the pathfinder-第24部分

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large；　and　fair　to　look　at；　and　pleasant　enough　to　drink；
for　those　who　can't　get　at　the　water　of　the　springs。〃

〃Do　you　call　this　large？〃　asked　Cap；　again　sweeping
the　air　with　the　pipe。　　〃I　will　just　ask　you　what　there　is
large　about　it？　　Didn't　Jasper　himself　confess　that　it　was
only　some　twenty　leagues　from　shore　to　shore？〃

〃But；　uncle；〃　interposed　Mabel；　〃no　land　is　to　be　seen；
except　here　on　our　own　coast。　　To　me　it　koks　exactly　like
the　ocean。〃

〃This　bit　of　a　pond　look　like　the　ocean！　　Well；　Magnet；
that　from　a　girl　who　has　had　real　seamen　in　her　family　is
downright　nonsense。　　What　is　there　about　it；　pray；　that
has　even　the　outline　of　a　sea　on　it？〃

〃Why；　there　is　water　　water　　water　　nothing　but
water；　for　miles　on　miles　　far　as　the　eye　can　see。〃

〃And　isn't　there　water　　water　　water　　nothing　but
water　for　miles　on　miles　in　your　rivers；　that　you　have　been
canoeing　through；　too？　　ay；　and　'as　far　as　the　eye　can　see；'
in　the　bargain？〃

〃Yes；　uncle；　but　the　rivers　have　their　banks；　and　there
are　trees　along　them；　and　they　are　narrow。〃

〃And　isn't　this　a　bank　where　we　stand？　don't　these
soldiers　call　this　the　bank　of　the　lake？　and　aren't　there
trees　in　thousands？　and　aren't　twenty　leagues　narrow
enough　of　all　conscience？　　Who　the　devil　ever　heard　of
the　banks　of　the　ocean；　unless　it　might　be　the　banks　that
are　under　water？〃

〃But；　uncle；　we　cannot　see　across　this　lake；　as　we　can
see　across　a　river。〃

〃There　you　are　out；　Magnet。　　Aren't　the　Amazon　and
Oronoco　and　La　Plata　rivers；　and　can　you　see　across　them？
Hark'e　Pathfinder；　I　very　much　doubt　if　this　stripe　of
water　here　be　even　a　lake；　for　to　me　it　appears　to　be　only
a　river。　　You　are　by　no　means　particular　about　your
geography；　I　find；　up　here　in　the　woods。〃

〃There　_you_　are　out；　Master　Cap。　　There　is　a　river；　and
a　noble　one　too；　at　each　end　of　it；　but　this　is　old　Ontario
before　you；　and；　though　it　is　not　my　gift　to　live　on　a　lake；
to　my　judgment　there　are　few　better　than　this。〃

〃And；　uncle；　if　we　stood　on　the　beach　at　Rockaway；
what　more　should　we　see　than　we　now　behold？　　There　is
a　shore　on　one　side；　or　banks　there；　and　trees　too；　as　well
as　those　which　are　here。〃

〃This　is　perverseness；　Magnet；　and　young　girls　should
steer　clear　of　anything　like　obstinacy。　　In　the　first　place；
the　ocean　has　coasts；　but　no　banks；　except　the　Grand
Banks；　as　I　tell　you；　which　are　out　of　sight　of　land；　and
you　will　not　pretend　that　this　bank　is　out　of　sight　of
land；　or　even　under　water？〃

As　Mabel　could　not　very　plausibly　set　up　this　extrava…
gant　opinion；　Cap　pursued　the　subject；　his　countenance
beginning　to　discover　the　triumph　of　a　successful　dis…
putant。

〃And　then　them　trees　bear　no　comparison　to　these
trees。　　The　coasts　of　the　ocean　have　farms　and　cities　and
country…seats；　and；　in　some　parts　of　the　world；　castles　and
monasteries　and　lighthouses　　ay；　ay　　lighthouses；　in
particular；　on　them；　not　one　of　all　which　things　is　to　be
seen　here。　　No；　no；　Master　Pathfinder；　I　never　heard　of
an　ocean　that　hadn't　more　or　less　lighthouses　on　it；
whereas；　hereaway　there　is　not　even　a　beacon。〃

〃There　is　what　is　better；　there　is　what　is　better；　a　forest
and　noble　trees；　a　fit　temple　of　God。〃

〃Ay；　your　forest　may　do　for　a　lake；　but　of　what　use
would　an　ocean　be　if　the　earth　all　around　it　were　forest？
Ships　would　be　unnecessary；　as　timber　might　be　floated　in
rafts；　and　there　would　be　an　end　of　trade；　and　what　would
a　world　be　without　trade？　　I　am　of　that　philosopher's
opinion　who　says　human　nature　was　invented　for　the　pur…
poses　of　trade。　　Magnet；　I　am　astonished　that　you　should
think　this　water　even　looks　like　sea…water！　　Now；　I　dare…
say　that　there　isn't　such　a　thing　as　a　whale　in　all　your
lake；　Master　Pathfinder？〃

〃I　never　heard　of　one；　I　will　confess；　but　I　am　no　judge
of　animals　that　live　in　the　water；　unless　it　be　the　fishes　of
the　rivers　and　the　brooks。〃

〃Nor　a　grampus；　nor　a　porpoise　even？　not　so　much　as
a　poor　devil　of　a　shark？〃

〃I　will　not　take　it　on　myself　to　say　there　is　either。　　My
gifts　are　not　in　that　way；　I　tell　you；　Master　Cap。〃

〃Nor　herring；　nor　albatross；　nor　flying…fish？〃　continued
Cap；　who　kept　his　eye　fastened　on　the　guide；　in　order　to
see　how　far　he　might　venture。　　〃No　such　thing　as　a　fish
that　can　fly；　I　daresay？〃

〃A　fish　that　can　fly！　　Master　Cap；　Master　Cap；　do　not
think；　because　we　are　mere　borderers；　that　we　have　no
idees　of　natur'；　and　what　she　has　been　pleased　to　do。　　I
know　there　are　squirrels　that　can　fly　　〃

〃A　squirrel　fly！　　the　devil；　Master　Pathfinder！　　Do　you
suppose　that　you　have　got　a　boy　on　his　first　v'y'ge　up　here
among　you？〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　your　v'y'ges；　Master　Cap；　though　I
suppose　them　to　have　been　many；　for　as　for　what　belongs
to　natur'　in　the　woods；　what　I　have　seen　I　may　tell；　and
not　fear　the　face　of　man。〃

〃And　do　you　wish　me　to　understand　that　you　have　seen
a　squirrel　fly？〃

〃If　you　wish　to　understand　the　power　of　God；　Master
Cap；　you　will　do　well　to　believe　that；　and　many　other
things　of　a　like　natur'；　for　you　may　be　quite　sartain　it　is
true。〃

〃And　yet；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Mabel；　looking　so　prettily
and　sweetly　even　while　she　played　with　the　guide's　in…
firmity；　that　he　forgave　her　in　his　heart；　〃you；　who　speak
so　reverently　of　the　power　of　the　Deity；　appear　to　doubt
that　a　fish　can　fly。〃

〃I　have　not　said　it；　I　have　not　said　it；　and　if　Master
Cap　is　ready　to　testify　to　the　fact；　unlikely　as　it　seems；　I
am　willing　to　try　to　think　it　true。　　I　think　it　every　man's
duty　to　believe　in　the　power　of　God；　however　difficult　it
may　be。〃

〃And　why　isn't　my　fish　as　likely　to　have　wings　as　your
squirrel？〃　demanded　Cap；　with　more　logic　than　was　his
wont。　　〃That　fishes　do　and　can　fly　is　as　true　as　it　is　rea…
sonable。〃

〃Nay；　that　is　the　only　difficulty　in　believing　the　story；〃
rejoined　the　guide。　　〃It　seems　unreasonable　to　give　an
animal　that　lives　in　the　water　wings；　which　seemingly　can
be　of　no　use　to　it。〃

〃And　do　you　suppose　that　the　fishes　are　such　asses　as　to
fly　about　under　water；　when　they　are　once　fairly　fitted　out
with　wings？〃

〃Nay；　I　know　nothing　of　the　matter；　but　that　fish
should　fly　in　the　air　seems　more　contrary　to　natur'　still；
than　that　the'y　should　fly　in　their　own　element　　that　in
which　they　were　born　and　brought　up；　as　one　might　say。〃

〃So　much　for　contracted　ideas；　Magnet。　　The　fish　fly
out　of　water　to　run　away　from　their　enemies　in　the　water；
and　there　you　see　not　only　the　fact；　but　the　reason　for　it。〃

〃Then　I　suppose　it　must　be　true；〃　said　the　guide　quietly。
〃How　long　are　their　flights？〃

〃Not　quite　as　far　as　those　of　pigeons；　perhaps；　but　far
enough　to　make　an　offing。　　As　for　those　squirrels　of　yours；
we'll　say　no　more　about　them；　friend　Pathfinder；　as　I　sup…
pose　they　were　mentioned　just　as　a　make…weight　to　the
fish；　in　favor　of　the　woods。　　But　what　is　this　thing　an…
chored　here　under　the　hill？〃

〃That　is　the　cutter　of　Jasper；　uncle；〃　said　Mabel　hur…
riedly；　〃and　a　very　pretty　vessel　I　think　it　is。　　Its　name；
too；　is　the　_Scud_。〃

〃Ay；　it　will　do　well　enough　for　a　lake；　perhaps；　but　it's
no　great　affair。　　The　lad　has　got　a　standing　bowsprit；　and
who　ever　saw　a　cutter　with　a　standing　bowsprit　before？〃

〃But　may　there　not　be　some　good　reason　for　it；　on　a
lake　like　this；　uncle？〃

〃Sure　enough　　I　must　remember　this　is　not　the　ocean；
though　it　does　look　so　much　like　it。〃

〃Ah；　uncle！　then　Ontario　does　look　like　the　ocean；　after
all？〃

〃In　your　eyes；　I　mean；　and　those　of　Pathfinder；　not　in
the　least　in　mine；　Magnet。　　Now　you　might　set　me　down
out　yonder；　in　the　middle　of　this　bit　of　a　pond；　and　that；
too；　in　the　darkest　night　that　ever　fell　from　the　heavens；
and　in　the　smallest　canoe；　and　I　could　tell　you　it　was　only
a　lake。　　For　that　matter；　the　_Dorothy_〃　（the　name　of　his
vessel）　〃would　find　it　out　as　quick　as　I　could　myself。　　I
do　not　believe　that　brig　would　make　more　than　a　couple
of　short　stretches；　at　the　most；　before　she　would　perceive
the　difference　between　Ontario　and　the　old　Atlantic。　　I
once　took　her　down　into　one　of　the　large　South　American
bays；　and　she　behaved　herself　as　awkwardly　as　a　booby
would　in　a　church　with　the　congregation　in　a　hurry。　　And
Jasper　sails　that　boat？　　I　must　have　a　cruise　with　the　lad；
Magnet；　before　I　quit　you；　just　for　the　name　of　the　thing。
It　would　never　do　to　say　I　got　in　sight　of　this　pond；　and
went　away　without　taking　a　trip　on　it。〃

〃Well　well；　you　needn't　wait　long　for　that；〃　returned
Pathfinder；　〃for　the　Sergeant　is　about　to　embark　with　a
party　to　relieve　a　post　among　the　Thousand　Islands；　and
as　I　heard　him　say　he　intended　that　Mabel　should　go　along；
you　can　join　the　company　too。〃

〃Is　this　true；　Magnet？〃

〃I　believe　it　is；〃　returned　the　girl；　a　flush　so　imper…
ceptible　as　to　escape　the　observation　of　her　companions
glowing　on　her　cheeks；　〃though　I　have　had　so　little　op…
portunity　to　talk　with　my　dear　father　that　I　am　not　quite
certain。　　Here　he　comes；　however；　and　you　can　inquire　of
himself。〃

Notwithstanding　his　humble　rank；　there　was　something
in　the　mien　and　character　of　Sergeant　Dunham　that　com…
manded　respect：　of　a　tall；　imposing　figure；　grave　and
saturnine　disposition；　and　accurate　and　precise　in　his　acts
and　manner　of　thinking；　even　Cap；　dogmatical　and　super…
cilious　as　he　usually　was　with　landsmen；　did　not　presume
to　take　the　same　liberties　with　the　old　soldier　as　he　did
with　his　other　friends。　　It　was　often　remarked　that　Ser…
geant　Dunham　received　more　true　respect　from　Duncan
of　Lundie；　the　Scotch　laird　who　commanded　the　post；　than
most　of　the　subalterns；　for　experience　and　tried　services
were　of　quite　as　much　value　in　the　eyes　of　the　veteran
major　as　birth　and　money。　　While　the　Sergeant　never　even
hoped　to　rise　any　higher；　he　so　far　respected　himself　and
his　present　station　as　always　to　act　in　a　way　to　command
attention；　and　the　habit　of　mixing　so　much　with　inferiors；
whose　passions　and　dispositions　he　felt　it　necessary　to　re…
strain　by　distance　and　dignity；　had　so　far　colored　his　whole
deportment；　that　few　were　altogether　free　from　its　influ…
ence。　　While　the　captains　treated　him　kindly　and　as　an
old　comrade；　the　lieutenants　seldom　ventured　to　disse