the pathfinder-第20部分

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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。　　Still　he　was　unwilling　to　utter　aught　that　might　be
considered　harsh　to　the　uncle　of　Mabel；　and　his　self…
command　was　perhaps　more　creditable　than　his　modesty
and　spirit。

〃I　pretend　not　to　things　I　don't　possess；〃　he　said；　〃and
lay　no　claim　to　any　knowledge　of　the　ocean　or　of　naviga…
tion。　　We　steer　by　the　stars　and　the　compass　on　these
lakes；　running　from　headland　to　headland；　and　having
little　need　of　figures　and　calculations；　make　no　use　of
them。　　But　we　have　our　claims　notwithstanding；　as　I　have
often　heard　from　those　who　have　passed　years　on　the
ocean。　　In　the　first　place；　we　have　always　the　land　aboard；
and　much　of　the　time　on　a　lee…shore；　and　that　I　have　fre…
quently　heard　makes　hardy　sailors。　　Our　gales　are　sudden
and　severe；　and　we　are　compelled　to　run　for　our　ports　at
all　hours。〃

〃You　have　your　leads；〃　interrupted　Cap。

〃They　are　of　little　use；　and　are　seldom　cast。〃

〃The　deep…seas。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　such　things；　but　confess　I　never　saw
one。〃

〃Oh！　deuce；　with　a　vengeance。　　A　trader；　and　no　deep…
sea！　　Why；　boy；　you　cannot　pretend　to　be　anything　of　a
mariner。　　Who　the　devil　ever　heard　of　a　seaman　without
his　deep…sea？〃

〃I　do　not　pretend　to　any　particular　skill；　Master　Cap。〃

〃Except　in　shooting　falls；　Jasper；　except　in　shooting
falls　and　rifts；〃　said　Pathfinder；　coming　to　the　rescue；
〃in　which　business　even　you；　Master　Cap；　must　allow　he
has　some　handiness。　　In　my　judgment；　every　man　is　to　be
esteemed　or　condemned　according　to　his　gifts；　and　if
Master　Cap　is　useless　in　running　the　Oswego　Falls；　I　try
to　remember　that　he　is　useful　when　out　of　sight　of　land；
and　if　Jasper　be　useless　when　out　of　sight　of　land；　I　do
not　forget　that　he　has　a　true　eye　and　steady　hand　when
running　the　falls。〃

〃But　Jasper　is　not　useless　　would　not　be　useless　when
out　of　sight　of　land；〃　said　Mabel；　with　a　spirit　and　energy
that　caused　her　clear　sweet　voice　to　be　startling　amid　the
solemn　stillness　of　that　extraordinary　scene。　　〃No　one
can　be　useless　there　who　can　do　so　much　here；　is　what　I
mean；　though；　I　daresay；　he　is　not　as　well　acquainted　with
ships　as　my　uncle。〃

〃Ay；　bolster　each　other　up　in　your　ignorance；〃　returned
Cap　with　a　sneer。　　〃We　seamen　are　so　much　out…
numbered　when　ashore　that　it　is　seldom　we　get　our　dues；
but　when　you　want　to　be　defended；　or　trade　is　to　be　carried
on；　there　is　outcry　enough　for　us。〃

〃But；　uncle；　landsmen　do　not　come　to　attack　our　coasts；
so　that　seamen　only　meet　seamen。〃

〃So　much　for　ignorance！　　Where　are　all　the　enemies
that　have　landed　in　this　country；　French　and　English；　let
me　inquire；　niece？〃

〃Sure　enough；　where　are　they？〃　ejaculated　Pathfinder。
〃None　can　tell　better　than　we　who　dwell　in　the　woods；
Master　Cap。　　I　have　often　followed　their　line　of　march　by
bones　bleaching　in　the　rain；　and　have　found　their　trail　by
graves；　years　after　they　and　their　pride　had　vanished　to…
gether。　　Generals　and　privates；　they　lay　scattered　through…
out　the　land；　so　many　proofs　of　what　men　are　when　led
on　by　their　love　of　great　names　and　the　wish　to　be　more
than　their　fellows。〃

〃I　must　say；　Master　Pathfinder；　that　you　sometimes
utter　opinions　that　are　a　little　remarkable　for　a　man　who
lives　by　the　rifle；　seldom　snuffing　the　air　but　he　smells
gunpowder；　or　turning　out　of　his　berth　but　to　bear　down
on　an　enemy。〃

〃If　you　think　I　pass　my　days　in　warfare　against　my
kind；　you　know　neither　me　nor　my　history。　　The　man
that　lives　in　the　woods　and　on　the　frontiers　must　take　the
chances　of　the　things　among　which　he　dwells。　　For　this　I
am　not　accountable；　being　but　an　humble　and　powerless
hunter　and　scout　and　guide。　　My　real　calling　is　to　hunt
for　the　army；　on　its　marches　and　in　times　of　peace；　al…
though　I　am　more　especially　engaged　in　the　service　of　one
officer；　who　is　now　absent　in　the　settlements；　where　I　never
follow　him。　　No；　no；　bloodshed　and　warfare　are　not　my
real　gifts；　but　peace　and　mercy。　　Still；　I　must　face　the
enemy　as　well　as　another；　and　as　for　a　Mingo；　I　look　upon
him　as　man　looks　on　a　snake；　a　creatur'　to　be　put　beneath
the　heel　whenever　a　fitting　occasion　offers。〃

〃Well；　well；　I　have　mistaken　your　calling；　which　I　had
thought　as　regularly　warlike　as　that　of　a　ship's　gunner。
There　is　my　brother…in…law；　now；　he　has　been　a　soldier
since　he　was　sixteen；　and　he　looks　upon　his　trade　as　every
way　as　respectable　as　that　of　a　seafaring　man；　a　point　I
hardly　think　it　worth　while　to　dispute　with　him。〃

〃My　father　has　been　taught　to　believe　that　it　is　honor…
able　to　carry　arms；〃　said　Mabel；　〃for　his　father　was　a
soldier　before　him。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　resumed　the　guide；　〃most　of　the　Sergeant's
gifts　are　martial；　and　he　looks　at　most　things　in　this　world
over　the　barrel　of　his　musket。　　One　of　his　notions；　now；
is　to　prefer　a　king's　piece　to　a　regular；　double…sighted；
long…barrelled　rifle。　　Such　conceits　will　come　over　men
from　long　habit；　and　prejudice　is；　perhaps；　the　commonest
failing　of　human　natur'。〃

While　the　desultory　conversation　just　related　had　been
carried　on　in　subdued　voices；　the　canoes　were　dropping
slowly　down　with　the　current　within　the　deep　shadows　of
the　western　shore；　the　paddles　being　used　merely　to　pre…
serve　the　desired　direction　and　proper　positions。　　The
strength　of　the　stream　varied　materially；　the　water　being
seemingly　still　in　places；　while　in　other　reaches　it　flowed
at　a　rate　exceeding　two　or　even　three　miles　in　the　hour。
On　the　rifts　it　even　dashed　forward　with　a　velocity　that
was　appalling　to　the　unpractised　eye。　　Jasper　was　of
opinion　that　they　might　drift　down　with　the　current　to
the　mouth　of　the　river　in　two　hours　from　the　time　they
left　the　shore；　and　he　and　the　Pathfinder　had　agreed　on
the　expediency　of　suffering　the　canoes　to　float　of　them…
selves　for　a　time；　or　at　least　until　they　had　passed　the　first
dangers　of　their　new　movement。　　The　dialogue　had　been
carried　on　in　voices；　too；　guardedly　low；　for　though　the
quiet　of　deep　solitude　reigned　in　that　vast　and　nearly
boundless　forest；　nature　was　speaking　with　her　thousand
tongues　in　the　eloquent　language　of　night　in　a　wilderness。
The　air　sighed　through　ten　thousand　trees；　the　water
rippled；　and　at　places　even　roared　along　the　shores；　and
now　and　then　was　heard　the　creaking　of　a　branch　or　a
trunk；　as　it　rubbed　against　some　object　similar　to　itself；
under　the　vibrations　of　a　nicely　balanced　body。　　All　living
sounds　had　ceased。　　Once；　it　is　true；　the　Pathfinder　fancied
he　heard　the　howl　of　a　distant　wolf；　of　which　a　few　prowled
through　these　woods；　but　it　was　a　transient　and　doubtful
cry；　that　might　possibly　have　been　attributed　to　the　imag…
ination。　　When　he　desired　his　companions；　however；　to
cease　talking；　his　vigilant　ear　had　caught　the　peculiar
sound　which　is　made　by　the　parting　of　a　dried　branch　of
a　tree　and　which；　if　his　senses　did　not　deceive　him；　came
from　the　western　shore。　　All　who　are　accustomed　to　that
particular　sound　will　understand　how　reaily　the　ear　re…
ceives　it；　and　how　easy　it　is　to　distinguish　the　tread　which
breaks　the　branch　from　every　other　noise　of　the　forest。

〃There　is　the　footstep　of　a　man　on　the　bank；〃　said
Pathfinder　to　Jasper；　speaking　in　neither　a　whisper　nor
yet　in　a　voice　loud　enough　to　be　heard　at　any　distance。
〃Can　the　accursed　Iroquois　have　crossed　the　river　already；
with　their　arms；　and　without　a　boat？〃

〃It　may　be　the　Delaware。　　He　would　follow　us；　of
course　down　this　bank；　and　would　know　where　to　look　for
us。　　Let　me　draw　closer　into　the　shore；　and　reconnoitre。〃

〃Go　boy　but　be　light　with　the　paddle；　and　on　no　ac…
count　venture　ashore　on　an　onsartainty。〃

〃Is　this　prudent？〃　demanded　Mabel；　with　an　impetu…
osity　that　rendered　her　incautious　in　modulating　her　sweet
voice。

〃Very　imprudent；　if　you　speak　so　loud；　fair　one。　　I　like
your　voice；　which　is　soft　and　pleasing；　after　the　listening　so
long　to　the　tones　of　men；　but　it　must　not　be　heard　too
much；　or　too　freely；　just　now。　　Your　father；　the　honest
Sergeant；　will　tell　you；　when　you　meet　him；　that　silence　is
a　double　virtue　on　a　trail。　　Go；　Jasper；　and　do　justice　to
your　own　character　for　prudence。〃

Ten　anxious　minutes　succeeded　the　disappearance　of
the　canoe　of　Jasper；　which　glided　away　from　that　of　the
Pathfinder　so　noiselessly；　that　it　had　been　swallowed　up　in
the　gloom　before　Mabel　allowed　herself　to　believe　the
young　man　would　really　venture　alone　on　a　service　which
struck　her　imagination　as　singularly　dangerous。　　During
this　time；　the　party　continued　to　float　with　the　current；
no　one　speaking；　and；　it　might　almost　be　said；　no　one
breathing；　so　strong　was　the　general　desire　to　catch　the
minutest　sound　that　should　come　from　the　shore。　　But
the　same　solemn；　we　might；　indeed；　say　sublime；　quiet
reigned　as　before；　the　washing　of　the　water；　as　it　piled　up
against　some　slight　obstruction；　and　the　sighing　of　the
trees；　alone　interrupting　the　slumbers　of　the　forest。　　At
the　end　of　the　period　mentioned；　the　snapping　of　dried
branches　was　again　faintly　heard；　and　the　Pathfinder　fan…
cied　that　the　sound　of　smothered　voices　reached　him。

〃I　may　be　mistaken；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　thoughts　often
fancy　what　the　heart　wishes；　but　these　were　notes　like
the　low　tones　of　the　Delaware。〃

〃Do　the　dead　of　the　savages　ever　walk？〃　demanded　Cap。
〃Ay；　and　run　too；　in　their　happy　hunting…grounds；　but
nowhere　else。　　A　red…skin　finishes　with　the　'arth；　after
the　breath　quits　the　body。　　It　is　not　one　of　his　gifts　to
linger　around　his　wigwam　when　his　hour　has　passed。〃

〃I　see　some　object　on　the　water；〃　whispered　Mabel；
whose　eye　had　not　ceased　to　dwell　on　the　body　of　gloom；
with　close　intensity；　since　the　disappearance　of　Jasper。

〃It　is　the　canoe；〃　returned　the　guide；　greatly　relieved。
〃All　must　be　safe；　or　we　should　have　heard　from　the　lad。〃

In　another　minute　the　two　canoes；　which　became　visible
to　those　they　carried　only　as　they　drew　near　each　other；
again　floated　side　by　side；　and　the　form　of　Jasper　was
recognized　at　the　stern　of　his　own　boat。　　The　figure　of　a
second　man　was　seated　in　the　bow；　and；　as　the　young
sailor　so　wielded　his　paddle　as　to　bring　the