'"
Parson Amen pausing a moment to take breath, Ungque, who detected
the wavering of Peter's mind, and who acted far more in opposition
to the mysterious and tribeless chief than from any other motive,
profited by the occasion thus afforded to speak. Without this pause,
however, the breeding of an Indian would have prevented any
interruption.
"I open my mouth to speak," said The Weasel, in his humblest manner.
"What I say is not fit for the wise chiefs to hear. It is foolish,
but my mind tells me to say it. Does the medicine-man of the pale-
faces tell us that the Son of the Great Spirit came upon earth, and
lived among men?"
"I do; such is our belief; and the religion we believe and teach
cometh directly from his mouth."
"Let the medicine-man tell the chiefs how long the Son of the Great
Spirit stayed on earth, and which way he went when he left it."
Now, this question was put by Ungque through profound dissimulation.
He had heard of the death of Christ, and had obtained some such idea
of the great sacrifice as would be apt to occur to the mind of a
savage. He foresaw that the effect of the answer would be very
likely to destroy most of the influence that the missionary had just
been building up, by means of his doctrine and his prayers.
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