The Knight rose from his knees and resumed his seat, whereupon ensued a long conversation.

It referred to the condition of the colony under Winthrop, and of the elder settlement at Plymouth; the prospect of their increase; the dissensions among them; the relations maintained with the savages, and influence exerted over them; and, in short, to whatever bore upon the present circumstances and probable destiny of the two races.  The occurrences at the reception of the Taranteen embassy were also detailed—­the appearance of Sassacus, the excitement of the Indians, and the consequences which followed.

“I found it hard,” said Sir Christopher, “to allay their wild passion on the discovery of the Pequot Chief.  I had to urge upon them that they were committed to my care by you (I had before received your missive from one of them) and that instant destruction would follow any act of violence.  I reminded them that their mission was one of peace, and endeavored to shame them for exhibiting so much feeling at the sight of a single warrior.  Nor was I blinded by their apparent submission, but strove to remove the Pequot out of their way.  With how little success you know.”

Father Le Vieux listened with profound attention, and from time to time made memoranda in his tablets of those parts of the communication which possessed for him the deepest interest.  At its conclusion, he continued silent awhile, looking thoughtfully on the ground, as if deliberating over what he had heard.

“The thoughts of man are vanity,” he said, at length.  “In a way that we dreamed not of hath Almighty Wisdom delivered us from this peril.  Vainly, in our ignorance, we strove to prevent a meeting between the Taranteens and the English heretics; and lo, it was the very thing to be desired!  They were brought together only to be more widely divided, and a commencing friendship has ended in a confirmed enmity.  Blessed be the Pequot, and mitigated be the pains of purgatory to the poor savages who fell in the night attack, for the good they have done.  We are now safe from this danger.”

The father paused, as if reflecting, and then again spoke.

“It would be strange,” he said, “and the thought itself seems impious, if this goodly land, with its thousands of immortal souls, should be delivered over into the hands of these accursed heretics.  My heart is troubled, and a sacred horror invades me when I think thereupon.  This is a time of tribulation, and our faces gather blackness.  Holy Mary!” he continued, (crossing himself and raising his eyes to Heaven,) “intercede with thy glorified Son to quicken our faith and shorten the days of our trouble.  Let not these insatiable locusts from the pit of darkness, whose end is destruction—­these deceivers and deceived, who would tear down thy church, and defile her altars, have, even in seeming, their will!  O, let a strong wind arise and cast them into the sea, that they may devour thy heritage no more!”