the pathfinder-第42部分

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bushes　in　war　as　well　as　another。〃

〃Ay；　them　are　his　nat'ral　gifts；　and　are　such　as　belong
to　his　people。　　Neither　red…skin　nor　pale…face　can　deny
natur'；　but　Chingachgook　is　not　a　man　to　feel　a　pre…
sentiment　against。〃

〃That　I　believe；　nor　should　I　have　thought　ill　of　Jasper
this　very　morning。　　It　seems　to　me；　Pathfinder；　since　I've
taken　up　this　presentiment；　that　the　lad　does　not　bustle
about　his　deck　naturally；　as　he　used　to　do；　but　that　he　is
silent　and　moody　and　thoughtful；　like　a　man　who　has　a
load　on　his　conscience。〃

〃Jasper　is　never　noisy；　and　he　tells　me　noisy　ships　are
generally　ill…worked　ships。　　Master　Cap　agrees　in　this　too。
No；　no；　I　will　believe　naught　against　Jasper　until　I　see　it。
Send　for　your　brother；　Sergeant；　and　let　us　question　him
in　this　matter；　for　to　sleep　with　distrust　of　one's　friend
in　the　heart　is　like　sleeping　with　lead　there。　　I　have　no
faith　in　your　presentiments。〃

The　Sergeant；　although　he　scarcely　knew　himself　with
what　object；　complied；　and　Cap　was　summoned　to　join　in
the　consultation。　　As　Pathfinder　was　more　collected　than
his　companion；　and　felt　so　strong　a　conviction　of　the　good
faith　of　the　party　accused；　he　assumed　the　office　of　spokes…
man。

〃We　have　asked　you　to　come　down；　Master　Cap；〃　he
commenced；　〃in　order　to　inquire　if　you　have　remarked
anything　out　of　the　common　way　in　the　movements　of
Eau…douce　this　evening。〃

〃His　movements　are　common　enough；　I　daresay；　for
fresh　water；　Master　Pathfinder；　though　we　should　think
most　of　his　proceedings　irregular　down　on　the　coast。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　we　know　you　will　never　agree　with　the　lad
about　the　manner　the　cutter　ought　to　be　managed；　but　it
is　on　another　point　we　wish　your　opinion。〃

The　Pathfinder　then　explained　to　Cap　the　nature　of　the
suspicions　which　the　Sergeant　entertained；　and　the　reasons
why　they　had　been　excited；　so　far　as　the　latter　had　been
communicated　by　Major　Duncan。

〃The　youngster　talks　French；　does　he？〃　said　Cap。

〃They　say　he　speaks　it　better　than　common；〃　returned
the　Sergeant　gravely。　　〃Pathfinder　knows　this　to　be　true。〃

〃I'll　not　gainsay　it；〃　answered　the　guide；　〃at　least；　they
tell　me　such　is　the　fact。　　But　this　would　prove　nothing
ag'in　a　Mississagua；　and；　least　of　all；　ag'in　one　like　Jasper。
I　speak　the　Mingo　dialect　myself；　having　learnt　it　while　a
prisoner　among　the　reptyles；　but　who　will　say　I　am　their
friend？　　Not　that　I　am　an　enemy；　either；　according　to　In…
dian　notions；　though　I　am　their　enemy；　I　will　admit；　agree…
able　to　Christianity。〃

〃Ay　Pathfinder；　but　Jasper　did　not　get　his　French　as　a
prisoner：　he　took　it　in　his　boyhood；　when　the　mind　is　easily
impressed；　and　gets　its　permanent　notions；　when　nature
has　a　presentiment；　as　it　were；　which　way　the　character　is
likely　to　incline。〃

〃A　very　just　remark；〃　added　Cap；　〃for　that　is　the　time
of　life　when　we　all　learn　the　catechism；　and　other　moral
improvements。　　The　Sergeant's　observation　shows　that　he
understands　human　nature；　and　I　agree　with　him　per…
fectly；　it　_is_　a　damnable　thing　for　a　youngster；　up　here；　on
this　bit　of　fresh　water；　to　talk　French。　　If　it　were　down
on　the　Atlantic；　now；　where　a　seafaring　man　has　occasion
sometimes　to　converse　with　a　pilot；　or　a　linguister；　in　that
language；　I　should　not　think　so　much　of　it；　　though　we
always　look　with　suspicion；　even　there；　at　a　shipmate　who
knows　too　much　of　the　tongue；　but　up　here；　on　Ontario；
I　hold　it　to　be　a　most　suspicious　circumstance。〃

〃But　Jasper　must　talk　in　French　to　the　people　on　the
other　shore；〃　said　Pathfinder；　〃or　hold　his　tongue；　as　there
are　none　but　French　to　speak　to。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me；　Pathfinder；　that　France
lies　hereaway；　on　the　opposite　coast？〃　cried　Cap；　jerking
a　thumb　over　his　shoulder　in　the　direction　of　the　Canadas；
〃that　one　side　of　this　bit　of　fresh　water　is　York；　and　the
other　France？〃

〃I　mean　to　tell　you　this　is　York；　and　that　is　Upper
Canada；　and　that　English　and　Dutch　and　Indian　are
spoken　in　the　first；　and　French　and　Indian　in　the　last。
Even　the　Mingos　have　got　many　of　the　French　words　in
their　dialect；　and　it　is　no　improvement；　neither。〃

〃Very　true：　and　what　sort　of　people　are　the　Mingos；　my
friend？〃　inquired　the　Sergeant；　touching　the　other　on　his
shoulder；　by　way　of　enforcing　a　remark；　the　inherent　truth
of　which　sensibly　increased　its　value　in　the　eyes　of　the
speaker：　〃no　one　knows　them　better　than　yourself；　and　I
ask　you　what　sort　of　a　tribe　are　they？〃

〃Jasper　is　no　Mingo；　Sergeant。〃

〃He　speaks　French；　and　he　might　as　well　be；　in　that
particular。　　Brother　Cap；　can　you　recollect　no　movement
of　this　unfortunate　young　man；　in　the　way　of　his　calling；
that　would　seem　to　denote　treachery？〃

〃Not　distinctly；　Sergeant；　though　he　has　gone　to　work
wrong…end　foremost　half　his　time。　　It　is　true　that　one　of
his　hands　coiled　a　rope　against　the　sun；　and　he　called　it
_querling_　a　rope；　too；　when　I　asked　him　what　he　was　about；
but　I　am　not　certain　that　anything　was　meant　by　it；
though；　I　daresay；　the　French　coil　half　their　running　rig…
ging　the　wrong　way；　and　may　call　it　'querling　it　down；'
too；　for　that　matter。　　Then　Jasper　himself　belayed　the　end
of　the　jib…halyards　to　a　stretcher　in　the　rigging；　instead　of
bringing　in　to　the　mast；　where　they　belong；　at　least　among
British　sailors。〃

〃I　daresay　Jasper　may　have　got　some　Canada　notions
about　working　his　craft；　from　being　so　much　on　the　other
side；〃　Pathfinder　interposed；　〃but　catching　an　idee；　or　a
word；　isn't　treachery　and　bad　faith。　　I　sometimes　get　an
idee　from　the　Mingos　themselves；　but　my　heart　has　always
been　with　the　Delawares。　　No；　no；　Jasper　is　true；　and　the
king　might　trust　him　with　his　crown；　just　as　he　would
trust　his　eldest　son；　who；　as　he　is　to　wear　it　one　day；　ought
to　be　the　last　man　to　wish　to　steal　it。〃

〃Fine　talking；　fine　talking！〃　said　Cap；　〃all　fine　talk…
ing；　Master　Pathfinder；　but　dd　little　logic。　　In　the　first
place；　the　king's　majesty　cannot　lend　his　crown；　it　being
contrary　to　the　laws　of　the　realm；　which　require　him　to
wear　it　at　all　times；　in　order　that　his　sacred　person　may
be　known；　just　as　the　silver　oar　is　necessary　to　a　sheriff's
officer　afloat。　　In　the　next　place；　it's　high　treason；　by　law；
for　the　eldest　son　of　his　majesty　ever　to　covet　the　crown；
or　to　have　a　child；　except　in　lawful　wedlock；　as　either
would　derange　the　succession。　　Thus　you　see；　friend　Path…
finder　that　in　order　to　reason　truly；　one　must　get　under
way；　as　it　might　be；　on　the　right　tack。　　Law　is　reason；　and
reason　is　philosophy；　and　philosophy　is　a　steady　drag；
whence　it　follows　that　crowns　are　regulated　by　law；　reason；
and　philosophy。〃

〃I　know　little　of　all　this；　Master　Cap；　but　nothing　short
of　seeing　and　feeling　will　make　me　think　Jasper　Western
a　traitor。〃

〃There　you　are　wrong　again；　Pathfinder；　for　there　is　a
way　of　proving　a　thing　much　more　conclusively　than
either　seeing　or　feeling；　or　by　both　together；　and　that　is
by　a　circumstance。〃

〃It　may　be　so　in　the　settlements；　but　it　is　not　so　here
on　the　lines。〃

〃It　is　so　in　nature；　which　is　monarch　over　all。　　There
was　a　circumstance；　just　after　we　came　on　board　this　even…
ing；　that　is　extremely　suspicious；　and　which　may　be　set
down　at　once　as　a　makeweight　against　this　lad。　　Jasper
bent　on　the　king's　ensign　with　his　own　hands；　and；　while
he　pretended　to　be　looking　at　Mabel　and　the　soldier's　wife；
giving　directions　about　showing　them　below　here；　and　a
that；　he　got　the　flag　union　down！〃

〃That　might　have　been　accident；〃　returned　the　Ser…
geant；　〃for　such　a　thing　has　happened　to　myself；　besides；
the　halyards　lead　to　a　pulley；　and　the　flag　would　have
come　right；　or　not；　according　to　the　manner　in　which　the
lad　hoisted　it。〃

〃A　pulley！〃　exclaimed　Cap；　with　strong　disgust；　〃I
wish；　Sergeant　Dunham；　I　could　prevail　on　you　to　use
proper　terms。　　An　ensign…halyard…block　is　no　more　a　pul…
ley　than　your　halbert　is　a　boarding…pike。　　It　is　true　that
by　hoisting　on　one　part；　another　part　would　go　uppermost；
but　I　look　upon　that　affair　of　the　ensign；　now　you　have
mentioned　your　suspicions；　as　a　circumstance；　and　shall
bear　it　in　mind。　　I　trust　supper　is　not　to　be　overlooked；
however；　even　if　we　have　a　hold　full　of　traitors。〃

〃It　will　be　duly　attended　to；　brother　Cap；　but　I　shall
count　on　you　for　aid　in　managing　the　_Scud_；　should　any…
thing　occur　to　induce　me　to　arrest　Jasper。〃

〃I'll　not　fail　you；　Sergeant；　and　in　such　an　event　you'll
probably　learn　what　this　cutter　can　really　perform；　for；　as
yet；　I　fancy　it　is　pretty　much　matter　of　guesswork。〃

〃Well；　for　my　part；〃　said　Pathfinder；　drawing　a　heavy
sigh；　〃I　shall　cling　to　the　hope　of　Jasper's　innocence；　and
recommend　plain　dealing；　by　asking　the　lad　himself；　with…
out　further　delay；　whether　he　is　or　is　not　a　traitor。　　I'll
put　Jasper　Western　against　all　the　presentiments　and　cir…
cumstances　in　the　colony。〃

〃That　will　never　do；〃　rejoined　the　Sergeant。　　〃The　re…
sponsibility　of　this　affair　rests　with　me；　and　I　request　and
enjoin　that　nothing　be　said　to　any　one　without　my　knowl…
edge。　　We　will　all　keep　watchful　eyes　about　us；　and　take
proper　note　of　circumstances。〃

〃Ay；　ay！　circumstances　are　the　things　after　all；〃　re…
turned　Cap。　　〃One　circumstance　is　worth　fifty　facts。　　That
I　know　to　be　the　law　of　the　realm。　　Many　a　man　has　been
hanged　on　circumstances。〃

The　conversation　now　ceased；　and；　after　a　short　delay；
the　whole　party　returned　to　the　deck；　each　individual　dis…
posed　to　view　the　conduct　of　the　suspected　Jasper　in　the
manner　most　suited　to　his　own　habits　and　character。



CHAPTER　XIV。

Even　such　a　man；　so　faint；　so　spiritless；
So　dull；　so　dead　in　look；　so　woe…begone；
Drew　Priam's　Curtain　in　the　dead　of　night；
And　would　have　told　him；　half　his　Troy　was　burned。
SHAKESPEARE。


All　this　time　matters　were　elsewhere　passing　in　their
usual　train。　　Jasper；　like　the　weather　and　his　vessel；　seemed
to　be　waiting　for　the　land…breeze；　while　the　soldiers；　ac…
customed　to　early　rising；　had；　to　a　man；　sought　their　pallets
in　the　main　hold。　　None　remained　on　deck　but　the　people
of　the　cutter；　Mr。　Muir；　and　the　two　females。　　The　Quar…
termaster　was　endeavoring　to　render　himself　agreeable　to
Mabel；　while　our　heroine　herself；