the pathfinder-第19部分

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　　　That　fills　my　heart　with　sadness。
WORDSWORTH。


THE　scene　was　not　without　its　sublimity；　and　the　ardent；
generous…minded　Mabel　felt　her　blood　thrill　in　her　veins
and　her　cheeks　flush；　as　the　canoe　shot　into　the　strength
of　the　stream；　to　quit　the　spot。　　The　darkness　of　the　night
had　lessened；　by　the　dispersion　of　the　clouds；　but　the
overhanging　woods　rendered　the　shore　so　obscure；　that　the
boats　floated　down　the　current　in　a　belt　of　gloom　that　ef…
fectually　secured　them　from　detection。　　Still；　there　was
necessarily　a　strong　feeling　of　insecurity　in　all　on　board
them；　and　even　Jasper；　who　by　this　time　began　to　tremble；
in　behalf　of　the　girl；　at　every　unusual　sound　that　arose
from　the　forest；　kept　casting　uneasy　glances　around　him
as　he　drifted　on　in　company。　　The　paddle　was　used　lightly；
and　only　with　exceeding　care；　for　the　slightest　sound　in
the　breathing　stillness　of　that　hour　and　place　might　ap…
prise　the　watchful　ears　of　the　Iroquois　of　their　position。

All　these　accessories　added　to　the　impressive　grandeur
of　her　situation；　and　contributed　to　render　the　moment
much　the　most　exciting　which　had　ever　occurred　in　the
brief　existence　of　Mabel　Dunham。　　Spirited；　accustomed
to　self…reliance；　and　sustained　by　the　pride　of　considering
herself　a　soldier's　daughter；　she　could　hardly　be　said　to　be
under　the　influence　of　fear；　yet　her　heart　often　beat　quicker
than　common；　her　fine　blue　eye　lighted　with　an　exhibition
of　a　resolution　that　was　wasted　in　the　darkness；　and　her
quickened　feelings　came　in　aid　of　the　real　sublimity　that
belonged　to　the　scene　and　to　the　incidents　of　the　night。

〃Mabel！〃　said　the　suppressed　voice　of　Jasper；　as　the
two　canoes　floated　so　near　each　other　that　the　hand　of　the
young　man　held　them　together；　〃you　have　no　dread？　you
trust　freely　to　our　care　and　willingness　to　protect　you？〃

〃I　am　a　soldier's　daughter；　as　you　know；　Jasper　Western；
and　ought　to　be　ashamed　to　confess　fear。〃

〃Rely　on　me　　on　us　all。　　Your　uncle；　Pathfinder；　the
Delaware；　were　the　poor　fellow　here；　I　myself；　will　risk
everything　rather　than　harm　should　reach　you。〃

〃I　believe　you；　Jasper；〃　returned　the　girl；　her　hand　un…
consciously　playing　in　the　water。　　〃I　know　that　my　uncle
loves　me；　and　will　never　think　of　himself　until　he　has　first
thought　of　me；　and　I　believe　you　are　all　my　father's
friends；　and　would　willingly　assist　his　child。　　But　I　am
not　so　feeble　and　weak…minded　as　you　may　think；　for；
though　only　a　girl　from　the　towns；　and；　like　most　of　that
class；　a　little　disposed　to　see　danger　where　there　is　none；　I
promise　you；　Jasper；　no　foolish　fears　of　mine　shall　stand
in　the　way　of　your　doing　your　duty。〃

〃The　Sergeant's　daughter　is　right；　and　she　is　worthy　of
being　honest　Thomas　Dunham's　child；〃　put　in　the　Path…
finder。　　〃Ah's　me；　pretty　one！　many　is　the　time　that　your
father　and　I　have　scouted　and　marched　together　on　the
flanks　and　rear　of　the　enemy；　in　nights　darker　than　this；
and　that；　too；　when　we　did　not　know　but　the　next　momemt
would　lead　us　into　a　bloody　ambushment。　　I　was　at　his
side　when　he　got　the　wound　in　his　shoulder；　and　the
honest　fellow　will　tell　you；　when　you　meet；　the　manner　in
which　we　contrived　to　cross　the　river　which　lay　in　our　rear；
in　order　to　save　his　scalp。〃

〃He　has　told　me；〃　said　Mabel；　with　more　energy　perhaps
than　her　situation　rendered　prudent。　　〃I　have　his　letters；
in　which　he　has　mentioned　all　that；　and　I　thank　you　from
the　bottom　of　my　heart　for　the　service。　　God　will　remem…
ber　it；　Pathfinder；　and　there　is　no　gratitude　that　you　can
ask　of　the　daughter　which　she　will　not　cheerfully　repay
for　her　father's　life。〃

〃Ay；　that　is　the　way　with　all　your　gentle　and　pure…
hearted　creatures。　　I　have　seen　some　of　you　before；　and
have　heard　of　others。　　The　Sergeant　himself　has　talked　to
me　of　his　own　young　days；　and　of　your　mother；　and　of　the
manner　in　which　he　courted　her；　and　of　all　the　crossings
and　disappointments；　until　he　succeeded　at　last。〃

〃My　mother　did　not　live　long　to　repay　him　for　what
he　did　to　win　her；〃　said　Mabel；　with　a　trembling　lip。

〃So　he　tells　me。　　The　honest　Sergeant　has　kept　nothing
back；　for；　being　so　many　years　my　senior；　he　has　looked
on　me；　in　our　many　scoutings　together；　as　a　sort　of　son。〃

〃Perhaps；　Pathfinder；〃　observed　Jasper；　with　a　huski…
ness　in　his　voice　that　defeated　the　attempt　at　pleasantry；
〃he　would　be　glad　to　have　you　for　one　in　reality。〃

〃And　if　he　did；　Eau…douce；　where　would　be　the　sin　of
it？　　He　knows　what　I　am　on　a　trail　or　a　scout；　and　he　has
seen　me　often　face　to　face　with　the　Frenchers。　　I　have
sometimes　thought；　lad；　that　we　all　ought　to　seek　for
wives；　for　the　man　that　lives　altogether　in　the　woods；　and
in　company　with　his　enemies　or　his　prey；　gets　to　lose　some
of　the　feeling　of　kind　in　the　end。　　It　is　not　easy　to　dwell
always　in　the　presence　of　God　and　not　feel　the　power　of
His　goodness。　　I　have　attended　church…sarvice　in　the　gar…
risons；　and　tried　hard；　as　becomes　a　true　soldier；　to　join　in
the　prayers；　for；　though　no　enlisted　sarvant　of　the　king；
I　fight　his　battles　and　sarve　his　cause；　and　so　I　have　en…
deavored　to　worship　garrison…fashion；　but　never　could
raise　within　me　the　solemn　feelings　and　true　affection　that
I　feel　when　alone　with　God　in　the　forest。　　There　I　seem
to　stand　face　to　face　with　my　Master；　all　around　me　is
fresh　and　beautiful；　as　it　came　from　His　hand；　and　there
is　no　nicety　or　doctrine　to　chill　the　feelings。　　No　no；　the
woods　are　the　true　temple　after　all；　for　there　the　thoughts
are　free　to　mount　higher　even　than　the　clouds。〃

〃You　speak　the　truth；　Master　Pathfinder；〃　said　Cap；
〃and　a　truth　that　all　who　live　much　in　solitude　know。
What；　for　instance；　is　the　reason　that　seafaring　men　in
general　are　so　religious　and　conscientious　in　all　they　do；
but　the　fact　that　they　are　so　often　alone　with　Providence；
and　have　so　little　to　do　with　the　wickedness　of　the　land。
Many　and　many　is　the　time　that　I　have　stood　my　watch；
under　the　equator　perhaps；　or　in　the　Southern　Ocean；
when　the　nights　are　lighted　up　with　the　fires　of　heaven；
and　that　is　the　time；　I　can　tell　you；　my　hearties；　to　bring
a　man　to　his　bearings　in　the　way　of　his　sins。　　I　have　rattled
down　mine　again　and　again　under　such　circumstances；
until　the　shrouds　and　lanyards　of　conscience　have　fairly
creaked　with　the　strain。　　I　agree　with　you；　Master　Path…
finder；　therefore；　in　saying；　if　you　want　a　truly　religious
man；　go　to　sea；　or　go　into　the　woods。〃

〃Uncle；　I　thought　seamen　had　little　credit　generally　for
their　respect　for　religion？〃

〃All　dd　slander；　girl；　for　all　the　essentials　of　Chris…
tianity　the　seaman　beats　the　landsman　hand…over…hand。〃

〃I　will　not　answer　for　all　this；　Master　Cap；〃　returned
Pathfinder；　〃but　I　daresay　some　of　it　may　be　true。　　I
want　no　thunder　and　lightning　to　remind　me　of　my　God；
nor　am　I　as　apt　to　bethink　on　most　of　all　His　goodness　in
trouble　and　tribulations　as　on　a　calm；　solemn；　quiet　day
in　a　forest；　when　His　voice　is　heard　in　the　creaking　of　a
dead　branch　or　in　the　song　of　a　bird；　as　much　in　my　ears
at　least　as　it　is　ever　heard　in　uproar　and　gales。　　How　is　it
with　you；　Eau…douce？　you　face　the　tempests　as　well　as
Master　Cap；　and　ought　to　know　something　of　the　feelings
of　storms。〃

〃I　fear　that　I　am　too　young　and　too　inexperienced　to
be　able　to　say　much　on　such　a　subject；〃　modestly　answered
Jasper。

〃But　you　have　your　feelings！〃　said　Mabel　quickly。　　〃You
cannot　　no　one　can　live　among　such　scenes　without　feel…
ing　how　much　they　ought　to　trust　in　God！〃

〃I　shall　not　belie　my　training　so　much　as　to　say　I　do
not　sometimes　think　of　these　things；　but　I　fear　it　is　not　so
often　or　so　much　as　I　ought。〃

〃Fresh　water；〃　resumed　Cap　pithily；　〃you　are　not　to
expect　too　much　of　the　young　man；　Mabel。　　I　think　they
call　you　sometimes　by　a　name　which　would　insinuate　all
this：　Eau…de…vie；　is　it　not？〃

〃Eau…douce；〃　quietly　replied　Jasper；　who　from　sailing
on　the　lake　had　acquired　a　knowledge　of　French；　as　well
as　of　several　of　the　Indian　dialects。　　〃It　is　a　name　the　Iro…
quois　have　given　me　to　distinguish　me　from　some　of　my
companions　who　once　sailed　upon　the　sea；　and　are　fond
of　filling　the　ears　of　the　natives　with　stories　of　their　great
salt…water　lakes。〃

〃And　why　shouldn't　they？　　I　daresay　they　do　the　sav…
ages　no　harm。　　Ay；　ay；　Eau…deuce；　that　must　mean　the
white　brandy；　which　may　well　enough　be　called　the　deuce；
for　deuced　stuff　it　is！〃

〃The　signification　of　Eau…douce　is　sweet…water；　and　it
is　the　manner　in　which　the　French　express　fresh…water；〃
rejoined　Jasper；　a　little　nettled。

〃And　how　the　devil　do　they　make　water　out　of　Eau…in…
deuce；　when　it　means　brandy　in　Eau…de…vie？　　Besides；
among　seamen；　Eau　always　means　brandy；　and　Eau…de…
vie；　brandy　of　a　high　proof。　　I　think　nothing　of　your　ig…
norance；　young　man；　for　it　is　natural　to　your　situation；
and　cannot　be　helped。　　If　you　will　return　with　me；　and
make　a　v'y'ge　or　two　on　the　Atlantic；　it　will　serve　you　a
good　turn　the　remainder　of　your　days；　and　Mabel　there；
and　all　the　other　young　women　near　the　coast；　will　think
all　the　better　of　you　should　you　live　to　be　as　old　as　one　of
the　trees　in　this　forest。〃

〃Nay；　nay；〃　interrupted　the　single…hearted　and　generous
guide；　〃Jasper　wants　not　for　friends　in　this　region；　I　can
assure　you；　and　though　seeing　the　world；　according　to　his
habits；　may　do　him　good　as　well　as　another；　we　shall　think
none　the　worse　of　him　if　he　never　quits　us。　　Eau…douce　or
Eau…de…vie；　he　is　a　brave；　true…hearted　youth；　and　I　always
sleep　as　soundly　when　he　is　on　the　watch　as　if　I　was　up　and
stirring　myself；　ay；　and　for　that　matter；　sounder　too。
The　Sergeant's　daughter　here　doesn't　believe　it　necessary
for　the　lad　to　go　to　sea　in　order　to　make　a　man　of　him；
or　one　who　is　worthy　to　be　respected　and　esteemed。〃

Mabel　made　no　reply　to　this　appeal；　and　she　even　looked
towards　the　western　shore；　although　the　darkness　rendered
the　natural　movements　unnecessary　to　conceal　her　face。
But　Jasper　felt　that　there　was　a　necessity　for　his　saying
something；　the　pride　of　youth　and　manhood　revolting　at　the
idea　of　his　being　in　a　condition　not　to　command　the　re…
spect　of　his　fellows　or　the　smiles　of　his　equals　of　the　other
sex。