the pathfinder-第18部分

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the　spot　where　his　friends　waited　his　return。

As　the　Delaware　and　Jasper　well　knew　there　must　be
several　more　of　the　Iroquois　on　the　rift；　from；　the　circum…
stance　that　their　own　appearance　had　occasioned　no　sur…
prise　in　the　individual　they　had　met；　both　felt　the　neces…
sity　of　extreme　caution。　　Men　less　bold　and　determined
would　have　thought　that　they　were　incurring　too　great　a
risk　by　thus　venturing　into　the　midst　of　their　enemies；
but　these　hardy　borderers　were　unacquainted　with　fear；
were　accustomed　to　hazards；　and　so　well　understood　the
necessity　of　at　least　preventing　their　foes　from　getting　the
boat；　that　they　would　have　cheerfully　encountered　even
greater　risks　to　secure　their　object。　　So　all…important　to
the　safety　of　Mabel；　indeed；　did　Jasper　deem　the　posses…
sion　or　the　destruction　of　this　canoe；　that　he　had　drawn
his　knife；　and　stood　ready　to　rip　up　the　bark；　in　order　to
render　the　boat　temporarily　unserviceable；　should　any…
thing　occur　to　compel　the　Delaware　and　himself　to　aban…
don　their　prize。

In　the　meantime；　the　Iroquois；　who　led　the　way；　pro…
ceeded　slowly　through　the　water　in　the　direction　of　his
own　party；　still　grasping　the　canoe；　and　dragging　his　re…
luctant　followers　in　his　train。　　Once　Chingachgook　raised
his　tomahawk；　and　was　about　to　bury　it　in　the　brain　of　his
confiding　and　unsuspicious　neighbor；　but　the　probability
that　the　death…cry　or　the　floating　body　might　give　the
alarm　induced　that　wary　chief　to　change　his　purpose。　　At
the　next　moment　he　regretted　this　indecision；　for　the
three　who　clung　to　the　canoe　suddenly　found　themselves
in　the　ceutre　of　a　party　of　no　less　than　four　others　who
were　in　quest　of　it。

After　the　usual　brief　characteristic　exclamations　of　sat…
isfaction；　the　savages　eagerly　laid　hold　of　the　canoe；　for
all　seemed　impressed　with　the　necessity　of　securing　this
important　boat；　the　one　side　in　order　to　assail　their　foes；
and　the　other　to　secure　their　retreat。　　The　addition　to　the
party；　however；　was　so　unlooked…for；　and　so　completely
gave　the　enemy　the　superiority；　that　for　a　few　moments
the　ingenuity　and　address　of　even　the　Delaware　were　at
fault。　　The　five　Iroquois；　who　seemed　perfectly　to　under…
stand　their　errand；　pressed　forward　towards　their　own
shore；　without　pausing　to　converse；　their　object　being　in
truth　to　obtain　the　paddles；　which　they　had　previously
secured；　and　to　embark　three　or　four　warriors；　with　all
their　rifles　and　powder…horns；　the　want　of　which　had　alone
prevented　their　crossing　the　river　by　swimming　as　soon　as
it　was　dark。

In　this　manner；　the　body　of　friends　and　foes　united
reached　the　margin　of　the　eastern　channel；　where；　as　in
the　case　of　the　western；　the　river　was　too　deep　to　be　waded。
Here　a　short　pause　succeeded；　it　being　necessary　to　deter…
mine　the　manner　in　which　the　canoe　was　to　be　carried
across。　　One　of　the　four　who　had　just　reached　the　boat
was　a　chief；　and　the　habitual　deference　which　the　Ameri…
can　Indian　pays　to　merit；　experience；　and　station　kept　the
others　silent　until　this　individual　had　spoken。

The　halt　greatly　added　to　the　danger　of　discovering　the
presence　of　Jasper；　in　particular；　who；　however；　had　the
precaution　to　throw　the　cap　he　wore　into　the　bottom　of
the　canoe。　　Being　without　his　jacket　and　shirt；　the　outline
of　his　figure；　in　the　obscurity；　would　now　be　less　likely　to
attract　observation。　　His　position；　too；　at　the　stern　of　the
canoe　a　little　favored　his　concealment；　the　Iroquois　natur…
ally　keeping　their　looks　directed　the　other　way。　　Not　so
with　Chingachgook。　　This　warrior　was　literally　in　the
midst　of　his　most　deadly　foes；　and　he　could　scarcely　move
without　touching　one　of　them。　　Yet　he　was　apparently
unmoved；　though　he　kept　all　his　senses　on　the　alert；　in
readiness　to　escape；　or　to　strike　a　blow　at　the　proper　mo…
ment。　　By　carefully　abstaining　from　looking　towards　those
behind　him；　he　lessened　the　chances　of　discovery；　and
waited　with　the　indomitable　patience　of　an　Indian　for　the
instant　when　he　should　be　required　to　act。

〃Let　all　my　young　men　but　two；　one　at　each　end　of　the
canoe；　cross　and　get　their　arms；〃　said　the　Iroquois　chief。
〃Let　the　two　push　over　the　boat。〃

The　Indians　quietly　obeyed；　leaving　Jasper　at　the　stern；
and　the　Iroquois　who　had　found　the　canoe　at　the　bow　of
the　light　craft；　Chingachgook　burying　himself　so　deep　in
the　river　as　to　be　passed　by　the　others　without　detection。
The　splashing　in　the　water；　the　tossing　arms；　and　the　calls
of　one　to　another；　soon　announced　that　the　four　who　had
last　joined　the　party　were　already　swimming。　　As　soon　as
this　fact　was　certain；　the　Delaware　rose；　resumed　his　former
station；　and　began　to　think　the　moment　for　action　was　come。

One　less　habitually　under　self…restraint　than　this　war…
rior　would　probably　have　now　aimed　his　meditated　blow；
but　Chingachgook　knew　there　were　more　Iroquois　behind
him　on　the　rift；　and　he　was　a　warrior　much　too　trained
and　experienced　to　risk　anything　unnecessarily。　　He　suf…
fered　the　Indian　at　the　bow　of　the　canoe　to　push　off　into
the　deep　water；　and　then　all　three　were　swimming　in　the
direction　of　the　eastern　shore。　　Instead；　however；　of　help…
ing　the　canoe　across　the　swift　current；　no　sooner　did　the
Delaware　and　Jasper　find　themselves　within　the　influence
of　its　greatest　force　than　both　began　to　swim　in　a　way　to
check　their　farther　progress　across　the　stream。　　Nor　was
this　done　suddenly；　or　in　the　incautious　manner　in　which
a　civilized　man　would　have　been　apt　to　attempt　the　artifice；
but　warily；　and　so　gradually　that　the　Iroquois　at　the　bow
fancied　at　first　he　was　merely　struggling　against　the
strength　of　the　current。　　Of　course；　while　acted　on　by
these　opposing　efforts；　the　canoe　drifted　down　stream；　and
in　about　a　minute　it　was　floating　in　still　deeper　water　at
the　foot　of　the　rift。　　Here；　however；　the　Iroquois　was　not
slow　in　finding　that　something　unusual　retarded　their　ad…
vance；　and；　looking　back；　he　first　learned　that　he　was　re…
sisted　by　the　efforts　of　his　companions。

That　second　nature　which　grows　up　through　habit　in…
stantly　told　the　young　Iroquois　that　he　was　alone　with
enemies。　　Dashing　the　water　aside；　he　sprang　at　the　throat
of　Chingachgook；　and　the　two　Indians；　relinquishing　their
hold　of　the　canoe；　seized　each　other　like　tigers。　　In　the
midst　of　the　darkness　of　that　gloomy　night；　and　floating
in　an　element　so　dangerous　to　man　when　engaged　in　deadly
strife；　they　appeared　to　forget　everything　but　their　fell
animosity　and　their　mutual　desire　to　conquer。

Jasper　had　now　complete　command　of　the　canoe；　which
flew　off　like　a　feather　impelled　by　the　breath　under　the　vio…
lent　reaction　of　the　struggles　of　the　two　combatants。　　The
first　impulse　of　the　youth　was　to　swim　to　the　aid　of　the
Delaware；　but　the　importance　of　securing　the　boat　presented
itself　with　tenfold　force；　while　he　listened　to　the　heavy
breathings　of　the　warriors　as　they　throttled　each　other；
and　he　proceeded　as　fast　as　possible　towards　the　western
shore。　　This　he　soon　reached；　and　after　a　short　search　he
succeeded　in　discovering　the　remainder　of　the　party　and
in　procuring　his　clothes。　　A　few　words　sufficed　to　explain
the　situation　in　which　he　had　left　the　Delaware　and　the
manner　in　which　the　canoe　had　been　obtained。

When　those　who　had　been　left　behind　had　heard　the
explanations　of　Jasper；　a　profound　stillness　reigned　among
them；　each　listening　intently　in　the　vain　hope　of　catching
some　clue　to　the　result　of　the　fearful　struggle　that　had
just　taken　place；　if　it　were　not　still　going　on　in　the　water。
Nothing　was　audible　beyond　the　steady　roar　of　the　rush…
ing　river；　it　being　a　part　of　the　policy　of　their　enemies　on
the　opposite　shore　to　observe　the　most　deathlike　stillness。

〃Take　this　paddle；　Jasper；〃　said　Pathfinder　calmly；
though　the　listeners　thought　his　voice　sounded　more　mel…
ancholy　than　usual；　〃and　follow　with　your　own　canoe。　　It
is　unsafe　for　us　to　remain　here　longer。〃

〃But　the　Serpent？〃

〃The　Great　Sarpent　is　in　the　hands　of　his　own　Deity；
and　will　live　or　die；　according　to　the　intentions　of　Provi…
dence。　　We　can　do　him　no　good；　and　may　risk　too　much
by　remaining　here　in　idleness；　like　women　talking　over
their　distresses。　　This　darkness　is　very　precious。〃

A　loud；　long；　piercing　yell　came　from　the　shore；　and　cut
short　the　words　of　the　guide。

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　that　uproar；　Master　Path…
finder？〃　demanded　Cap。　　〃It　sounds　more　like　the　out…
cries　of　devils　than　anything　that　can　come　from　the
throats　of　Christians　and　men。〃

〃Christians　they　are　not；　and　do　not　pretend　to　be；　and
do　not　wish　to　be；　and　in　calling　them　devils　you　have
scarcely　misnamed　them。　　That　yell　is　one　of　rejoicing；
and　it　is　as　conquerors　they　have　given　it。　　The　body　of
tbe　Sarpent；　no　doubt；　dead　or　alive；　is　in　their　power。

〃And　we！〃　exclaimed　Jasper；　who　felt　a　pang　of　gen…
erous　regret；　as　the　idea　that　he　might　have　averted　the
calamity　presented　itself　to　his　mind；　had　he　not　deserted
his　comrade。

〃We　can　do　the　chief　no　good；　lad；　and　must　quit　this
spot　as　fast　as　possible。〃

〃Without　one　attempt　to　rescue　him？　　without　even
knowing　whether　he　be　dead　or　living？〃

〃Jasper　is　right；〃　said　Mabel；　who　could　speak；　though
her　voice　sounded　huskily　and　smothered；　〃I　have　no
fears；　uncle；　and　will　stay　here　until　we　know　what　has
become　of　our　friend。〃

〃This　seems　reasonable；　Pathfinder；〃　put　in　Cap。　　〃Your
true　seaman　cannot　well　desert　a　messmate；　and　I　am
glad　to　find　that　motives　so　correct　exist　among　those
fresh…water　people。〃

〃Tut！　tut！〃　returned　the　impatient　guide；　forcing　the
canoe　into　the　stream　as　he　spoke；　〃ye　know　nothing　and
ye　fear　nothing。　　If　ye　value　your　lives；　think　of　reaching
the　garrison；　and　leave　the　Delaware　in　the　hands　of
Providence。　　Ah's　me！　the　deer　that　goes　too　often　to　the
lick　meets　the　hunter　at　last！〃



CHAPTER　VII。

And　is　this　　Yarrow？　　this　the　stream
　　　Of　which　my　fancy　cherish'd
So　faithfully　a　waking　dream？
　　　An　image　that　hath　perish'd？
Oh　that　some　minstrel's　harp　were　near；
　　　To　utter　notes　of　gladness；
And　chase　this　silence　from　the　air；
　　　That　fills　my　heart　with　sadness。
WORDSWORTH。


THE　scene　was　not　without　its　subli