the pathfinder-第5部分

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never　slept　more　sweetly　than　when　I　have　fi't　the　Mingos；
though　it　is　the　law　with　me　to　fight　always　like　a　white
man　and　never　like　an　Indian。　　The　Sarpent；　here；　has
his　fashions；　and　I　have　mine；　and　yet　have　we　fi't　side
by　side　these　many　years；　without　either　thinking　a　hard
thought　consarning　the　other's　ways。　I　tell　him　there　is
but　one　heaven　and　one　hell；　notwithstanding　his　tradi…
tions；　though　there　are　many　paths　to　both。〃

〃That　is　rational；　and　he　is　bound　to　believe　you；
though；　I　fancy；　most　of　the　roads　to　the　last　are　on　dry
land。　　The　sea　is　what　my　poor　sister　Bridget　used　to　call
a　'purifying　place；'　and　one　is　out　of　the　way　of　tempta…
tion　when　out　of　sight　of　land。　　I　doubt　if　as　much　can
be　said　in　favor　of　your　lakes　up　hereaway。〃

〃That　towns　and　settlements　lead　to　sin；　I　will　allow；
but　our　lakes　are　bordered　by　the　forests；　and　one　is　every
day　called　upon　to　worship　God　in　such　a　temple。　　That
men　are　not　always　the　same；　even　in　the　wilderness；　I
must　admit　for　the　difference　between　a　Mingo　and　a
Delaware　is　as　plain　to　be　seen　as　the　difference　between
the　sun　and　the　moon。　　I　am　glad；　friend　Cap；　that　we
have　met；　however；　if　it　be　only　that　you　may　tell　the　Big
Sarpent　here　that　there　are　lakes　in　which　the　water　is
salt。　　We　have　been　pretty　much　of　one　mind　since　our
acquaintance　began；　and　if　the　Mohican　has　only　half　the
faith　in　me　that　I　have　in　him；　he　believes　all　that　I　have
told　him　touching　the　white　men's　ways　and　natur's　laws；
but　it　has　always　seemed　to　me　that　none　of　the　red…skins
have　given　as　free　a　belief　as　an　honest　man　likes　to　the
accounts　of　the　Big　Salt　Lakes；　and　to　that　of　their　being
rivers　that　flow　up　stream。〃

〃This　comes　of　getting　things　wrong　end　foremost；〃
answered　Cap；　with　a　condescending　nod。　　〃You　have
thought　of　your　lakes　and　rifts　as　the　ship；　and　of　the
ocean　and　the　tides　as　the　boat。　　Neither　Arrowhoad　nor
the　Serpent　need　doubt　what　you　have　said　concerning
both；　though　I　confess　myself　to　some　difficulty　in　swal…
lowing　the　tale　about　there　being　inland　seas　at　all；　and
still　more　that　there　is　any　sea　of　fresh　water。　　I　have
come　this　long　journey　as　much　to　satisfy　my　own　eyes
concerning　these　facts；　as　to　oblige　the　Sergeant　and　Mag…
net；　though　the　first　was　my　sister's　husband；　and　I　love
the　last　like　a　child。〃

〃You　are　wrong；　friend　Cap；　very　wrong；　to　distrust；
the　power　of　God　in　any　thing；〃　returned　Pathfinder
earnestly。　　〃They　that　live　in　the　settlements　and　the
towns　have　confined　and　unjust　opinions　consarning　the
might　of　His　hand；　but　we；　who　pass　our　time　in　His　very
presence；　as　it　might　be；　see　things　differently　　I　mean；
such　of　us　as　have　white　natur's。　　A　red…skin　has　his
notions；　and　it　is　right　that　it　should　be　so；　and　if　they
are　not　exactly　the　same　as　a　Christian　white　man's；　there
is　no　harm　in　it。　　Still；　there　are　matters　which　belong
altogether　to　the　ordering　of　God's　providence；　and　these
salt　and　fresh…water　lakes　are　some　of　them。　　I　do　not
pretend　to　account　for　these　things；　but　I　think　it　the
duty　of　all　to　believe　in　them。〃

〃Hold　on　there；　Master　Pathfinder；〃　interrupted　Cap；
not　without　some　heat；　〃in　the　way　of　a　proper　and　manly
faith；　I　will　turn　my　back　on　no　one；　when　afloat。　　Al…
though　more　accustomed　to　make　all　snug　aloft；　and　to
show　the　proper　canvas；　than　to　pray　when　the　hurricane
comes；　I　know　that　we　are　but　helpless　mortals　at　times；
and　I　hope　I　pay　reverence　where　reverence　is　due。　　All　I
mean　to　say　is　this：　that；　being　accustomed　to　see　water
in　large　bodies　salt；　I　should　like　to　taste　it　before　I　can
believe　it　to　be　fresh。〃

〃God　has　given　the　salt　lick　to　the　deer；　and　He　has
given　to　man；　red…skin　and　white；　the　delicious　spring　at
which　to　slake　his　thirst。　　It　is　unreasonable　to　think　that
He　may　not　have　given　lakes　of　pure　water　to　the　west；
and　lakes　of　impure　water　to　the　east。〃

Cap　was　awed；　in　spite　of　his　overweening　dogmatism；
by　the　earnest　simplicity　of　the　Pathfinder；　though　he　did
not　relish　the　idea　of　believing　a　fact　which；　for　many
years；　he　had　pertinaciously　insisted　could　not　be　true。
Unwilling　to　give　up　the　point　and；　at　the　same　time；　un…
able　to　maintain　it　against　a　reasoning　to　which　he　was　un…
accustomed；　and　which　possessed　equally　the　force　of
truth；　faith；　and　probability；　he　was　glad　to　get　rid　of　the
subject　by　evasion。

〃Well；　well；　friend　Pathfinder；〃　said　he；　〃we　will　leave
the　argument　where　it　is；　and　we　can　try　the　water　when
we　once　reach　it。　　Only　mark　my　words　　I　do　not　say
that　it　may　not　be　fresh　on　the　surface；　the　Atlantic　is
sometimes　fresh　on　the　surface；　near　the　mouths　of　great
rivers；　but；　rely　on　it；　I　shall　show　you　a　way　of　tasting
the　water　many　fathoms　deep；　of　which　you　never　dreamed；
and　then　we　shall　know　more　about　it。〃

The　guide　seemed　content　to　let　the　matter　rest；　and
the　conversation　changed。

〃We　are　not　over…conceited　consarning　our　gifts；〃　ob…
served　the　Pathfinder；　after　a　short　pause；　〃and　well　know
that　such　as　live　in　the　towns；　and　near　the　sea　　〃

〃On　the　sea；〃　interrupted　Cap。

〃On　the　sea；　if　you　wish　it；　friend　　have　opportunities
which　do　not　befall　us　of　the　wilderness。　　Still；　we　know
our　own　callings；　and　they　are　what　I　consider　natural
callings；　and　are　not　parvarted　by　vanity　and　wantonness。
Now；　my　gifts　are　with　the　rifle；　and　on　a　trail；　and　in　the
way　of　game　and　scouting；　for；　though　I　can　use　the　spear
and　the　paddle；　I　pride　not　myself　on　either。　　The　youth
Jasper；　there；　who　is　discoursing　with　the　Sergeant's
daughter；　is　a　different　cratur'；　for　he　may　be　said　to
breathe　the　water；　as　it　might　be；　like　a　fish。　　The　Indians
and　Frenchers　of　the　north　shore　call　him　Eau…douce；　on
account　of　his　gifts　in　this　particular。　　He　is　better　at　the
oar；　and　the　rope　too；　than　in　making　fires　on　a　trail。〃

〃There　must　be　something　about　these　gifts　of　which
you　speak；　after　all；〃　said　Cap。　　〃Now　this　fire；　I　will　ac…
knowledge；　has　overlaid　all　my　seamanship。　　Arrowhead；
there；　said　the　smoke　came　from　a　pale…face's　fire；　and
that　is　a　piece　of　philosophy　which　I　hold　to　be　equal　to
steering　in　a　dark　night　by　the　edges　of　the　sand。〃

〃It's　no　great　secret；〃　returned　Pathfinder；　laughing
with　great　inward　glee；　though　habitual　caution　prevented
the　emission　of　any　noise。　　〃Nothing　is　easier　to　us　who
pass　our　time　in　the　great　school　of　Providence　than　to
larn　its　lessons。　　We　should　be　as　useless　on　a　trail；　or　in
carrying　tidings　through　the　wilderness；　as　so　many　wood…
chucks；　did　we　not　soon　come　to　a　knowledge　of　these
niceties。　　Eau…douce；　as　we　call　him；　is　so　fond　of　the
water；　that　he　gathered　a　damp　stick　or　two　for　our　fire；
and　wet　will　bring　dark　smoke；　as　I　suppose　even　you　fol…
lowers　of　the　sea　must　know。　　It's　no　great　secret；　though
all　is　mystery　to　such　as　doesn't　study　the　Lord　and　His
mighty　ways　with　humility　and　thankfulness。〃

〃That　must　be　a　keen　eye　of　Arrowhead's　to　see　so　slight
a　difference。〃

〃He　would　be　but　a　poor　Indian　if　he　didn't。　　No；　no；
it　is　war…time；　and　no　red…skin　is　outlying　without　using
his　senses。　　Every　skin　has　its　own　natur'；　and　every
natur'　has　its　own　laws；　as　well　as　its　own　skin。　　It　was
many　years　before　I　could　master　all　these　higher　branches
of　a　forest　education；　for　red…skin　knowledge　doesn't
come　as　easy　to　white…skin　natur'；　as　what　I　suppose　is　in…
tended　to　be　white…skin　knowledge；　though　I　have　but
little　of　the　latter；　having　passed　most　of　my　time　in　the
wilderness。〃

〃You　have　been　a　ready　scholar；　Master　Pathfinder；　as
is　seen　by　your　understanding　these　things　so　well。　　I
suppose　it　would　be　no　great　matter　for　a　man　regularly
brought　up　to　the　sea　to　catch　these　trifles；　if　he　could
only　bring　his　mind　fairly　to　bear　upon　them。〃

〃I　don't　know　that。　　The　white　man　has　his　difficulties
in　getting　red…skin　habits；　quite　as　much　as　the　Indian　in
getting　white…skin　ways。　　As　for　the　real　natur'；　it　is　my
opinion　that　neither　can　actually　get　that　of　the　other。〃

〃And　yet　we　sailors；　who　run　about　the　world　so　much；
say　there　is　but　one　nature；　whether　it　be　in　the　China…
man　or　a　Dutchman。　　For　my　own　part；　I　am　much　of
that　way　of　thinking　too；　for　I　have　generally　found　that
all　nations　like　gold　and　silver；　and　most　men　relish　to…
bacco。〃

〃Then　you　seafaring　men　know　little　of　the　red…skins。
Have　you　ever　known　any　of　your　Chinamen　who　could
sing　their　death…songs；　with　their　flesh　torn　with　splinters
and　cut　with　knives；　the　fire　raging　around　their　naked
bodies；　and　death　staring　them　in　the　face？　　Until　you
can　find　me　a　Chinaman；　or　a　Christian　man；　that　can　do
all　this；　you　cannot　find　a　man　with　a　red…skin　natur'；　let
him　look　ever　so　valiant；　or　know　how　to　read　all　the　books
that　were　ever　printed。〃

〃It　is　the　savages　only　that　play　each　other　such　hellish
tricks；〃　said　Master　Cap；　glancing　his　eyes　about　him　un…
easily　at　the　apparently　endless　arches　of　the　forest。　　〃No
white　man　is　ever　condemned　to　undergo　these　trials。〃

〃Nay；　therein　you　are　again　mistaken；〃　returned　the
Pathfinder；　coolly　selecting　a　delicate　morsel　of　the　veni…
son　as　his　_bonne　bouche_；　〃for　thongh　these　torments　belong
only　to　the　red…skin　natur'；　in　the　way　of　bearing　them　like
braves；　white…skin　natur'　may　be；　and　often　has　been；
agonized　by　them。〃

〃Happily；〃　said　Cap；　with　an　effort　to　clear　his　throat；
〃none　of　his　Majesty's　allies　will　be　likely　to　attempt　such
damnable　cruelties　on　any　of　his　Majesty's　loyal　subjects。
I　have　not　served　much　in　the　royal　navy；　it　is　true；　but　I
have　served；　and　that　is　something；　and；　in　the　way　of
privateering　and　worrying　the　enemy　in　his　ships　and
cargoes；　I've　done　my　full　share。　　But　I　trust　there　are　no
French　savages　on　this　side　the　lake；　and　I　think　you　said
that　Ontario　is　a　broad　sheet　of　water？〃

〃Nay；　it　is　broad　in　our　eyes；〃　returned　Pathfinder；　not
caring　to　conceal　the　smile　which　lighted　a　face　which　had
been　burnt　by　exposure　to　a　bright　red；　〃though　I　mis…
trust　that　some　may　think　it　narrow；　and　narrow　it　is；　if
you　wish　it　to　keep　off　the　foe。　　Ontario　has　two　ends；
and　the　enemy　tha