the pathfinder-第26部分

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Oswego　was　particularly　well　placed　to　keep　the　larder　of
an　epicure　amply　supplied。　　Fish　of　various　sorts　abounded
in　its　river；　and　the　sportsman　had　only　to　cast　his　line　to
haul　in　a　bass　or　some　other　member　of　the　finny　tribe；
which　then　peopled　the　waters；　as　the　air　above　the　swamps
of　this　fruitful　latitude　are　known　to　be　filled　with　insects。
Among　others　was　the　salmon　of　the　lakes；　a　variety　of
that　well…known　species；　that　is　scarcely　inferior　to　the
delicious　salmon　of　northern　Europe。　　Of　the　different
migratory　birds　that　frequent　forests　and　waters；　there
was　the　same　affluence；　hundreds　of　acres　of　geese　and
ducks　being　often　seen　at　a　time　in　the　great　bays　that
indent　the　shores　of　the　lake。　　Deer；　bears；　rabbits；　and
squirrels；　with　divers　other　quadrupeds；　among　which　was
sometimes　included　the　elk；　or　moose；　helped　to　complete
the　sum　of　the　natural　supplies　on　which　all　the　posts　de…
pended；　more　or　less；　to　relieve　the　unavoidable　privations
of　their　remote　frontier　positions。

In　a　place　where　viands　that　would　elsewhere　be　deemed
great　luxuries　were　so　abundant；　no　one　was　excluded
from　their　enjoyment。　　The　meanest　individual　at　Oswego
habitually　feasted　on　game　that　would　have　formed　the
boast　of　a　Parisian　table；　and　it　was　no　more　than　a
healthful　commentary　on　the　caprices　of　taste；　and　of　the
waywardness　of　human　desires；　that　the　very　diet　which
in　other　scenes　would　have　been　deemed　the　subject　of
envy　and　repinings　got　to　pall　on　the　appetite。　　The
coarse　and　regular　food　of　the　army；　which　it　became
necessary　to　husband　on　account　of　the　difficulty　of　trans…
portation；　rose　in　the　estimation　of　the　common　soldier；
and　at　any　time　he　would　cheerfully　desert　his　venison；
and　ducks；　and　pigeons；　and　salmon；　to　banquet　on　the
sweets　of　pickled　pork；　stringy　turnips；　and　half…cooked
cabbage。

The　table　of　Sergeant　Dunham；　as　a　matter　of　course；
partook　of　the　abundance　and　luxuries　of　the　frontier；　as
well　as　of　its　privations。　　A　delicious　broiled　salmon
smoked　on　a　homely　platter；　hot　venison　steaks　sent　up
their　appetizing　odors；　and　several　dishes　of　cold　meats；
all　of　which　were　composed　of　game；　had　been　set　before
the　guests；　in　honor　of　the　newly　arrived　visitors；　and　in
vindication　of　the　old　soldier's　hospitality。

〃You　do　not　seem　to　be　on　short　allowance　in　this
quarter　of　the　world；　Sergeant；〃　said　Cap；　after　he　had　got
fairly　initiated　into　the　mysteries　of　the　different　dishes；
〃your　salmon　might　satisfy　a　Scotsman。〃

〃It　fails　to　do　it；　notwithstanding；　brother　Cap；　for
among　two　or　three　hundred　of　the　fellows　that　we　have
in　this　garrison　there　are　not　half　a　dozen　who　will　not
swear　that　the　fish　is　unfit　to　be　eaten。　　Even　some　of　the
lads；　who　never　tasted　venison　except　as　poachers　at　home；
turn　up　their　noses　at　the　fattest　haunches　that　we　get
here。〃

〃Ay；　that　is　Christian　natur'；〃　put　in　Pathfinder；　〃and
I　must　say　it　is　none　to　its　credit。　　Now；　a　red…skin　never
repines；　but　is　always　thankful　for　the　food　he　gets；
whether　it　be　fat　or　lean；　venison　or　bear；　wild　turkey's
breast　or　wild　goose's　wing。　　To　the　shame　of　us　white
men　be　it　said；　that　we　look　upon　blessings　without　satis…
faction；　and　consider　trifling　evils　as　matters　of　great　ac…
count。〃

〃It　is　so　with　the　55th；　as　I　can　answer；　though　I　cannot
say　as　much　for　their　Christianity；〃　returned　the　Sergeant。
〃Even　the　major　himself；　old　Duncan　of　Lundie；　will
sometimes　swear　that　an　oatmeal　cake　is　better　fare　than
the　Oswego　bass；　and　sigh　for　a　swallow　of　Highland　water；
when；　if　so　minded；　he　has　the　whole　of　Ontario　to　quench
his　thirst　in。〃

〃Has　Major　Duncan　a　wife　and　children？〃　asked　Mabel；
whose　thoughts　naturally　turned　towards　her　own　sex　in
her　new　situation。

〃Not　he；　girl；　though　they　do　say　that　he　has　a　be…
trothed　at　home。　　The　lady；　it　seems；　is　willing　to　wait；
rather　than　suffer　the　hardships　of　service　in　this　wild
region；　all　of　which；　brother　Cap；　is　not　according　to　my
notions　of　a　woman's　duties。　　Your　sister　thought　differ…
ently。〃

〃I　hope；　Sergeant；　you　do　not　think　of　Mabel　for　a　sol…
dier's　wife；〃　returned　Cap　gravely。　　〃Our　family　has　done
its　share　in　that　way　already；　and　it's　high　time　that　the
sea　was　again　remembered。〃

〃I　do　not　think　of　finding　a　husband　for　the　girl　in　the
55th；　or　any　other　regiment；　I　can　promise　you；　brother；
though　I　do　think　it　getting　to　be　time　that　the　child　were
respectably　married。〃

〃Father！〃

〃'Tis　not　their　gifts；　Sergeant；　to　talk　of　these　matters
in　so　open　a　manner；〃　said　the　guide；　〃for　I've　seen　it
verified　by　experience；　that　he　who　would　follow　the　trail
of　a　virgin's　good…will　must　not　go　shouting　out　his
thoughts　behind　her。　　So；　if　you　please；　we　will　talk　of
something　else。〃

〃Well；　then；　brother　Cap；　I　hope　that　bit　of　a　cold
roasted　pig　is　to　your　mind；　you　seem　to　fancy　the　food。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　give　me　civilized　grub　if　I　must　eat；〃　returned
the　pertinacious　seaman。　　〃Venison　is　well　enough　for
your　inland　sailors；　but　we　of　the　ocean　like　a　little　of　that
which　we　understand。〃

Here　Pathfinder　laid　down　his　knife　and　fork；　and　in…
dulged　in　a　hearty　laugh；　though　in　his　always　silent　man…
ner；　then　he　asked；　with　a　little　curiosity　in　his　manner；　

〃Don't；　you　miss　the　skin；　Master　Cap？　don't　you　miss
the　skin？

〃It　would　have　been　better　for　its　jacket；　I　think　my…
self；　Pathfinder；　but　I　suppose　it　is　a　fashion　of　the　woods
to　serve　up　shoats　in　this　style。〃

〃Well；　well；　a　man　may　go　round　the　'arth　and　not
know　everything。　　If　you　had　had　the　skinning　of　that
pig；　Master　Cap；　it　would　have　left　you　sore　hands。　　The
cratur'　is　a　hedgehog！〃

〃Blast　me；　if　I　thought　it　wholesome　natural　pork
either！〃　returned　Cap。　　〃But　then　I　believed　even　a　pig
might　lose　some　of　its　good　qualities　up　hereaway　in　the
woods。〃

〃If　the　skinning　of　it；　brother；　does　not　fall　to　my
duty。　　Pathfinder；　I　hope　you　didn't　find　Mabel　disobedi…
ent　on　the　march？〃

〃Not　she；　not　she。　　If　Mabel　is　only　half　as　well　satisfied
with　Jasper　and　Pathfinder　as　the　Pathfinder　and　Jasper
are　satisfied　with　her；　Sergeant；　we　shall　be　friends　for　the
remainder　of　our　days。〃

As　the　guide　spoke；　he　turned　his　eyes　towards　the
blushing　girl；　with　a　sort　of　innocent　desire　to　know　her
opinion；　and　then；　with　an　inborn　delicacy；　which　proved
he　was　far　superior　to　the　vulgar　desire　to　invade　the
sanctity　of　feminine　feeling；　he　looked　at　his　plate；　and
seemed　to　regret　his　own　boldness。

〃Well；　well；　we　must　remember　that　women　are　not
men；　my　friend；〃　resumed　the　Sergeant；　〃and　make　proper
allowances　for　nature　and　education。　　A　recruit　is　not　a
veteran。　　Any　man　knows　that　it　takes　longer　to　make
a　good　soldier　than　it　takes　to　make　anything　else。〃

〃This　is　new　doctrine；　Sergeant；〃　said　Cap　with　some
spirit。　　〃We　old　seamen　are　apt　to　think　that　six　soldiers；
ay；　and　capital　soldiers　too；　might　be　made　while　one　sailor
is　getting　his　education。〃

〃Ay；　brother　Cap；　I've　seen　something　of　the　opinions
which　seafaring　men　have　of　themselves；〃　returned　the
brother…in…law；　with　a　smile　as　bland　as　comported　with
his　saturnine　features；　〃for　I　was　many　years　one　of　the
garrison　in　a　seaport。　　You　and　I　have　conversed　on　the
subject　before　and　I'm　afraid　we　shall　never　agree。　　But
if　you　wish　to　know　what　the　difference　is　between　a　real
soldier　and　man　in　what　I　should　call　a　state　of　nature；
you　have　only　to　look　at　a　battalion　of　the　55th　on　parade
this　afternoon；　and　then；　when　you　get　back　to　York；　ex…
amine　one　of　the　militia　regiments　making　its　greatest
efforts。〃

〃Well；　to　my　eye；　Sergeant；　there　is　very　little　difference；
not　more　than　you'll　find　between　a　brig　and　a　snow。　　To
me　they　seem　alike：　all　scarlet；　and　feathers；　and　powder；
and　pipeclay。〃

〃So　much；　sir；　for　the　judgment　of　a　sailor；〃　returned
the　Sergeant　with　dignity；　〃but　perhaps　you　are　not　aware
that　it　requires　a　year　to　teach　a　true　soldier　how　to　eat？〃

〃So　much　the　worse　for　him。　　The　militia　know　how
to　eat　at　starting；　for　I　have　often　heard　that；　on　their
marches；　they　commonly　eat　all　before　them；　even　if　they
do　nothing　else。〃

〃They　have　their　gifts；　I　suppose；　like　other　men；〃　ob…
served　Pathfinder；　with　a　view　to　preserve　the　peace；　which
was　evidently　in　some　danger　of　being　broken　by　the　ob…
stinate　predilection　of　each　of　the　disputants　in　favor　of
his　own　calling；　〃and　when　a　man　has　his　gift　from
Providence；　it　is　commonly　idle　to　endeavor　to　bear　up
against　it。　　The　55th；　Sergeant；　is　a　judicous　regiment　in
the　way　of　eating；　as　I　know　from　having　been　so　long　in
its　company　though　I　daeesay　militia　corps　could　be　found
that　would　outdo　them　in　feats　of　that　natur'　too。〃

〃Uncle；〃　said　Mabel；　〃if　you　have　breakfasted；　I　will
thank　you　to　go　out　upon　the　bastion　with　me　again。
We　have　neither　of　us　half　seen　the　lake；　and　it　would　be
hardly　seemly　for　a　young　woman　to　be　walking　about　the
fort；　the　first　day　of　her　arrival；　quite　alone。〃

Cap　understood　the　motive　of　Mabel；　and　having；　at
the　bottom；　a　hearty　friendship　for　his　brother…in…law；　he
was　willing　enough　to　defer　the　argument　until　they　had
been　longer　together；　for　the　idea　of　abandoning　it　alto…
gether　never　crossed　the　mind　of　one　so　dogmatical　and
obstinate。　　He　accordingly　accompanied　his　niece；　leaving
Sergeant　Dunham　and　his　friend；　the　Pathfinder；　alone
together。　　As　soon　as　his　adversary　had　beat　a　retreat；　the
Sergeant；　who　did　not　quite　so　well　understand　the
manoeuvre　of　his　daughter；　turned　to　his　companion；
and；　with　a　smile　which　was　not　without　triumph；　he　re…
marked；　

〃The　army；　Pathfinder；　has　never　yet　done　itself　justice
in　the　way　of　asserting　its　rights；　and　though　modesty
becomes　a　man；　whether　he　is　in　a　red　coat　or　a　black　one；
or；　for　that　matter；　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　I　don't　like　to　let
a　good　opportunity　slip　of　saying　a　word　in　its　behalf。
Well；　my　friend；〃　laying　his　own　hand　on　one　of　the　Path…
finder's；　and　giving　it　a　hearty　squeeze；　〃how　do　you　like
the　girl？〃

〃You　have　reason　to　be　proud　of　her；　Sergeant。　　I　have
seen　many　of　her　sex；　and　some　that　were　great　and　beau…
tif