the pathfinder-第4部分

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order　to　be　of　service　if　wanted。　　It　is　lucky　we　did；　for　I
doubt　if　Arrowhead　be　the　man　to　shoot　the　current。〃

〃Here　come　my　uncle　and　the　Tuscarora；　and　our　parties
can　now　join。〃　　As　Mabel　concluded；　Cap　and　Arrowhead；
who　saw　that　the　conference　was　amicable；　drew　nigh；　and
a　few　words　sufficed　to　let　them　know　as　much　as　the　girl
herself　had　learned　from　the　strangers。　　As　soon　as　this
was　done；　the　party　proceeded　towards　the　two　who　still
remained　near　the　fire。



CHAPTER　II。

Yea！　long　as　Nature's　humblest　child
Hath　kept　her　temple　undefiled
　　　By　simple　sacrifice；
Earth's　fairest　scenes　are　all　his　own；
He　is　a　monarch　and　his　throne
　　　Is　built　amid　the　skies！
WILSON。


The　Mohican　continued　to　eat；　though　the　second　white
man　rose；　and　courteously　took　off　his　cap　to　Mabel　Dun…
ham。　　He　was　young；　healthful；　and　manly　in　appearance；
and　he　wore　a　dress　which；　while　it　was　less　rigidly　pro…
fessional　than　that　of　the　uncle；　also　denoted　one　accus…
tomed　to　the　water。　　In　that　age；　real　seamen　were　a　class
entirely　apart　from　the　rest　of　mankind；　their　ideas；　or…
dinary　language；　and　attire　being　as　strongly　indicative　of
their　calling　as　the　opinions；　speech；　and　dress　of　a　Turk
denote　a　Mussulman。　　Although　the　Pathfinder　was
scarcely　in　the　prime　of　life；　Mabel　had　met　him　with　a
steadiness　that　may　have　been　the　consequence　of　having
braced　her　nerves　for　the　interview；　but　when　her　eyes
encountered　those　of　the　young　man　at　the　fire；　they　fell
before　the　gaze　of　admiration　with　which　she　saw；　or
fancied　she　saw；　he　greeted　her。　　Each；　in　truth；　felt　that
interest　in　the　other　which　similarity　of　age；　condition；
mutual　comeliness；　and　their　novel　situation　would　be
likely　to　inspire　in　the　young　and　ingenuous。

〃Here；〃　said　Pathfinder；　with　an　honest　smile　bestowed
on　Mabel；　〃are　the　friends　your　worthy　father　has　sent　to
meet　you。　　This　is　a　great　Delaware；　and　one　who　has　had
honors　as　well　as　troubles　in　his　day。　　He　has　an　Indian
name　fit　for　a　chief；　but；　as　the　language　is　not　always　easy
for　the　inexperienced　to　pronounce　we　naturally　turn　it
into　English；　and　call　him　the　Big　Sarpent。　　You　are　not
to　suppose；　however；　that　by　this　name　we　wish　to　say　that
he　is　treacherous；　beyond　what　is　lawful　in　a　red…skin；　but
that　he　is　wise；　and　has　the　cunning　which　becomes　a　war…
nor。　　Arrowhead；　there；　knows　what　I　mean。〃

While　the　Pathfinder　was　delivering　this　address；　the
two　Indians　gazed　on　each　other　steadily；　and　the　Tus…
carora　advanced　and　spoke　to　the　other　in　an　apparently
friendly　manner。

〃I　like　to　see　this；〃　continued　Pathfinder；　〃the　salutes
of　two　red…skins　in　the　woods；　Master　Cap；　are　like　the
hailing　of　friendly　vessels　on　the　ocean。　　But　speaking　of
water；　it　reminds　me　of　my　young　friend；　Jasper　Western
here；　who　can　claim　to　know　something　of　these　matters；
seeing　that　he　has　passed　his　days　on　Ontario。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　friend；〃　said　Cap；　giving　the
young　fresh…water　sailor　a　cordial　grip；　〃though　you　must
have　something　still　to　learn；　considering　the　school　to
which　you　have　been　sent。　　This　is　my　niece　Mabel；　I　call
her　Magnet；　for　a　reason　she　never　dreams　of；　though　you
may　possibly　have　education　enough　to　guess　at　it；　having
some　pretentions　to　understand　the　compass；　I　suppose。〃

〃The　reason　is　easily　comprehended；〃　said　the　young
man；　involuntarily　fastening　his　keen　dark　eye；　at　the
same　time；　on　the　suffused　face　of　the　girl；　〃and　I　feel
sure　that　the　sailor　who　steers　by　your　Magnet　will　never
make　a　bad　land…fall。〃

〃Ha！　you　do　make　use　of　some　of　the　terms；　I　find；　and
that　with　propriety；　though；　on　the　whole；　I　fear　you　have
seen　more　green　than　blue　water。〃

〃It　is　not　surprising　that　we　should　get　some　of　the
phrases　which　belong　to　the　land；　for　we　are　seldom　out
of　sight　of　it　twenty…four　hours　at　a　time。〃

〃More's　the　pity；　boy；　more's　the　pity！　　A　very　little
land　ought　to　go　a　great　way　with　a　seafaring　man。　　Now；
if　the　truth　were　known；　Master　Western；　I　suppose　there
is　more　or　less　land　all　round　your　lake。〃

〃And；　uncle；　is　there　not　more　or　less　land　around　the
ocean？〃　said　Magnet　quickly；　for　she　dreaded　a　prema…
ture　display　of　the　old　seaman's　peculiar　dogmatism；　not
to　say　pedantry。

〃No；　child；　there　is　more　or　less　ocean　all　round　the
land；　that's　what　I　tell　the　people　ashore；　youngster。
They　are　living；　as　it　might　be；　in　the　midst　of　the　sea；
without　knowihg　it；　by　sufferance；　as　it　were；　the　water
being　so　much　the　more　powerful　and　the　largest。　　But
there　is　no　end　to　conceit　in　this　world：　for　a　fellow　who
never　saw　salt　water　often　fancies　he　knows　more　than
one　who　has　gone　round　the　Horn。　　No；　no；　this　earth　is
pretty　much　an　island；　and　all　that　can　be　truly　said　not
to　be　so　is　water。〃

Young　Western　had　a　profound　deference　for　a　mariner
of　the　ocean；　oh　which　he　had　often　pined　to　sail；　but　he
had　also　a　natural　regard　for　the　broad　sheet　on　which　he
had　passed　his　life；　and　which　was　not　without　its　beauties
in　his　eyes。

〃What　you　say；　sir；〃　he　answered　modestly；　〃may　be
true　as　to　the　Atlantic；　but　we　have　a　respect　for　the　land
up　here　on　Ontario。〃

〃That　is　because　you　are　always　land…locked；〃　returned
Cap；　laughing　heartily；　〃but　yonder　is　the　the　Pathfinder；　as
they　call　him；　with　some　smoking　platters；　inviting　us　to
share　in　his　mess；　and　I　will　confess　that　one　gets　no
venison　at　sea。　　Master　Western；　civility　to　girls；　at　your
time　of　life；　comes　as　easy　as　taking　in　the　slack　of　the
ensign　halyards；　and　if　you　will　just　keep　an　eye　to　her
kid　and　can；　while　I　join　the　mess　of　the　Pathfinder　and
our　Indian　friends；　I　make　no　doubt　she　will　remember　it。〃

Master　Cap　uttered　more　than　he　was　aware　of　at　the
time。　　Jasper　Western　did　attend　to　the　wants　of　Mabel；
and　she　long　remembered　the　kind；　manly　attention　of　the
young　sailor　at　this　their　first　interview。　　He　placed　the
end　of　a　log　for　a　seat；　obtained　for　her　a　delicious　morsel
of　the　venison；　gave　her　a　draught　of　pure　water　from　the
spring；　and　as　he　sat　near　her；　fast　won　his　way　to　her
esteem　by　his　gentle　but　frank　manner　of　manifesting　his
care；　homage　that　woman　always　wishes　to　receive；　but
which　is　never　so　flattering　or　so　agreeable　as　when　it
comes　from　the　young　to　those　of　their　own　age　　from　the
manly　to　the　gentle。　　Like　most　of　those　who　pass　their
time　excluded　from　the　society　of　the　softer　sex；　young
Western　was　earnest；　sincere；　and　kind　in　his　attentions；
which；　though　they　wanted　a　conventional　refinement；
which；　perhaps；　Mabel　never　missed；　had　those　winning
qualities　that　prove　very　sufficient　as　substitutes。　　Leav…
ing　these　two　unsophisticated　young　people　to　become　ac…
quainted　through　their　feelings；　rather　than　their　expressed
thoughts；　we　will　turn　to　the　group　in　which　the　uncle
had　already　become　a　principal　actor。

The　party　had　taken　their　places　around　a　platter　of
venison　steaks；　which　served　for　the　common　use；　and　the
discourse　naturally　partook　of　the　characters　of　the　differ…
ent　individuals　which　composed　it。　　The　Indians　were
silent　and　industrious　the　appetite　of　the　aboriginal
American　for　venison　being　seemingly　inappeasable；　while
the　two　white　men　were　communicative；　each　of　the　latter
being　garrulous　and　opinionated　in　his　way。　　But；　as　the
dialogue　will　put　the　reader　in　possession　of　certain　facts
that　may　render　the　succeeding　narrative　more　clear；　it
will　be　well　to　record　it。

〃There　must　be　satisfaction　in　this　life　of　yours；　no
doubt　Mr。　Pathfinder；〃　continued　Cap；　when　the　hunger
of　the　travellers　was　so　far　appeased　that　they　began　to
pick　and　choose　among　the　savory　morsels；　〃it　has　some
of　the　chances　and　luck　that　we　seamen　like；　and　if　ours
is　all　water；　yours　is　all　land。〃

〃Nay；　we　have　water　too；　in　our　journeyings　and
marches；〃　returned　his　white　companion；　〃we　border…
men　handle　the　paddle　and　the　spear　almost　as　much　as
the　rifle　and　the　hunting…knife。〃

〃Ay；　but　do　you　handle　the　brace　and　the　bow…line；　the
wheel　and　the　lead…line；　the　reef…point　and　the　top…rope？
The　paddle　is　a　good　thing；　out　of　doubt；　in　a　canoe；　but
of　what　use　is　it　in　the　ship？〃

〃Nay；　I　respect　all　men　in　their　callings；　and　I　can　be…
lieve　the　things　you　mention　have　their　uses。　　One　who
has　lived；　like　myself；　in　company　with　many　tribes；　un…
derstands　differences　in　usages。　　The　paint　of　a　Mingo　is
not　the　paint　of　a　Delaware；　and　he　who　should　expect　to
see　a　warrior　in　the　dress　of　a　squaw　might　be　disappointed。
I　am　not　yet　very　old；　but　I　have　lived　in　the　woods；　and
have　some　acquaintance　with　human　natur'。　　I　never　be…
lieve　much　in　the　learning　of　them　that　dwell　in　towns；
for　I　never　yet　met　with　one　that　had　an　eye　for　a　rifle　or
a　trail。〃

〃That's　my　manner　of　reasoning；　Master　Pathfinder；　to
a　yarn。　　Walking　about　streets；　going　to　church　of　Sun…
days；　and　hearing　sermons；　never　yet　made　a　man　of　a
human　being。　　Send　the　boy　out　upon　the　broad　ocean；　if
you　wish　to　open　his　eyes；　and　let　him　look　upon　foreign
nations；　or　what　I　call　the　face　of　nature；　if　you　wish　him
to　understand　his　own　character。　　Now；　there　is　my
brother…in…law；　the　Sergeant：　he　is　as　good　a　fellow　as
ever　broke　a　biscuit；　in　his　way；　but　what　is　he；　after　all？
Why；　nothing　but　a　soldier。　　A　sergeant；　to　be　sure；　but
that　is　a　sort　of　a　soldier；　you　know。　　When　he　wished　to
marry　poor　Bridget；　my　sister；　I　told　the　girl　what　he　was；
as　in　duty　bound；　and　what　she　might　expect　from　such　a
husband；　but　you　know　how　it　is　with　girls　when　their
minds　are　jammed　by　an　inclination。　　It　is　true；　the　Ser…
geant　has　risen　in　his　calling；　and　they　say　he　is　an　im…
portant　man　at　the　fort；　but　his　poor　wife　has　not　lived
to　see　it　all；　for　she　has　now　been　dead　these　fourteen
years。〃

〃A　soldier's　calling　is　honorable；　provided　he　has　fi't
only　on　the　side　of　right；〃　returned　the　Pathfinder；　〃and
as　the　Frenchers　are　always　wrong；　and　his　sacred　Majesty
and　these　colonies　are　always　right；　I　take　it　the　Sergeant
has　a　quiet　conscience　as　well　as　a　good　character。　　I　have
never　slept　more　sweetly　than　when　I　have　fi't　the　Mingos；
though　it　is　the　la