the pathfinder-第56部分

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as　for　conversation；　for　such　as　can　comprehend　their　lan…
guage；　there　is　no　want　of　rational　and　instructive　dis…
course。〃

〃I　believe　you　are　happier　when　alone；　Pathfinder；　than
when　mingling　with　your　fellow…creatures。〃

〃I　will　not　say　that；　I　will　not　say　exactly　that。　　I　have
seen　the　time　when　I　have　thought　that　God　was　sufficient
for　me　in　the　forest；　and　that　I　have　craved　no　more　than
His　bounty　and　His　care。　　But　other　feelings　have　got
uppermost；　and　I　suppose　natur'　will　have　its　way。　　All
other　creaturs　mate；　Mabel；　and　it　was　intended　man　should
do　so　too。〃

〃And　have　you　never　bethought　you　of　seeking　a　wife；
Pathfinder；　to　share　your　fortunes？〃　inquired　the　girl；
with　the　directness　and　simplicity　that　the　pure　of　heart
and　the　undesigning　are　the　most　apt　to　manifest；　and　with
that　feeling　of　affection　which　is　inbred　in　her　sex。　　〃To
me　it　seems　you　only　want　a　home　to　return　to　from　your
wanderings　to　render　your　life　completely　happy。　　Were
I　a　man；　it　would　be　my　delight　to　roam　through　these
forests　at　will；　or　to　sail　over　this　beautiful　lake。〃

〃I　understand　you；　Mabel；　and　God　bless　you　for　think…
ing　of　the　welfare　of　men　as　humble　as　we　are。　　We　have
our　pleasures；　it　is　true；　as　well　as　our　gifts；　but　we　might
be　happier；　yes；　I　do　think　we　might　be　happier。〃

〃Happier！　in　what　way；　Pathfinder？　　In　this　pure　air；
with　these　cool　and　shaded　forests　to　wander　through；　this
lovely　lake　to　gaze　at　and　sail　upon；　with　clear　consciences；
and　abundance　for　all　their　real　wants；　men　ought　to　be
nothing　less　than　as　perfectly　happy　as　their　infirmities
will　allow。〃

〃Every　creatur'　has　its　gifts；　Mabel；　and　men　have
theirs；〃　answered　the　guide；　looking　stealthily　at　his　beau…
tiful　companion；　whose　cheeks　had　flushed　and　eyes　bright…
ened　under　the　ardor　of　feelings　excited　by　the　novelty　of
her　striking　situation；　〃and　all　must　obey　them。　　Do　you
see　yonder　pigeon　that　is　just　alightin'　on　the　beach　
here　in　a　line　with　the　fallen　chestnut？〃

〃Certainly；　it　is　the　only　thing　stirring　with　life　in　it；
besides　ourselves；　that　is　to　be　seen　in　this　vast　solitude。〃

〃Not　so；　Mabel；　not　so；　Providence　makes　nothing　that
lives　to　live　quite　alone。　　Here　is　its　mate；　just　rising　on
the　wing；　it　has　been　feeding　near　the　other　beach；　but　it
will　not　long　be　separated　from　its　companion。〃

〃I　understand　you；　Pathfinder；〃　returned　Mabel；　smiling
sweetly；　though　as　calmly　as　if　the　discourse　was　with　her
father。　　〃But　a　hunter　may　find　a　mate；　even　in　this　wild
region。　　The　Indian　girls　are　affectionate　and　true；　I　know；
for　such　was　the　wife　of　Arrowhead；　to　a　husband　who
oftener　frowned　than　smiled。〃

〃That　would　never　do；　Mabel；　and　good　would　never
come　of　it。　　Kind　must　cling　to　kind；　and　country　to　coun…
try；　if　one　would　find　happiness。　　If；　indeed；　I　could　meet
with　one　like　you；　who　would　consent　to　be　a　hunter's　wife；
and　who　would　not　scorn　my　ignorance　and　rudeness；　then；
indeed；　would　all　the　toil　of　the　past　appear　like　the　sport…
ing　of　the　young　deer；　and　all　the　future　like　sunshine。〃

〃One　like　me！　　A　girl　of　my　years　and　indiscretion
would　hardly　make　a　fit　companion　for　the　boldest　scout
and　surest　hunter　on　the　lines。〃

〃Ah；　Mabel！　　I　fear　me　that　I　have　been　improving　a　red…
skin's　gifts　with　a　pale…face's　natur'？　　Such　a　character
would　insure　a　wife　in　an　Indian　village。〃

〃Surely；　surely；　Pathfinder；　you　would　not　think　of
choosing　one　so　ignorant；　so　frivolous；　so　vain；　and　so　in…
experienced　as　I　for　your　wife？〃　Mabel　would　have　added；
〃and　as　young；〃　but　an　instinctive　feeling　of　delicacy　re…
pressed　the　words。

〃And　why　not；　Mabel？　　If　you　are　ignorant　of　frontier
usages；　you　know　more　than　all　of　us　of　pleasant　anecdotes
and　town　customs：　as　for　frivolous；　I　know　not　what　it
means；　but　if　it　signifies　beauty；　ah's　me！　　I　fear　it　is　no
fault　in　my　eyes。　　Vain　you　are　not；　as　is　seen　by　the　kind
manner　in　which　you　listen　to　all　my　idle　tales　about
scoutings　and　trails；　and　as　for　experielice；　that　will　come
with　years。　　Besides；　Mabel；　I　fear　men　think　little　of　these
matters　when　they　are　about　to　take　wives：　I　do。〃

〃Pathfinder；　your　words；　　your　looks：　　surely　all　this
is　meant　in　trifling；　you　speak　in　pleasantry？〃

〃To　me　it　is　always　agreeable　to　be　near　you；　Mabel；　and
I　should　sleep　sounder　this　blessed　night　than　I　have　done
for　a　week　past；　could　I　think　that　you　find　such　discourse
as　pleasant　as　I　do。〃

We　shall　not　say　that　Mabel　Dunham　had　not　believed
herself　a　favorite　with　the　guide。　　This　her　quick　femi…
nine　sagacity　had　early　discovered；　and　perhaps　she　had
occasionally　thought　there　had　mingled　with　his　regard
and　friendship　some　of　that　manly　tenderness　which　the
ruder　sex　must　be　coarse；　indeed；　not　to　show　on　occasions
to　the　gentler；　but　the　idea　that　he　seriously　sought　her
for　his　wife　had　never　before　crossed　the　mind　of　the　spir…
ited　and　ingenuous　girl。　　Now；　however；　a　gleam　of　some…
thing　like　the　truth　broke　in　upon　her　imagination；　less
induced　by　the　words　of　her　companion；　perhaps；　than　by
his　manner。　　Looking　earnestly　into　the　rugged；　honest
countenance　of　the　scout；　Mabel's　own　features　became
concerned　and　grave；　and　when　she　spoke　again；　it　was
with　a　gentleness　of　manner　that　attracted　him　to　her　even
more　powerfully　than　the　words　themselves　were　calculated
to　repel。

〃You　and　I　should　understand　each　other；　Pathfinder；〃
said　she　with　an　earnest　sincerity；　〃nor　should　there　be
any　cloud　between　us。　　You　are　too　upright　and　frank　to
meet　with　anything　but　sincerity　and　frankness　in　return。
Surely；　surely；　all　this　means　nothing；　　has　no　other　con…
nection　with　your　feelings　than　such　a　friendship　as　one
of　your　wisdom　and　character　would　naturally　feel　for　a
girl　like　me？〃

〃I　believe　it's　all　nat'ral；　Mabel　yes；　I　do：　the　Sergeant
tells　me　he　had　such　feelings　towards　your　own　mother；
and　I　think　I've　seen　something　like　it　in　the　young　people
I　have　from　time　to　time　guided　through　the　wilderness。
Yes；　yes；　I　daresay　it's　all　nat'ral　enough；　and　that　makes
it　come　so　easy；　and　is　a　great　comfort　to　me。〃

〃Pathfinder；　your　words　make　me　uneasy。　　Speak　plainer；
or　change　the　subject　for　ever。　　You　do　not；　cannot　mean
that　　you　cannot　wish　me　to　understand〃　　even　the
tongue　of　the　spirited　Mabel　faltered；　and　she　shrank；　with
maiden　shame；　from　adding　what　she　wished　so　earnestly
to　say。　　Rallying　her　courage；　however；　and　determined　to
know　all　as　soon　and　as　plainly　as　possible；　after　a　mo…
ment's　hesitation；　she　continued；　　〃I　mean；　Pathfinder；
that　you　do　not　wish　me　to　understand　that　you　seriously
think　of　me　as　a　wife？〃

〃I　do；　Mabel；　that's　it；　that's　just　it；　and　you　have　put　the
matter　in　a　much　better　point　of　view　than　I　with　my　for…
est　gifts　and　frontier　ways　would　ever　be　able　to　do。　　The
Sergeant　and　I　have　concluded　on　the　matter；　if　it　is　agree…
able　to　you；　as　he　thinks　is　likely　to　be　the　case；　though　I
doubt　my　own　power　to　please　one　who　deserves　the　best
husband　America　can　produce。〃

Mabel's　countenance　changed　from　uneasiness　to　sur…
prise；　and　then；　by　a　transition　still　quicker；　from　surprise
to　pain。

〃My　father！〃　she　exclaimed；　　〃my　dear　father　has
thought　of　my　becoming　your　wife；　Pathfinder？〃

〃Yes；　he　has；　Mabel；　he　has；　indeed。　　He　has　even
thought　such　a　thing　might　be　agreeable　to　you；　and　has
almost　encouraged　me　to　fancy　it　might　be　true。〃

〃But　you　yourself；　　you　certainly　can　care　nothing
whether　this　singular　expectation　shall　ever　be　realized　or
not？〃

〃Anan？〃

〃I　mean；　Pathfinder；　that　you　have　talked　of　this　match
more　to　oblige　my　father　than　anything　else；　that　your　feel…
ings　are　no　way　concerned；　let　my　answer　be　what　it　may？〃

The　scout　looked　earnestly　into　the　beautiful　face　of
Mabel；　which　had　flushed　with　the　ardor　and　novelty　of
her　sensations；　and　it　was　not　possible　to　mistake　the　in…
tense　admiration　that　betrayed　itself　in　every　lineament　of
his　ingenuous　countenance。

〃I　have　often　thought　myself　happy；　Mabel；　when　rang…
ing　the　woods　on　a　successful　hunt；　breathing　the　pure　air
of　the　hills；　and　filled　with　vigor　and　health；　but　I　now
know　that　it　has　all　been　idleness　and　vanity　compared
with　the　delight　it　would　give　me　to　know　that　you　thought
better　of　me　than　you　think　of　most　others。〃

〃Better　of　you！　　I　do；　indeed；　think　better　of　you；　Path…
finder；　than　of　most　others：　I　am　not　certain　that　I　do　not
think　better　of　you　than　of　any　other；　for　your　truth；　hon…
esty；　simplicity；　justice；　and　courage　are　scarcely　equalled
by　any　of　earth。〃

〃Ah；　Mabel；　these　are　sweet　and　encouraging　words　from
you！　and　the　Sergeant；　after　all；　was　not　so　near　wrong　as
I　feared。〃

〃Nay；　Pathfinder；　in　the　name　of　all　that　is　sacred　and
jsut；　do　not　let　us　misunderstand　each　other　in　a　matter
of　so　much　importance。　　While　I　esteem；　respect；　nay；
reverence　you；　almost　as　much　as　I　reverence　my　own　dear
father；　it　is　impossible　that　I　should　ever　become　your
wife　　that　I　　〃

The　change　in　her　companion's　countenance　was　so　sud…
den　and　so　great；　that　the　moment　the　effect　of　what　she
had　uttered　became　visible　in　the　face　of　the　Pathfinder；
Mabel　arrested　her　own　words；　notwithstanding　her　strong
desire　to　be　explicit；　the　reluctance　with　which　she　could
at　any　time　cause　painn　being　sufficient　of　itself　to　induce
the　pause。　　Neither　spoke　for　some　time；　the　shade　of　dis…
appointment　that　crossed　the　rugged　lineaments　of　the
hunter　amounting　so　nearly　to　anguish　as　to　frighten　his
companion；　while　the　sensation　of　choking　became　so　strong
in　the　Pathfinder　that　he　fairly　griped　his　throat；　like　one
who　sought　physical　relief　for　physical　suffering。　　The
convulsive　manner　in　which　his　fingers　worked　actually
struck　the　alarmed　girl　with　a　feeling　of　awe。

〃Nay；　Pathfinder；〃　Mabel　eagerly　added；　the　instant　she
could　command　her　voice；　　〃I　may　have　said　more　than　I
mean；　for　all　things　of　this　nature　are　possible；　and
women；　they　say；　are　never　sure　of　their　own　minds。　　What
I　wish　you　to　understand　is；　that　it　is　not　likely　that　you
and　I　should　ever　think　of　each　other　as　man　and　wife
ought　to　thin