"
"Is that true, Bourdon?" demanded Margery, laughing at the Indian's
earnestness.
"I shall be honest, and own that there may be some truth in it--for
the Injin promises nothing, or next to nothing, and it is easy to
square accounts, in such cases. That white men undertake more than
they always perform, is quite likely to be the fact The Injin gets
his advantage in this matter, by not even thinking of treating his
wife as a woman should be treated."
"How should treat woman?" put in Pigeonswing with warmth. "When
warrior eat venison, gib her rest, eh? Dat no good--what you call
good, den? If good hunter husband, she get 'nough--if an't good
hunter, she don't get 'nough. Just so wid Injin--sometime hungry,
sometime full. Dat way to live!"
"Aye, that may be your red man's ways, but it is not the manner in
which we wish to treat our wives. Ask pretty Margery, here, if she
would be satisfied to wait until her husband had eaten his dinner,
and then come in for the scraps. No-no-Pigeonswing; we feed our
women and children first^ and come in last, ourselves."
"Dat good for pappoose--he little; want venison--squaw tough; use to
wait.
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