the pathfinder-第29部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


much　too　practised　not　to　understand　the　degree　of　respect
it　was　necessary　to　maintain　in　his　manner；　〃a　very　fine
day；　sir；　it　has　been　and　we　may　look　for　more　of　them　at
this　season。〃

〃I　hope　so　with　all　my　heart。　　The　crops　look　well　as
it　is　man　and　you'll　be　finding　that　the　55th　make　almost
as　good　farmers　as　soldiers。　　I　never　saw　better　potatoes
in　Scotland　than　we　are　likely　to　have　in　that　new　patch
of　ours。〃

〃They　promise　a　good　yield；　Major　Duncan；　and；　in　that
light；　a　more　comfortable　winter　than　the　last。〃

〃Life　is　progressive；　Sergeant；　in　its　comforts　as　well　as
in　its　need　of　them。　　We　grow　old；　and　I　begin　to　think
it　time　to　retire　and　settle　in　life。　　I　feel　that　my　working
days　are　nearly　over。〃

〃The　king；　God　bless　him！　sir；　has　much　good　service
in　your　honor　yet。〃

〃It　may　be　so；　Sergeant　Dunham；　especially　if　he　should
happen　to　have　a　spare　lieutenant…colonelcy　left。〃

〃The　55th　will　be　honored　the　day　that　commission　is
given　to　Duncan　of　Lundie；　sir。〃

〃And　Duncan　of　Lundie　will　be　honored　the　day　he　re…
ceives　it。　　But；　Sergeant；　if　you　have　never　had　a　lieutenant…
colonelcy；　you　have　had　a　good　wife；　and　that　is　the　next
thing　to　rank　in　making　a　man　happy。〃

〃I　have　been　married；　Major　Duncan；　but　it　is　now　a
long　time　since　I　have　had　no　drawback　on　the　love　I　bear
his　majesty　and　my　duty。〃

〃What；　man！　not　even　the　love　you　bear　that　active
little　round…limbed；　rosy…cheeked　daughter　that　I　have
seen　in　the　fort　these　last　few　days！　　Out　upon　you；　Ser…
geant！　old　fellow　as　I　am；　I　could　almost　love　that　little
lassie　myself；　and　send　the　lieuteuant…colonelcy　to　the
devil。〃

〃We　all　know　where　Major　Duncan's　heart　is；　and　that
is　in　Scotland；　where　a　beautiful　lady　is　ready　and　willing
to　make　him　happy；　as　soon　as　his　own　sense　of　duty　shall
permit。〃

〃Ay；　hope　is　ever　a　far…off　thing；　Sergeant；〃　returned
the　superior；　a　shade　of　melancholy　passing　over　his　hard
Scottish　features　as　he　spoke；　〃and　bonnie　Scotland　is　a
far…off　country。　　Well；　if　we　have　no　heather　and　oatmeal
in　this　region；　we　have　venison　for　the　killing　of　it　and
salmon　as　plenty　as　at　Berwick…upon…Tweed。　　Is　it　true；
Sergeant　that　the　men　complain　of　having　been　over…
venisoned　and　over…pigeoned　of　late？〃

〃Not　for　some　weeks；　Major　Duncan；　for　neither　deer
nor　birds　are　so　plenty　at　this　season　as　they　have　been。
They　begin　to　throw　their　remarks　about　concerning　the
salmon；　but　I　trust　we　shall　get　through　the　summer
without　any　serious　disturbance　on　the　score　of　food。　　The
Scotch　in　the　battalion　do；　indeed；　talk　more　than　is　pru…
dent　of　their　want　of　oatmeal；　grumbling　occasionally　of
our　wheaten　bread。〃

〃Ah；　that　is　human　nature；　Sergeant！　pure；　unadul…
terated　Scotch　human　nature。　　A　cake；　man；　to　say　the
truth；　is　an　agreeable　morsel；　and　I　often　see　the　time
when　I　pine　for　a　bite　myself。〃

〃If　the　feeling　gets　to　be　troublesome；　Major　Duncan；　
in　the　men；　I　mean；　sir；　for　I　would　not　think　of　saying　so
disrespectful　a　thing　to　your　honor；　　but　if　the　men　ever
pine　seriously　for　their　natural　food；　I　would　humbly
recommend　that　some　oatmeal　be　imported；　or　prepared　in
this　country　for　them；　and　I　think　we　shall　hear　no　more
of　it。　　A　very　little　would　answer　for　a　cure；　sir。〃

〃You　are　a　wag；　Sergeant；　but　hang　me　if　I　am　sure
you　are　not　right。　　There　may　be　sweeter　things　in　this
world；　after　all；　than　oatmeal。　　You　have　a　sweet　daughter；
Dunham；　for　one。〃

〃The　girl　is　like　her　mother；　Major　Duncan；　and　will
pass　inspection；〃　said　the　Sergeant　proudly。　　〃Neither
was　brought　up　on　anything　better　than　good　American
flour。　　The　girl　will　pass　inspection；　sir。〃

〃That　would　she；　I'll　answer　for　it。　　Well；　I　may　as　well
come　to　the　point　at　once；　man；　and　bring　up　my　reserve
into　the　front　of　the　battle。　　Here　is　Davy　Muir；　the
quartermaster；　disposed　to　make　your　daughter　his　wife；
and　he　has　just　got　me　to　open　the　matter　to　you；　being
fearful　of　compromising　his　own　dignity；　and　I　may　as
well　add　that　half　the　youngsters　in　the　fort　toast　her；　and
talk　of　her　from　morning　till　night。〃

〃She　is　much　honored；　sir；〃　returned　the　father　stiffly；
〃but　I　trust　the　gentlemen　will　find　something　more
worthy　of　them　to　talk　about　ere　long。　　I　hope　to　see　her
the　wife　of　an　honest　man　before　many　weeks；　sir。〃

〃Yes；　Davy　is　an　honest　man；　and　that　is　more　than　can
be　said　for　all　in　the　quartermaster's　department；　I'm
thinking；　Sergeant；〃　returned　Lundie；　with　a　slight　smile。
〃Well；　then　may　I　tell　the　Cupid…stricken　youth　that　the
matter　is　as　good　as　settled？〃

〃I　thank　your　honor；　but　Mabel　is　betrothed　to　an…
other。〃

〃The　devil　she　is！　　That　will　produce　a　stir　in　the　fort；
though　I'm　not　sorry　to　hear　it　either；　for；　to　be　frank
with　you；　Sergeant；　I'm　no　great　admirer　of　unequal
matches。〃

〃I　think　with　your　honor；　and　have　no　desire　to　see　my
daughter　an　officer's　lady。　　If　she　can　get　as　high　as　her
mother　was　before　her；　it　ought　to　satisfy　any　reasonable
woman。〃

〃And　may　I　ask；　Sergeant；　who　is　the　lucky　man　that
you　intend　to　call　son…in…law　？〃

〃The　Pathfinder；　your　honor。〃

〃Pathfinder！〃

〃The　same；　Major　Duncan；　and　in　naming　him　to　you；
I　give　you　his　whole　history。　　No　one　is　better　known　on
this　frontier　than　my　honest；　brave；　true…hearted　friend。〃

〃All　that　is　true　enough；　but　is　he；　after　all；　the　sort　of
person　to　make　a　girl　of　twenty　happy？〃

〃Why　not；　your　honor？　　The　man　is　at　the　head　of　his
calling。　　There　is　no　other　guide　or　scout　connected　with
the　army　who　has　half　the　reputation　of　Pathfinder；　or
who　deserves　to　have　it　half　as　well。〃

〃Very　true；　Sergeant；　but　is　the　reputation　of　a　scout
exactly　the　sort　of　renown　to　captivate　a　girl's　fancy？〃

〃Talking　of　girls'　fancies；　sir；　is　in　my　humble　opinion
much　like　talking　of　a　recruit's　judgment。　　If　we　were　to
take　the　movements　of　the　awkward　squad；　sir；　as　a　guide；
we　should　never　form　a　decent　line　in　battalion；　Major
Duncan。〃

〃But　your　daughter　has　nothing　awkward　about　her：
for　a　genteeler　girl　of　her　class　could　not　be　found　in　old
Albion　itself。　　Is　she　of　your　way　of　thinking　in　this
matter？　　though　I　suppose　she　must　be；　as　you　say　she　is
betrothed。〃

〃We　have　not　yet　conversed　on　the　subject；　your　honor；
but　I　consider　her　mind　as　good　as　made　up；　from　several
little　circumstances　which　might　be　named。〃

〃And　what　are　these　circumstances；　Sergeant？〃　asked
the　Major；　who　began　to　take　more　interest　than　he　had
at　first　felt　on　the　subject。　　〃I　confess　a　little　curiosity　to
know　something　about　a　woman's　mind；　being；　as　you
know；　a　bachelor　myself。〃

〃Why；　your　honor；　when　I　speak　of　the　Pathfinder　to
the　girl；　she　always　looks　me　full　in　the　face；　chimes　in
with　everything　I　say　in　his　favor；　and　has　a　frank　open
way　with　her；　which　says　as　much　as　if　she　half　considered
him　already　as　a　husband。〃

〃Hum！　and　these　signs；　you　think；　Dunham；　are　faith…
ful　tokens　of　your　daughter's　feelings？〃

〃I　do；　your　honor；　for　they　strike　me　as　natural。　　When
I　find　a　man；　sir；　who　looks　me　full　in　the　face；　while　he
praises　an　officer；　　for；　begging　your　honor's　pardon；　the
men　will　sometimes　pass　their　strictures　on　their　betters；
…　and　when　I　find　a　man　looking　me　in　the　eyes　as　he
praises　his　captain；　I　always　set　it　down　that　the　fellow　is
honest；　and　means　what　he　says。〃

〃Is　there　not　some　material　difference　in　the　age　of　the
intended　bridegroom　and　that　of　his　pretty　bride；　Ser…
geant？〃

〃You　are　quite　right；　sir；　Pathfinder　is　well　advanced
towards　forty；　and　Mabel　has　every　prospect　of　happiness
that　a　young　woman　can　derive　from　the　certainty　of　pos…
sessing　an　experienced　husband。　　I　was　quite　forty　myself；
your　honor；　when　I　married　her　mother。〃

〃But　will　your　daughter　be　as　likely　to　admire　a　green
hunting…shirt；　such　as　that　our　worthy　guide　wears；　with　a
fox…skin　cap；　as　the　smart　uniform　of　the　55th？〃

〃Perhaps　not；　sir；　and　therefore　she　will　have　the　merit
of　self…denial；　which　always　makes　a　young　woman　wiser
and　better。〃

〃And　are　you　not　afraid　that　she　may　be　left　a　widow
while　still　a　young　woman？　what　between　wild　beasts；　and
wilder　savages；　Pathfinder　may　be　said　to　carry　his　life　in
his　hand。〃

〃'Every　bullet　has　its　billet；'　Lundie；〃　for　so　the　Major
was　fond　of　being　called　in　his　moments　of　condescension；
and　when　not　engaged　in　military　affairs；　〃and　no　man　in
the　55th　can　call　himself　beyond　or　above　the　chances　of
sudden　death。　　In　that　particular；　Mabel　would　gain　nothing
by　a　change。　　Besides；　sir；　if　I　may　speak　freely　on　such　a
subject；　I　much　doubt　if　ever　Pathfinder　dies　in　battle；　or
by　any　of　the　sudden　chances　of　the　wilderness。〃

〃And　why　so；　Sergeant？〃　asked　the　Major。　　〃He　is　a
soldier；　so　far　as　danger　is　concerned；　and　one　that　is　much
more　than　usually　exposed；　and；　being　free　of　his　person；
why　should　he　expect　to　escape　when　others　do　not？〃

〃I　do　not　believe；　your　honor；　that　the　Pathfinder　con…
siders　his　own　chances　better　than　any　one's　else；　but　the
man　will　never　die　by　a　bullet。　　I　have　seen　him　so　often
handling　his　rifle　with　as　much　composure　as　if　it　were　a
shepherd's　crook；　in　the　midst　of　the　heaviest　showers　of
bullets；　and　under　so　many　extraordinary　circumstances；
that　I　do　not　think　Providence　means　he　should　ever　fall
in　that　manner。　　And　yet；　if　there　be　a　man　in　his　Majesty's
dominions　who　really　deserves　such　a　death；　it　is　Path…
finder。〃

〃We　never　know；　Sergeant；〃　returned　Lundie；　with　a
countenance　grave　with　thought；　〃and　the　less　we　say
about　it；　perhaps；　the　better。　　But　will　your　daughter　
Mabel；　I　think；　you　call　her　　will　Mabel　be　as　willing　to
accept　one　who；　after　all；　is　a　mere　hanger…on　of　the　army；
as　to　take　one　from　the　service　itself？　　There　is　no　hope
of　promotion　for　the　guide；　Sergeant。〃

〃He　is　at　the　head　of　his　corps　already；　your　honor。　　In
short；　Mabel　has　made　up　her　mind　on　this　subject；　and；
as　your　honor　has　had　the　condescension　to　speak　to　me
about　Mr。　Muir；　I　trust　you　will　be　kind　enough　to　say
that　the　girl　is　as　good　as　billeted　for　life。〃

〃Well；　well；　this　is　your　own　matter；　and；　now　　Ser…
geant　Dunha