西雅图酋长谈话The“Alteratent”ofChiefSeattle
西雅图酋长/ChiefSeattle
西雅图酋长（1786—1866），杜瓦米许族印第安人，勇武且善于领导，以酋长身份统治德奥米什和苏卡米什等6个部落。西雅图早年受法国传教士的影响，信仰天主教。他的父亲与当地白人建立了友好关系，而他多年来一直维护着这种关系。1855年他与白人签订了《埃利澳特港条约》，并建立印第安人保留地，当时美国政府要将当地土人驱逐到“保留地”定居。本文就是西雅图在美国政府压力下所给予的答复。
AcetheHole
Uandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.startle[stɑ:tl]v.使吓一跳；使惊奇
2.arrest[?rest]v.吸引
3.bud[b?d]n.芽，萌芽
Yonderskythathaswepttearsofpassionuponypeopleforturiesuntold,andwhichtoappearsgelessaernal,ayge.Todayisfair.Toorrowitaybeovercastwithclouds.Mywordsarelikethestarsthatneverge.WhateverSeattlesays,thegreatchiefatWashgtonrelyuponwithasuchcertatyasheupournofthesunortheseasons.
WhiteChiefsaysthatBigChiefatWashgtonsendsgreetgsoffriendshipandgoodwill.Thisiskdofhiforweknowhehaslittleneedofourfriendshipreturn.Hispeopleareany.Theyarelikethegrassthatversvastprairies.Mypeoplearefew.Theyreseblethescattergtreesofastor-sweptp.Thegreat,andIpresu—good,WhiteChiefsendswordthathewishestobuyourndsbutiswillgtoallowenoughtolivefortably.Thisdeedappearsjt,evengenero,fortheRedMannolongerhasrightsthatheneedsrespect,andtheofferaybewisealso,aswearenolongerneedofaery.
Therewasatiwhenourpeopleveredthendasthewavesofad-ruffledseaveritsshell-pavedfloor,butthattilongscepassedawaywiththegreatnessoftribesthatarenowbutaournfulory.Iwillnotdwellon,norournover,ouruntilydecay,norreproachypalefacebrotherswithhastengit,aswetooayhavebeensowhattob.
Youthisipulsive.Whenouryoungngrowangryatsorealarywrong,anddisfiguretheirfaceswithbckpat,itdehattheirheartsarebck,andthattheyareoftencruelaless,andouroldnandoldwonareuorestrathe.Thithaseverbeen.ThitwaswhentheWhiteManbegantophourforefatherseverwesard.Butlethopethatthehostilitiesbeeenayneverreturn.Wewouldhaveeverythgtoloseandnothgtoga.Revengebyyoungnisnsideredga,evenatthestoftheirownlives,butoldnwhostayathotisofwar,andotherswhohavesonstolose,knowbetter.
oodfatherWashgton—forIpresuheisnowourfatheraswellasyours,sceKgGeehasovedhisboundariesfurthernorth—reatandgoodfather,Isay,sendswordthatifwedoashedesireshewillprotect.Hisbravewarriorswillbetoabristlgwallofstrength,andhiswonderfulshipsofwarwillfillourharbors,sothatouraeneiesfartothenorthward—theHaidasandTsishians,willceasethtenourwon,childrenandoldn.Herealityhewillbeourfatherandwewillbehischildren.
Butthateverbe?Yodisnotod!Yodlovesyourpeopleandhatese!Hefoldshisstrongprotectgarslovglyaboutthepalefadleadshibythehandasafatherleadsanfantson.But,HehasforsakenHisRedchildren,iftheyreallyareHis.
od,theGreatSpirit,seesalsotohaveforsaken.Yodakesyourpeoplewaxstrongereveryday.Soontheywillfillallthend.Ourpeopleareebbgawaylikearapidlyrecedgtidethatwillneverreturn.TheWhiteMan’sGodotloveourpeopleorHewouldprotectthe.Theyseetobeorphanswholooknowhereforhelp.Howthenwebebrothers?Howyodbeeodandrenewourprosperityandawakendreasofreturnggreatness?
IfwehaveaonHeavenlyFather,Hetbepartial,forHecatoHispalefacechildren.WeneversawHi.HegaveyouwsbuthadnowordforHisRedchildrenwhoseteegultitudesoncefilledthisvastasstarsfillthefirant.No,weareodistctraceswithseparatesandseparatedesties.Thereislittleonbeeen.
Totheashesofouraorsaresacredandtheirrestgpceishallowedground.Youwanderfarfrothegravesofyouraorsandseeglywithret.
Yionwaswrittenupontabletsofstonebytheironfgerofyodsothatyouuldnotfet.TheRedManuldneverprehendorreberit.ionisthetraditionsofouraors—thedreasofouroldn,giventhesolenhoursofthenightbytheGreatSpirit;andthevisionsofoursaches,andiswrittentheheartsofourpeople.
Yourdeadceasetoloveyouandthendoftheirnativityassoonastheypasstheportalsofthetobandwanderawaybeyondthestars.Theyaresoonfottenandneverreturn.Ourdeadneverfetthisbeautifulworldthatgavethebeg.Theystillloveitsverdantvalleys,itsururgrivers,itsagnifitountas,sequesteredvalesandverdantledkesandbays,andeveryearntenderfondaffeoverthelonelyheartedlivg,andofteurnfrothehappyhuntggroundtovisit,guide,nsoleandfortthe…
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Ourdepartedbraves,fondd,happyheartedaidens,alechildrenwholivedhereandrejoicedhereforabriefseason,willlovethesesobersolitudesandateveheygreetshadowyreturngspirits.
AndwheRedManshallhaveperished,andtheoryofytribeshallhavebeeaythaongtheWhiteMen,theseshoreswillswarwiththevisibledeadofytribe,andwhenyourchildrenthktheselvesalohefield,thestore,theshop,uponthehighway,orthesilenceofthepathlesswoods,theywillnotbealone.Inalltheearththereisnopcededicatedtosolitude.Atnightwhereetsofyourcitiesandvilgesaresilentandyouthkthedeserted,theywillthrongwiththereturnghoststhatoncefilledtheandstilllovethisbeautifulnd.TheWhiteManwillneverbealone.
Lethibejtanddealkdlywithypeople,forthedeadarenotpowerless.Dead,didIsay?—Thereish,onlyageofworlds.