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will yet hear you, said the Judge, mildly.
I have enough to say ag in it, cried Natty, grasping the bar, on which his
fingers were working with a convulsed motion. Where am I to get the money?
Let me out into the woods and hills, where I ve been used to breathe the clear
air, and though I m three score and ten, if you ve left game enough in the
country, I ll travel night and day but I ll make you up the sum afore the
season is over. Yes, yes--you see the reason of the thing, and the wickedness
of shutting up an old man, that has spent his days, as one may say, where he
could always look into the windows of heaven.
I must be governed by the law --
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Talk not to me of law, Marmaduke Temple, interrupted the hunter. Did the
beast of the forest mind your laws, when it was thirsty and hungering for the
blood of your own child! She was kneeling to her God for a greater favour than
I ask, and he heard her; and if you now say no to my prayers, do you think he
will be deaf?
My private feelings must not enter into --
Hear me, Marmaduke Temple, interrupted the old man, with a melancholy tone
of voice, and hear reason. I ve travelled these mountains when you was no
judge, but an infant in your mother s arms; and I feel as if I had a right and
a privilege to travel them ag in afore I die. Have you forgot the time that
you come on to the lake-shore, when there wasn t even a gaol to lodge in; and
didn t I give you my own bear-skin to sleep on, and the fat of a noble buck to
satisfy the cravings of your hunger? Yes, yes--you thought it no sin then to
kill a deer! And this I did, though I had no reason to love you, for you had
never done any thing but harm to them that loved and sheltered me. And now
will you shut me up in your dungeons to pay me for my kindness? A hundred
dollars! where should I get the money? No, no--there s them that says hard
things of you, Marmaduke Temple, but you an t so bad as to wish to see an old
man die in a prison, because he stood up for the right. Come, friend, let me
pass; it s long sin I ve been used to such crowds, and I crave to be in the
woods ag in. Don t fear me, Judge--I bid you not to fear me; for if there s
beaver enough left on the streams, or the buckskins will sell for a shilling
a-piece, you shall have the last penny of the fine. Where are ye, pups! come
away, dogs! come away! we have a grievous toil to do for our years, but it
shall be done--yes, yes, I ve promised it, and it shall be done!
It is unnecessary to say that the movement of the Leather-stocking was again
intercepted by the constable; but before he had time to speak, a bustling in
the crowd, and a loud hem, drew all eyes to another part of the room.
Benjamin had succeeded in edging his way through the people, and was now seen
balancing his short body, with one foot in a window and the other on the
railing of the jury-box. To the amazement of the whole court, the steward was
evidently preparing to speak. After a good deal of difficulty, he succeeded in
drawing from his pocket a small bag, and then found utterance.
If-so-be, he said, that your honour is agreeable to trust the poor fellow
out on another cruise among the beasts, here s a small matter that will help
to bring down the risk, seeing that there s just thirty-five of your Spaniards
in it; and I wish, from the bottom of my heart, that they was raal British
guineas, for the sake of the old boy. But tis as it is; and if Squire Dickens
will just be so good as to overhaul this small bit of an account, and take
enough from the bag to settle the same, he s welcome to hold on upon the rest,
till such time as the Leather-stocking can grapple with them said beaver, or,
for that matter, for ever, and no thanks asked.
As Benjamin concluded, he thrust out the wooden register of his arrears to
the Bold Dragoon with one hand, while he offered his bag of dollars with the
other. Astonishment at this singular interruption produced a profound
stillness in the room, which was only interrupted by the Sheriff, who struck
his sword on the table, and cried--
Silence!
There must be an end to this, said the Judge, struggling to overcome his
feelings. Constable, lead the prisoner to the stocks. Mr. Clerk, what stands
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next on the calendar?
Natty seemed to yield to his destiny, for he sunk his head on his chest, and
followed the officer from the court-room in silence. The crowd moved back for
the passage of the prisoner, and when his tall form was seen descending from
the outer door, a rush of the people to the scene of his disgrace followed.
CHAPTER XV.
Ha! hu! look! he wears cruel garters!
Lear
Thepunishments of the common law were still known, at the time of our tale, to
the people of New-York; and the whipping-post, with its companion, the stocks,
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