the pathfinder-第45部分

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those　who　sail　on　fresh　water。　　No；　no；　neither　my　father
nor　myself　think　anything　of　such　opinions。　　My　uncle
Cap；　if　he　spoke　openly；　would　be　found　to　have　even　a　worse
notion　of　a　soldier　than　of　a　sailor　who　never　saw　the　sea。〃

〃But　your　father；　Mabel；　has　a　better　opinion　of　soldiers
than　of　any　one　else？　he　wishes　you　to　be　the　wife　of　a
soldier？〃

〃Jasper　Eau…douce！　　I　the　wife　of　a　soldier！　　My　father
wishes　it！　　Why　should　he　wish　any　such　thing？　　What
soldier　is　there　in　the　garrison　that　I　could　marry　　that
he　could　_wish　me_　to　marry？〃

〃One　may　love　a　calling　so　well　as　to　fancy　it　will　cover
a　thousand　imperfections。〃

〃But　one　is　not　likely　to　love　his　own　calling　so　well　as
to　cause　him　to　overlook　everything　else。　　You　say　my
father　wishes　me　to　marry　a　soldier；　and　yet　there　is　no
soldier　at　Oswego　that　he　would　be　likely　to　give　me　to。
I　am　in　an　awkward　position；　for　while　I　am　not　good
enough　to　be　the　wife　of　one　of　the　gentlemen　of　the　garri…
son；　I　think　even　you　will　admit；　Jasper；　I　am　too　good　to
be　the　wife　of　one　of　the　common　soldiers。〃

As　Mabel　spoke　thus　frankly　she　blushed；　she　knew　not
why；　though　the　obscurity　concealed　the　fact　from　her
companion；　and　she　laughed　faintly；　like　one　who　felt
that　the　subject；　however　embarrassing　it　might　be；　de…
served　to　be　treated　fairly。　　Jasper；　it　would　seem；　viewed
her　position　differently　from　herself。

〃It　is　true　Mabel；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　not　what　is　cafle~
a　lady；　in　the　common　meaning　of　the　word。〃

〃Not　in　any　meaning；　Jasper；〃　the　generous　girl　eagerly
interrupted：　〃on　that　head；　I　have　no　vanities；　I　hope。
Providence　has　made　me　the　daughter　of　a　sergeant；　and　I
am　content　to　remain　in　the　station　in　which　I　was　born。〃

〃But　all　do　not　remain　in　the　stations　in　which　they
were　born；　Mabel；　for　some　rise　above　them；　and　some　fall
below　them。　　Many　sergeants　have　become　officers　　even
generals；　and　why　may　not　sergeants'　daughters　become
officers'　ladies？〃

〃In　the　case　of　Sergeant　Dunham's　daughter；　I　know
no　better　reason　than　the　fact　that　no　officer　is　likely　to
wish　to　make　her　his　wife；〃　returned　Mabel；　laughing。

〃_You_　may　think　so；　but　there　are　some　in　the　55th　that
know　better。　　There　is　certainly　one　officer　in　that　regi…
ment；　Mabel；　who　does　wish　to　make　you　his　wife。〃

Quick　as　the　flashing　lightning；　the　rapid　thoughts　of
Mabel　Dunham　glanced　over　the　five　or　six　subalterns　of
the　corps；　who；　by　age　and　inclinations；　would　be　the　most
likely　to　form　such　a　wish；　and　we　should　do　injustice　to
her　habits；　perhaps；　were　we　not　to　say　that　a　lively　sensa…
tion　of　pleasure　rose　momentarily　in　her　bosom；　at　the
thought　of　being　raised　above　a　station　which；　whatever
might　be　her　professions　of　contentment；　she　felt　that　she
had　been　too　well　educated　to　fill　with　perfect　satisfaction。
But　this　emotion　was　as　transient　as　it　was　sudden；　for
Mabel　Dunham　was　a　girl　of　too　much　pure　and　womanly
feeling　to　view　the　marriage　tie　through　anything　so
worldly　as　the　mere　advantages　of　station。　　The　passing
emotion　was　a　thrill　produced　by　factitious　habits；　while
the　more　settled　opinion　which　remained　was　the　offspring
of　nature　and　principles。

〃I　know　no　officer　in　the　55th；　or　any　other　regiment；
who　would　be　likely　to　do　so　foolish　a　thing；　nor　do　I
think　I　myself　would　do　so　foolish　a　thing　as　to　marry　an
officer。〃

〃Foolish；　Mabel！〃

〃Yes；　foolish；　Jasper。　　You　know；　as　well　as　I　can　know；
what　the　world　would　think　of　such　matters；　and　I　should
be　sorry；　very　sorry；　to　find　that　my　husband　ever　regretted
that　he　had　so　far　yielded　to　a　fancy　for　a　face　or　a　figure
as　to　have　married　the　daughter　of　one　so　much　his　in…
ferior　as　a　sergeant。〃

〃_Your_　husband；　Mabel；　will　not　be　so　likely　to　think　of
the　father　as　to　think　of　the　daughter。〃

The　girl　was　talking　with　spirit；　though　feeling　evidently
entered　into　her　part　of　the　discourse；　but　she　paused　for
nearly　a　minute　after　Jasper　had　made　the　last　observa…
tion　before　she　uttered　another　word。　　Then　she　con…
tinued；　in　a　manner　less　playful；　and　one　critically　atten…
tive　might　have　fancied　in　a　manner　slightly　melan…
choly；　

〃Parent　and　child　ought　so　to　live　as　not　to　have　two
hearts；　or　two　modes　of　feeling　and　thinking。　　A　common
interest　in　all　things　I　should　think　as　necessary　to　happi…
ness　in　man　and　wife；　as　between　the　other　members　of
the　same　family。　　Most　of　all；　ought　neither　the　man　nor
the　woman　to　have　any　unusual　cause　for　unhappiness；　the
world　furnishing　so　many　of　itself。〃

〃Am　I　to　understand；　then；　Mabel；　you　would　refuse　to
marry　an　officer；　merely　because　he　was　an　officer？〃

〃Have　you　a　right　to　ask　such　a　question；　Jasper？〃　said
Mabel　smiling。

〃No　other　right　than　what　a　strong　desire　to　see　you
happy　can　give；　which；　after　all；　may　be　very　little。　　My
anxiety　has　been　increased；　from　happening　to　know　that
it　is　your　father's　intention　to　persuade　you　to　marry
Lieutenant　Muir。〃

〃My　dear；　dear　father　can　entertain　no　notion　so　ridicu…
lous　　no　notion　so　cruel！〃

〃Would　it；　then；　be　cruel　to　wish　you　the　wife　of　a
quarter…master？〃

〃I　have　told　you　what　I　think　on　that　subject；　and　can…
not　make　my　words　stronger。　　Having　answered　you　so
frankly；　Jasper；　I　have　a　right　to　ask　how　you　know　that
my　father　thinks　of　any　such　thing？〃

〃That　he　has　chosen　a　husband　for　you；　I　know　from
his　own　mouth；　for　he　has　told　me　this　much　during　our
frequent　conversations　while　he　has　been　superintending
the　shipment　of　the　stores；　and　that　Mr。　Muir　is　to　offer
for　you；　I　know　from　the　officer　himself；　who　has　told　me
as　much。　　By　putting　the　two　things　together；　I　have
come　to　the　opinion　mentioned。〃

〃May　not　my　dear　father；　Jasper；〃　　Mabel's　face　glowed
like　fire　while　she　spoke；　though　her　words　escaped　her
slowly；　and　by　a　sort　of　involuntary　impulse；　　〃may　not
my　dear　father　have　been　thinking　of　another？　　It　does
not　follow；　from　what　you　say；　that　Mr。　Muir　was　in　his
mind。〃

〃Is　it　not　probable；　Mabel；　from　all　that　has　passed？
What　brings　the　Quartermaster　here？　　He　has　never　found
it　necessary　before　to　accompany　the　parties　that　have　gone
below。　　He　thinks　of　you　for　his　wife；　and　your　father
has　made　up　his　own　mind　that　you　shall　be　so。　　You
must　see；　Mabel；　that　Mr。　Muir　follows　_you？_〃

Mabel　made　no　answer。　　Her　feminine　instinct　had；
indeed；　told　her　that　she　was　an　object　of　admiration　with
the　Quartermaster；　though　she　had　hardly　supposed　to　the
extent　that　Jasper　believed；　and　she；　too；　had　even　gathered
from　the　discourse　of　her　father　that　he　thought　seriously
of　having　her　disposed　of　in　marriage；　but　by　no　process
of　reasoning　could　she　ever　have　arrived　at　the　inference
that　Mr。　Muir　was　to　be　the　man。　　She　did　not　believe　it
now；　though　she　was　far　from　suspecting　the　truth。　　In…
deed；　it　was　her　own　opinion　that　these　casual　remarks　of
her　father；　which　had　struck　her；　had　proceeded　from　a
general　wish　to　have　her　settled；　rather　than　from　any
desire　to　see　her　united　to　any　particular　individual。　　These
thoughts；　however；　she　kept　secret；　for　self…respect　and
feminine　reserve　showed　her　the　impropriety　of　making
them　the　subject　of　discussion　with　her　present　companion。
By　way　of　changing　the　conversation；　therefore；　after　the
pause　had　lasted　long　enough　to　be　embarrassing　to　both
parties；　she　said；　〃Of　one　thing　you　may　be　certain；　Jasper；
…　and　that　is　all　I　wish　to　say　on　the　subject；　　Lieutenant
Muir；　though　he　were　a　colonel；　will　never　be　the　husband
of　Mabel　Dunham。　　And　now；　tell　me　of　your　voyage；　
when　will　it　end？〃

〃That　is　uncertain。　　Once　afloat；　we　are　at　the　mercy
of　the　winds　and　waves。　　Pathfinder　will　tell　you　that　he
who　begins　to　chase　the　deer　in　the　morning　cannot　tell
where　he　will　sleep　at　night。〃

〃But　we　are　not　chasing　a　deer；　nor　is　it　morning：　so
Pathfinder's　moral　is　thrown　away。〃

〃Although　we　are　not　chasing　a　deer；　we　are　after　that
which　may　be　as　hard　to　catch。　　I　can　tell　you　no　more
than　I　have　said　already；　for　it　is　our　duty　to　be　close…
mouthed；　whether　anything　depends　on　it　or　not。　　I　am
afraid；　however；　I　shall　not　keep　you　long　enough　in　the
_Scud_　to　show　you　what　she　can　do　at　need。〃

〃I　think　a　woman　unwise　who　ever　marries　a　sailor；〃
said　Mabel　abruptly；　and　almost　involuntarily。

〃This　is　a　strange　opinion；　why　do　you　hold　it？〃

〃Because　a　sailor's　wife　is　certain　to　have　a　rival　in　his
vessel。　　My　uncle　Cap；　too；　says　that　a　sailor　should　never
marry。〃

〃He　means　salt…water　sailors；〃　returned　Jasper；　laugh…
ing。　　〃If　he　thinks　wives　not　good　enough　for　those　who
sail　on　the　ocean；　he　will　fancy　them　just　suited　to　those
who　sail　on　the　lakes。　　I　hope；　Mabel；　you　do　not　take
your　opinions　of　us　fresh…water　mariners　from　all　that
Master　Cap　says。〃

〃Sail；　ho！〃　exclaimed　the　very　individual　of　whom　they
were　conversing；　〃or　boat；　ho！　would　be　nearer　the　truth。〃

Jasper　ran　forward；　and；　sure　enough；　a　small　object
was　discernible　about　a　hundred　yards　ahead　of　the　cutter；
and　nearly　on　her　lee　bow。　　At　the　first　glance；　he　saw　it
was　a　bark　canoe；　for；　though　the　darkness　prevented　hues
from　being　distinguished；　the　eye　that　had　become　accus…
tomed　to　the　night　might　discern　forms　at　some　little　dis…
tance；　and　the　eye　which；　like　Jasper's；　had　long　been
familiar　with　things　aquatic；　could　not　be　at　a　loss　in　dis…
covering　the　outlines　necessary　to　come　to　the　conclusion
he　did。

〃This　may　be　an　enemy；〃　the　young　man　remarked；
〃and　it　may　be　well　to　overhaul　him。〃

〃He　is　paddling　with　all　his　might；　lad；〃　observed　the
Pathfinder；　〃and　means　to　cross　your　bows　and　get　to
windward；　when　you　might　as　well　chase　a　full…grown　buck
on　snow…shoes！〃

〃Let　her　luff；〃　cried　Jasper　to　the　man　at　the　helm。
〃Luff　up；　till　she　shakes。　　There；　steady；　and　hold　all　that。〃

The　helmsman　complied；　and；　as　the　_Scud_　was　now
dashing　the　water　aside　merrily；　a　minute　or　two　put　the
canoe　so　far　to　leeward　as　to　render　escape　impracticable。
Jasper　now　sprang　to　the　helm　himself　and；　by　judicious
and　careful　handling；　he　got　so　near　his　chase　that　it　was
secured　by　a　boat…hook。　　On　receiving　an