SCENE THIRD. The S AME . A ROOM IN G ENERAL H ARRISON'S HOUSE .
Enter G ENERAL H ARRISON , and some Officers of the American Army .
H ARRISON . What savage handiwork keeps Barron back?
Enter B ARRON .
Ah, here he comes, his looks interpreting
Mischief and failure! It is as I feared.
What answer do you bring?
B ARRON . Tecumseh comes
To council, with four hundred men at back,
To which, with all persuasion, I objected —
As that it would alarm our citizens,
Whose hasty temper, by suspicion edged,
Might break in broils of quarrel with his braves;
But, sir, it was in vain — so be prepared!
Your Council records may be writ in blood.
H ARRISON . Will he attack us, think you?
B ARRON . No, not now.
His present thought is to intimidate.
But, lest some rash and foul-mouthed citizen
Should spur his passion to the run, fore-arm!
H ARRISON . Tut! Arms are scarce as soldiers in our town,
And I am sick of requisitioning.
Nay, we must trust to something else than arms.
Tecumseh is a savage but in name —
Let's trust to him! What says he of our treaties?
B ARRON . Oh, he discharges them as heavy loads,
Which, borne by red men only, break their backs.
All lands, he says, are common to his race;
Not to be sold but by consent of all.
H ARRISON . Absurd! This proposition would prevent
All purchase and all progress. No, indeed;
We cannot tie our hands with such conditions.
What of the Prophet? Comes he with the rest?
B ARRON . The Prophet stays behind.
H ARRISON . He is a foil
Used by Tecumseh to augment his greatness;
And, by good husbandry of incantation,
And gloomy charms by night, this Prophet works
So shrewdly on their braves that every man,
Inflamed by auguries of victory,
Would rush on death.
1 ST O FFICER . Why, General, I heard
He over-trumpt you once and won the trick.
H ARRISON . How so?
1 ST O FFICER . Well, once, before his braves, 'tis said,
You dared him to a trial of his spells,
Which challenge he accepted, having heard
From white men of a coming sun-eclipse.
Then, shrewdly noting day and hour, he called
Boldly his followers round him, and declared
ThaThe would hide the sun. They stood and gazed,
And, when the moon's colossal shadow fell,
They crouched upon the ground, and worshipped him.
H ARRISON . He caught me there, and mischief came of it.
Oh, he is deep. How different those brothers!
One dipt in craft, the dye of cruelty,
The other frank and open as the day.
Enter an O RDERLY .
O RDERLY . Tecumseh and his braves have reached the landing!
H ARRISON . This room is smaller than our audience:
Take seats and benches to the portico —
There we shall treat with him.
Could I but strain
My charge this chief might be my trusty friend.
Yet I am but my nation's servitor;
Gold is the king who overrides the right,
And turns our people from the simple ways
And fair ideal of their fathers' lives.
Enter G ENERAL H ARRISON , and some Officers of the American Army .
H ARRISON . What savage handiwork keeps Barron back?
Enter B ARRON .
Ah, here he comes, his looks interpreting
Mischief and failure! It is as I feared.
What answer do you bring?
B ARRON . Tecumseh comes
To council, with four hundred men at back,
To which, with all persuasion, I objected —
As that it would alarm our citizens,
Whose hasty temper, by suspicion edged,
Might break in broils of quarrel with his braves;
But, sir, it was in vain — so be prepared!
Your Council records may be writ in blood.
H ARRISON . Will he attack us, think you?
B ARRON . No, not now.
His present thought is to intimidate.
But, lest some rash and foul-mouthed citizen
Should spur his passion to the run, fore-arm!
H ARRISON . Tut! Arms are scarce as soldiers in our town,
And I am sick of requisitioning.
Nay, we must trust to something else than arms.
Tecumseh is a savage but in name —
Let's trust to him! What says he of our treaties?
B ARRON . Oh, he discharges them as heavy loads,
Which, borne by red men only, break their backs.
All lands, he says, are common to his race;
Not to be sold but by consent of all.
H ARRISON . Absurd! This proposition would prevent
All purchase and all progress. No, indeed;
We cannot tie our hands with such conditions.
What of the Prophet? Comes he with the rest?
B ARRON . The Prophet stays behind.
H ARRISON . He is a foil
Used by Tecumseh to augment his greatness;
And, by good husbandry of incantation,
And gloomy charms by night, this Prophet works
So shrewdly on their braves that every man,
Inflamed by auguries of victory,
Would rush on death.
1 ST O FFICER . Why, General, I heard
He over-trumpt you once and won the trick.
H ARRISON . How so?
1 ST O FFICER . Well, once, before his braves, 'tis said,
You dared him to a trial of his spells,
Which challenge he accepted, having heard
From white men of a coming sun-eclipse.
Then, shrewdly noting day and hour, he called
Boldly his followers round him, and declared
ThaThe would hide the sun. They stood and gazed,
And, when the moon's colossal shadow fell,
They crouched upon the ground, and worshipped him.
H ARRISON . He caught me there, and mischief came of it.
Oh, he is deep. How different those brothers!
One dipt in craft, the dye of cruelty,
The other frank and open as the day.
Enter an O RDERLY .
O RDERLY . Tecumseh and his braves have reached the landing!
H ARRISON . This room is smaller than our audience:
Take seats and benches to the portico —
There we shall treat with him.
Could I but strain
My charge this chief might be my trusty friend.
Yet I am but my nation's servitor;
Gold is the king who overrides the right,
And turns our people from the simple ways
And fair ideal of their fathers' lives.