Where he is happier far than he would be commanding

a household, You may speak boldly, and tell me of all that hap

pened between you, When you returned last night, and said how ungrateful you

found me.” Thereupon answered John Alden, and told her the whole of the story,

710 Told her his own despair, and the direful wrath of

Miles Standish. Whereat the maiden smiled, and said between laugh

ing and earnest, “He is a little chimney, and heated hot in a moment!” But as he gently rebuked her, and told her how he

had suffered, How he had even determined to sail that day in the Mayflower,

715 And had remained for her sake, on hearing the dan

gers that threatened, — All her manner was changed, and she said with a fal

tering accent, “Truly I thank you for this: how good you have

been to me always !"

а

Thus, as a pilgrim devout, who toward Jerusalem

journeys,

720

Taking three steps in advance, and one reluctantly

backward, Urged by importunate zeal, and withheld by pangs of

contrition; Slowly but steadily onward, receding yet ever advanc

ing, Journeyed this Puritan youth to the Holy Land of

his longings, Urged by the fervor of love, and withheld by remorse

ful misgivings.

VII

THE MARCH OF MILES STANDISH

Meanwhile the stalwart Miles Standish was marching steadily northward,

725 719–724 Give in your own words the meaning of this paragraph.

723 Holy Land: what is its geographical name? Where is it? Why was it called the Holy Land ?

725 Northward: this was an expedition against the Indians which Miles Standish undertook in 1623 instead of 1621. But it suits the story better to bring it in here. A friend of the Pilgrims in London, a Mr. Weston, had sent out a colony of his own which settled at about the present location of Weymouth. This colony was not composed of very sensible men, and they were faring badly at the hands of their Indian neighbors. Out of friendship for the founder of the colony, the Pilgrims sent Standish and his little band to their assistance. Eventually, a few of Weston's men joined the Pilgrims, and the rest found their way back to England.

9

TE

Winding through forest and swamp, and along the

trend of the sea-shore, All day long, with hardly a halt, the fire of his anger Burning and crackling within, and the sulphurous

odor of powder Seeming more sweet to his nostrils than all the scents

of the forest. Silent and moody he went, and much he revolved his discomfort;

730 He who was used to success, and to easy victories

always, Thus to be flouted, rejected, and laughed to scorn by

a maiden, Thus to be mocked and betrayed by the friend whom

most he had trusted ! Ah! 'twas too much to be borne, and he fretted and

chafed in his armor !

“I alone am to blame,” he muttered, “for mine was the folly.

735 What has a rough old soldier, grown grim and gray

in the harness, Used to the camp and its ways, to do with the wooing

What I thought was a flower, is only a weed, and is

worthless; Out of my heart will I pluck it, and throw it away, and henceforward

740 Be but a fighter of battles, a lover and wooer of dan

gers."

Thus he revolved in his mind his sorry defeat and dis

comfort, While he was marching by day or lying at night in

the forest, Looking up at the trees and the constelations beyond

them.

After a three days' march he came to an Indian encampment

745 Pitched on the edge of a meadow, between the sea and

the forest; Women at work by the tents, and warriors, horrid

with war-paint, Seated about a fire, and smoking and talking to

gether; Who, when they saw from afar the sudden approach Saw the flash of the sun on breastplate and sabre and musket,

750 Straightway leaped to their feet, and two, from among

them advancing, Came to parley with Standish, and offer him furs as

a present: Friendship was in their looks, but in their hearts there

was hatred. Braves of the tribe were these, and brothers, gigantic

in stature, Huge as Goliath of Gath, or the terrible Og, king of Bashan;

755 One was Pecksuot named, and the other was called