the pathfinder-第35部分

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〃and　we　may　look　to　some　fine　shooting　in　the　double
trial。〃

〃What　a　thing　is　mortal　man！〃　repeated　the　hunter；
scarcely　seeming　to　notice　what　was　passing　around　him；
so　much　were　his　thoughts　absorbed　in　his　own　reflections。
〃Toss！〃

The　potato　was　tossed；　the　rifle　cracked；　　it　was　re…
marked　just　as　the　little　black　ball　seemed　stationary　in
the　air；　for　the　marksman　evidently　took　unusual　heed　to
his　aim；　　and　then　a　look　of　disappointment　and　wonder
succeeded　among　those　who　caught　the　falling　target。

〃Two　holes　in　one？〃　called　out　the　Major。

〃The　skin；　the　skin！〃　was　the　answer；　〃only　the　skin！〃

〃How's　this；　Pathfinder？　　Is　Jasper　Eau…douce　to　carry
off　the　honors　of　the　day？〃

〃The　calash　is　his；〃　returned　the　other；　shaking　his
head　and　walking　quietly　away　from　the　stand。　　〃What　a
creature　is　mortal　man！　never　satisfied　with　his　own　gifts；
but　for　ever　craving　that　which　Providence　denies！〃

As　Pathfinder　had　not　buried　his　bullet　in　the　potato；
but　had　cut　through　the　skin；　the　prize　was　immediately
adjudged　to　Jasper。　　The　calash　was　in　the　hands　of　the
latter　when　the　Quartermaster　approached；　and　with　a
polite　air　of　cordiality　he　wished　his　successful　rival　joy　of
his　victory。

〃But　now　you've　got　the　calash；　lad；　it's　of　no　use　to
you；〃　he　added；　〃it　will　never　make　a　sail；　nor　even　an
ensign。　　I'm　thinking；　Eau…douce；　you'd　no'　be　sorry　to
see　its　value　in　good　siller　of　the　king？〃

〃Money　cannot　buy　it；　Lieutenant；〃　returned　Jasper；
whose　eye　lighted　with　all　the　fire　of　success　and　joy。　　〃I
would　rather　have　won　this　calash　than　have　obtained　fifty
new　suits　of　sails　for　the　_Scud！_〃

〃Hoot；　hoot；　lad！　you　are　going　mad　like　all　the　rest　of
them。　　I'd　even　venture　to　offer　half　a　guinea　for　the　trifle
rather　than　it　should　lie　kicking　about　in　the　cabin　of
your　cutter；　and　in　the　end　become　an　ornament　for　the
head　of　a　squaw。〃

Although　Jasper　did　not　know　that　the　wary　Quarter…
master　had　not　offered　half　the　actual　cost　of　the　prize；　he
heard　the　proposition　with　indifference。　　Shaking　his　head
in　the　negative；　he　advanced　towards　the　stage；　where　his
approach　excited　a　little　commotion；　the　officers'　ladies；
one　and　all；　having　determined　to　accept　the　present；
should　the　gallantry　of　the　young　sailor　induce　him　to
offer　it。　　But　Jasper's　diffidence；　no　less　than　admiration
for　another；　would　have　prevented　him　from　aspiring　to
the　honor　of　complimenting　any　whom　he　thought　so
much　his　superiors。

〃Mabel；〃　said　he；　〃this　prize　is　for　you；　unless　　〃

〃Unless　what；　Jasper？〃　answered　the　girl；　losing　her
own　bashfulness　in　the　natural　and　generous　wish　to　re…
lieve　his　embarrassment；　though　both　reddened　in　a　way
to　betray　strong　feeling。

〃Unless　you　may　think　too　indifferently　of　it；　because
it　is　offered　by　one　who　may　have　no　right　to　believe　his
gift　will　be　accepted。〃

〃I　do　accept　it；　Jasper；　and　it　shall　be　a　sign　of　the
danger　I　have　passed　in　your　company；　and　of　the　grati…
tude　I　feel　for　your　care　of　me　　your　care；　and　that　of　the
Pathfinder。〃

〃Never　mind　me；　never　mind　me！〃　exclaimed　the　latter；
〃this　is　Jasper's　luck；　and　Jasper's　gift：　give　him　full
credit　for　both。　　My　turn　may　come　another　day；　mine
and　the　Quartermaster's；　who　seems　to　grudge　the　boy　the
calash；　though　what　_he_　can　want　of　it　I　cannot　under…
stand；　for　he　has　no　wife。〃

〃And　has　Jasper　Eau…douce　a　wife？　or　have　you　a　wife
yoursel'；　Pathfinder？　　I　may　want　it　to　help　to　get　a
wife；　or　as　a　memorial　that　I　have　had　a　wife；　or　as　proof
how　much　I　admire　the　sex；　or　because　it　is　a　female　gar…
ment；　or　for　some　other　equally　respectable　motive。　　It's
not　the　unreflecting　that　are　the　most　prized　by　the
thoughtful；　and　there　is　no　surer　sign　that　a　man　made　a
good　husband　to　his　first　consort；　let　me　tell　you　all；　than
to　see　him　speedily　looking　round　for　a　competent　suc…
cessor。　　The　affections　are　good　gifts　from　Providence；
and　they　that　have　loved　one　faithfully　prove　how　much
of　this　bounty　has　been　lavished　upon　them　by　loving　an…
other　as　soon　as　possible。〃

〃It　may　be　so；　it　may　be　so。　　I　am　no　practitioner　in
such　things；　and　cannot　gainsay　it。　　But　Mabel　here；　the
Sergeant's　daughter；　will　give　you　full　credit　for　the　words。
Come；　Jasper；　although　our　hands　are　out；　let　us　see　what
the　other　lads　can　do　with　the　rifle。〃

Pathfinder　and　his　companions　retired；　for　the　sports
were　about　to　proceed。　　The　ladies；　however；　were　not　so
much　engrossed　with　rifle…shooting　as　to　neglect　the　calash。
It　passed　from　hand　to　hand；　the　silk　was　felt；　the　fashion
criticized；　and　the　work　examined；　and　divers　opinions
were　privately　ventured　concerning　the　fitness　of　so　hand…
some　a　thing　passing　into　the　possession　of　a　non…commis…
sioned　officer's　child。

〃Perhaps　you　will　be　disposed　to　sell　that　calash；　Mabel；
when　it　has　been　a　short　time　in　your　possession？〃　in…
quired　the　captain's　lady。　　〃Wear　it；　I　should　think；　you
never　can。〃

〃I　may　not　wear　it；　madam；〃　returned　our　heroine
modestly；　〃but　I　should　not　like　to　part　with　it　either。〃

〃I　daresay　Sergeant　Dunham　keeps　you　above　the　ne…
cessity　of　selling　your　clothes；　child；　but；　at　the　same　time；
it　is　money　thrown　away　to　keep　an　article　of　dress　you
can　never　wear。〃

〃I　should　be　unwilling　to　part　with　the　gift　of　a　friend。〃

〃But　the　young　man　himself　will　think　all　the　better
of　you　for　your　prudence　after　the　triumph　of　the　day　is
forgotten。　　It　is　a　pretty　and　a　becoming　calash；　and　ought
not　to　be　thrown　away。〃

〃I've　no　intention　to　throw　it　away；　ma'am；　and；　if
you　please；　would　rather　keep　it。〃

〃As　you　will；　child；　girls　of　your　age　often　overlook
the　real　advantages。　　Remember；　however；　if　you　do　de…
termine　to　dispose　of　the　thing；　that　it　is　bespoke；　and　that
I　will　not　take　it　if　you　ever　even　put　it　on　your　own　head。〃

〃Yes；　ma'am；〃　said　Mabel；　in　the　meekest　voice　imagin…
able；　though　her　eyes　looked　like　diamonds；　and　her　cheeks
reddened　to　the　tints　of　two　roses；　as　she　placed　the　for…
bidden　garment　over　her　well…turned　shoulders；　where　she
kept　it　a　minute；　as　if　to　try　its　fitness；　and　then　quietly
removed　it　again。

The　remainder　of　the　sports　offered　nothing　of　interest。
The　shooting　was　reasonably　good；　but　the　trials　were　all
of　a　scale　lower　than　those　related；　and　the　competitors
were　soon　left　to　themselves。　　The　ladies　and　most　of　the
officers　withdrew；　and　the　remainder　of　the　females　soon
followed　their　example。　　Mabel　was　returning　along　the
low　flat　rocks　that　line　the　shore　of　the　lake；　dangling　her
pretty　calash　from　a　prettier　finger；　when　Pathfinder　met
her。　　He　carried　the　rifle　which　he　had　used　that　day；　but
his　manner　had　less　of　the　frank　ease　of　the　hunter　about
it　than　usual；　while　his　eye　seemed　roving　and　uneasy。
After　a　few　unmeaning　words　concerning　the　noble　sheet
of　water　before　them；　he　turned　towards　his　companion
with　strong　interest　in　his　countenance；　and　said；　

〃Jasper　earned　that　calash　for　you；　Mabel；　without　much
trial　of　his　gifts。〃

〃It　was　fairly　done；　Pathfinder。〃

〃No　doubt；　no　doubt。　　The　bullet　passed　neatly　through
the　potato；　and　no　man　could　have　done　more；　though
others　might　have　done　as　much。〃

〃But　no　one　did　as　much！〃　exclaimed　Mabel；　with　an
animation　that　she　instantly　regretted；　for　she　saw　by　the
pained　look　of　the　guide　that　he　was　mortified　equally　by
the　remark　and　by　the　feeling　with　which　it　was　uttered。

〃It　is　true；　it　is　true；　Mabel；　no　one　did　as　much　then；
but　　yet　there　is　no　reason　I　should　deny　my　gifts　which
come　from　Providence　　yes；　yes；　no　one　did　as　much
there；　but　you　shall　know　what　_can_　be　done　here。　　Do　you
observe　the　gulls　that　are　flying　over　our　heads？〃

〃Certainly；　Pathfinder；　there　are　too　many　to　escape
notice。〃

〃Here；　where　they　cross　each　other　in　sailing　about；〃
he　added；　cocking　and　raising　his　rifle；　〃the　two　　the　two。
Now　look！〃

The　piece　was　presented　quick　as　thought；　as　two　of　the
birds　came　in　a　line；　though　distant　from　each　other　many
yards；　the　report　followed；　and　the　bullet　passed　through
the　bodies　of　both　victims。　　No　sooner　had　the　gulls
fallen　into　the　lake；　than　Pathfinder　dropped　the　butt…end
of　the　rifle；　and　laughed　in　his　own　peculiar　manner；　every
shade　of　dissatisfaction　and　mortified　pride　having　left　his
honest　face。

〃That　is　something；　Mabel；　that　is　something；　although
I　have　no　calash　to　give　you！　　But　ask　Jasper　himself；　I'll
leave　it　all　to　Jasper；　for　a　truer　tongue　and　heart　are　not
in　America。〃

〃Then　it　was　not　Jasper's　fault　that　he　gained　the
prize？〃

〃Not　it。　　He　did　his　best；　and　he　did　well。　　For　one
that　has　water　gifts；　rather　than　land　gifts；　Jasper　is　un…
commonly　expert；　and　a　better　backer　no　one　need　wish；
ashore　or　afloat。　　But　it　was　my　fault；　Mabel；　that　he　got
the　calash；　though　it　makes　no　difference　　it　makes　no
difference；　for　the　thing　has　gone　to　the　right　person。〃

〃I　believe　I　understand　you；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Mabel；
blushing　in　spite　of　herself；　〃and　I　look　upon　the　calash
as　the　joint　gift　of　yourself　and　Jasper。〃

〃That　would　not　be　doing　justice　to　the　lad；　neither。
He　won　the　garment；　and　had　a　right　to　give　it　away。　　The
most　you　may　think；　Mabel；　is　to　believe　that；　had　I　won
it；　it　would　have　gone　to　the　same　person。〃

〃I　will　remember　that；　Pathfinder；　and　take　care　that
others　know　your　skill；　as　it　has　been　proved　upon　the
poor　gulls　in　my　presence。〃

〃Lord　bless　you；　Mabel！　there　is　no　more　need　of　your
talking　in　favor　of　my　shooting　on　this　frontier；　than　of
your　talking　about　the　water　in　the　lake　or　the　sun　in　the
heavens。　　Everybody　knows　what　I　can　do　in　that　way；
and　your　words　would　be　thrown　away；　as　much　as　French
would　be　thrown　away　on　an　American　bear。〃

〃Then　you　think　that　Jasper　knew　you　were　giving
him　this　advantage；　of　which　he　had　so　unhandsomely
availed　himself？〃　said　Mabel；　the　color
which　had　im…
parted　so　much　lustre　to　her　eyes　gradually　leaving　her
face；　which　became　grave　and　thoughtful。

〃I　do　not　say　that；　but　very　far　from　it。　　We　all　forget
things　that　we　have　known；　when　eager　after　our　wishes。
Jasper　is　satisfied　that　I　can　pass　on