The Translation of a Savage | Page 7

instructions, and do her duty carefully.
What she thought about the whole matter she kept to herself; even the
solicitor at Montreal could not find out. She had her instructions clear
in her mind; she was determined to carry them out to the letter--for
which she was already well paid, and was like to be better paid;
because Armour had arranged that she should continue to be with his
wife after they got to England. She understood well the language of
Lali's tribe, and because Lali's English was limited she would be
indispensable in England.
Mackenzie, therefore, had responsibility, and if she was not elated over
it, she still knew the importance of her position, and had enough
practical vanity to make her an efficient servant and companion. She
already felt that she had got her position in life, from which she was to
go out no more for ever. She had been brought up in the shadow of
Alnwick Castle, and she knew what was due to her charge--by other
people; herself only should have liberty with her. She was taking Lali
to the home of General Armour, and that must be kept constantly
before her mind. Therefore, from the day they set foot on the Aphrodite,
she kept her place beside Mrs. Armour, sitting with her,--they walked
very little,-- and scarcely ever speaking, either to her or to the curious
passengers. Presently the passengers became more inquisitive, and
made many attempts at being friendly; but these received little
encouragement. It had become known who the Indian girl was, and
many wild tales went about as to her marriage with Francis Armour.
Now it was maintained she had saved his life at an outbreak of her tribe;
again, that she had found him dying in the woods and had nursed him
back to life and health; yet again, that she was a chieftainess, a
successful claimant against the Hudson's Bay Company--and so on.
There were several on board who knew the Armours well by name, and
two who knew them personally. One was Mr. Edward Lambert, a
barrister of the Middle Temple, and the other was Mrs. Townley, a
widow, a member of a well-known Hertfordshire family, who, on a
pleasant journey in Scotland, had met, conquered, and married a
wealthy young American, and had been left alone in the world, by no

means portionless, eighteen months before. Lambert knew Richard
Armour well, and when, from Francis Armour's solicitor, with whom
he was acquainted, he heard, just before they started, who the Indian
girl was, he was greatly shocked and sorry. He guessed at once the
motive, the madness, of this marriage. But he kept his information and
his opinions mostly to himself, except in so far as it seemed only due to
friendship to contradict the numberless idle stories going about. After
the first day at sea he came to know Mrs. Townley, and when he
discovered that they had many common friends and that she knew the
Armours, he spoke a little more freely to her regarding the Indian wife,
and told her what he believed was the cause of the marriage.
Mrs. Townley was a woman--a girl--of uncommon gentleness of
disposition, and, in spite of her troubles, inclined to view life with a
sunny eye. She had known of Frank Armour's engagement with Miss
Julia Sherwood, but she had never heard the sequel. If this was the
sequel--well, it had to be faced. But she was almost tremulous with
sympathy when she remembered Mrs. Armour, and Frank's gay,
fashionable sister, Marion, and contemplated the arrival of this Indian
girl at Greyhope. She had always liked Frank Armour, but this made
her angry with him; for, on second thoughts, she was not more sorry for
him and for his people than for Lali, the wife. She had the true instinct
of womanhood, and she supposed that a heathen like this could have
feelings to be hurt and a life to be wounded as herself or another. At
least she saw what was possible in the future when this Indian girl
came to understand her position--only to be accomplished by contact
with the new life, so different from her past. Both she and Lambert
decided that she was very fine-looking, not withstanding her costume.
She was slim and well built, with modest bust and shapely feet and
ankles. Her eyes were large, meditative, and intelligent, her features
distinguished. She was a goodly product of her race, being descended
from a line of chiefs and chieftainesses--broken only in the case of her
grandfather, as has been mentioned. Her hands (the two kindly
inquisitors decided) were almost her best point. They were perfectly
made, slim, yet plump, the fingers tapering, the wrist supple. Mrs.
Townley then and there decided that the