I cast it aside and resumed my evolutions,
rushes, bumps, and corruscations. But it would not do. The longing
returned with redoubled violence. After another hour I turned to skate
homeward, very much toned down in spirits, and deeply convinced of the
truth--in more senses than one--of the words, "It is not good that man
should be alone."
Before leaving this subject I may add that I tried skating again the
next day, but again grew weary of it in less than an hour for want of
companionship; that I made up my mind, in disgust to try no more; and
that, on the day following, sympathetic Nature aided me in my resolve by
covering the entire lake with eighteen inches of snow--thus rendering my
once favourite exercise impossible.
But, to return. When I drew near to the fort, I observed that several
black specks were gliding with lightning speed down the white track on
the hillside which Lumley had undertaken to finish. These specks, after
descending the steep hill, slid over the level shore and shot far out
upon the lake, where some of them seemed to roll over and over.
Wondering what this could be, I put on a spurt. Suddenly the truth
dawned upon me. My friend Lumley had cleared the slope for the purpose
of sledging down it!
"Max," he had remarked to me, long before, when talking about our men
and our plans, "`All work and no play,' you know, `makes Jack a dull
boy;' so I'll get up some kind of winter amusement for the lads which
will keep them in health and spirits."
Need I say that my recent cogitations and experience led me to join this
riotous crew with redoubled ardour? Taking off my skates hurriedly and
climbing up the hill, I leaped on the tail of Big Otter's toboggan,
without invitation, just as he was starting at the top of the snow-slope
to follow Lumley. I gave the sled such an impetus that we overtook our
chief, and upset him just as he reached the lake, causing him to collide
with Donald Bane and James Dougall, who, seated on the same toboggan,
were anxiously striving to keep their balance. The result was, that we
all resolved ourselves into a conglomerate of toboggans and men, which
went shooting and struggling over the smooth lake for fifty yards or
upwards at the rate of twelve miles an hour, if not more. This, of
course, afforded unutterable delight to the rest of our men, and to
Waboose and her mother; as well as to several Indians, who had just
arrived. Among these last were Attick and Maqua with his son Mozwa.
It was rough but health-giving, as well as enjoyable, work, and sent us
to our respective beds that night in a condition of readiness to fall
promptly into a state of absolute oblivion.