As Pedro, in his capacity of guide, usually rode a few paces in advance, and was frequently in a silent, abstracted mood, Lawrence was thus thrown almost entirely on the negro for companionship. Although the young Englishman may not have estimated his company very highly, nothing could have been more satisfactory to Quashy, who, with delight expressed in every wrinkle and lineament of his black visage, fully availed himself of his opportunities.
O Massa Lawrie! he exclaimed, at the close of one of their conversations, how I does lub to talk ob de ole times when me an you was play togidder!
Yes, its very nice to recall old times, answered Lawrence, with a half-suppressed yawn, for they had by that time gone over the old times so often that the novelty had rather worn off.
Yes, bery nice, repeated Quashy, with gleaming eyes, when I tink ob de ole fadder an de ole mill an de ole fun what me an you carried onoh! my heart goes like to bust.
Dont let it bust here, whatever you do, Quashy, for youll need all the heart you possess to carry you safely over these mountain passes.
Quashy opened his huge mouth, shut his eyes, and went off in a high falsettohis usual mode of laughing. He always laughed at Lawrences little jokes, whether good or bad, insomuch that the youth finally abstained from jesting as much as possible.
I did not know, continued Lawrence, that there were so many robbers about. Pedro tells me that the mountains are swarming with them just now.
Ho yis, massa, plenty ob rubbers eberywhar, said Quashy, with a nod, more nor nuff ob dem. You see, massa, Chili an Proos a-fightin wid each oder jus now. What deys fightin about no mortial knows; an, whats more, nobody cares. I spose one say de oders wrong an de oder say de ones say not right. Bof say das a big lie so at it dey goes hammer an tongs to proveha! ha! to prove deys bof right. Oh my!
Here the negro opened his cavernous jaws and gave vent to another explosion of shrill laughter.
What fools dey is!
Then you think it is only fools who fight, Quashy?
Ob coorse, massa. Don you see, if dey wasnt fools dey wouldnt fight; cause fightin cant prove nuffin, an it cant do nuffin, cep waste life an money. No doubt, added the negro, with a meditative gaze at the ground, when rubbers come at a feller hes boun to fight, for why? he cant help it; or when Red Injin savages
Have a care, Quashy, what you say about Indians. Ive warned you once already.
O massa! said the poor black, with a look of almost superhuman penitence, I beg your pardn. Is quite forgit to remimber. I was just agwine to say that there is times when you mus fight. But isnt Chili Christn, an isnt Proo Christn? I don bleeve in Christns what cut each oders troats to prove deys right. Howsever, das noting. What Is agwine to say isdars a lot o white livers on bof sides, an dese dey runs away, takes to de mountains and becomes rubbers. But deys not all bad alike, dough none of ems good. Yous heerd ob Conrad ob de Mountains, massa?
Yes, Pedro mentioned his name. He seems to be a celebrated bandit.
Well, Is not sure. Some peepil say hes not a rubber at all, but a good sort o feller as goes mad sometimes. Hes bery kind to women an childn, but hes bery awrful.
Thats a strange character. How do you know hes so very awful, Quashy?
Because I seed im, massa.
Indeed, where?
On de plains ob Proo, massa, replied the negro, with that self-satisfied clearing of the throat which was usually the prelude to a long story.
Come now, Quashy, said Lawrence, with a laugh, dont be too long-winded, and dont exaggerate.
Dont ex-what-gerate, massa?
Exaggerate.
Whats dat, massa?
Never mind, Quashygo on.
With a genial and highly exaggerated smile, the negro proceeded:
Well, as I was agwine to say, I see dis man, Conrad ob de Mountains, on de plains ob Proo. Is in de Proo camp at de time, attendin on yous fadder, an de army ob Chili was in front ob us on de slopes ob de hills, agwine to go in for a fight wid us. De sojers of Proo wasnt bery keen for fightin. I could see dat, but their ginral screwed em up to de pint, an dey was all ready, when all of a sudden, we sees a prisner brought in by four sojers. Dey seem so fraid ob him dey darnt touch him, tho he was unarmed. Two walked behind him, an two walked in front ob im, all wid dere baynets pintin at im, ready to skewer im all round if he was try to run. But, poor chap, he walk wid his head down, bery sad-likenebber tinkin ob runnin. So dey druv im up to our ginral. I was in a crowd o tall fellers, an de prisner had his back to me, so I not seed his face well. Das Conrad ob de Mountains deyve cotched, says a feller near me. Listen! We all listend so quiet you could hear a skito sneeze. Whats you name? asks de ginral, ridin close up to Conrad on his splendid war-hossa child ob one ob de war-hosses as come ober wid Pizarro from Spain. My names Pumpkin, answers de prisner. Das a lie! says de ginral. Nos not, says Conrad, lookin up, as I could see by de back ob his head. What side you blongs to, raskil? To no side, ginral. Whar you come fro? Fro de mountains, ginrl. Whar you go to? Ober de mountains, ginral. I could see by de way de fedders in de ginrals hat shake dat hes gittin in a wax at de cool imprence ob de prisner, but he strain hisself, an spoke sarkmustic. Senhor Pumpkin, says he, you are Conrad ob de Mountains,(cause he guess who he was by dat time); how you prepose to go ober de mountains? Dis way! says Conrad, an, nixt momint, up goes de ginrals leg, down goes his head an fedders on de ground, and Conrad sits in de saddle afore you can wink. All round de baynets was charge, but dey haul up jist in time not to skewer one anoder, for de horse shotted out fro between dem all, an away straight to de Chili lines, whar dere was a great cheerin, for dey tought it was a deserter. When Conrad came up, he trotted quietly troo de ranks, till he got near to whar de Chili commander stood wid his hofficers, wonderin who he was. As he couldnt spec to git no furder, he rides quietly up to a hofficer, takes de sword out ob his hand afore he understand what he wants, den, diggin de spurs into de big war-hoss, off he goes wid a yell like a Red Injoh! Is mean like aa bufflo bull. Out comes de swords. Dey close all round im. I no see him by dat time. He too fur off; but a friend ob mine was near, an he say dat Conrad swing de long sword so quick, an de sun was shinin so clar, dat it look like a circle ob fire all round him. Down dey hoed on ebery side. Off goed a head here, an arm dere. One trooper cut troo at de waist, an falld off, but de legs stick on. Anoder splitted right down fro de helmet, so as one half fall on one side, an de odour half fall
Come now, Quashy, interrupted Lawrence, with a laugh, you exaggerate.
What! you call dat exaggerate, massa? Den Conrad exaggerate about ten more afore he cut his way troo an scaped to de hills. Oh, hes an awrful man!
Truly he must be very awful, if all you relate of him be true, said Lawrence; and I sincerely trust that if we fall in with him we may find him friendly. Now, I shall ride forward, and ask Pedro if we are far from our halting-place.