When we found the
girl, she was alone, and I saw from her look that this was not the
first visit Pierre had made.
He summoned her importantly, while I withdrew to a distance, that I
might have her brought to me in form. I was intent and uneasy, but I
had room in my heart for vain self-satisfaction that I knew something
of the Ottawa speech. My proficiency in Indian dialects, for which the
world praised me lightly, as it might commend the cut of my doublet,
had cost me much drudgery and denial, and my moments of reward were
rare.
Singing Arrow came forward, and curtsied as the priests had taught her.
I was forced to approve my man's taste. Not that she was beautiful to
my eyes, for brown women were never to my liking; but she had youth and
neatness, and when she raised her eyes I saw that I might look for
intelligence and daring. I motioned her to come nearer.
"Singing Arrow," I said, in somewhat halting Ottawa, "my man here tells
me that your people are talking as if they were asleep, and were
dreaming that they were all kings. Now when a dog barks at the moon,
we do not stop to tremble for the safety of the moon, but we ask what
is the matter with the dog. That is what I would ask of you.
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