the pathfinder-第59部分

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tunity；　and　no　mincing　of　words。〃

〃I　will　ask　her；　Sergeant；　on　condition　that　you　promise
not　to　meddle　in　the　affair　　yes；　I　will　promise　to　ask
Mabel　whether　she　will　marry　me；　even　though　she　laugh
in　my　face　at　my　doing　so；　on　that　condition。〃

Sergeant　Dunham　gave　the　desired　promise　very　cheer…
fully；　for　he　had　completely　wrought　himself　up　into　the
belief　that　the　man　he　so　much　esteemed　himself　must　be
acceptable　to　his　daughter。　　He　had　married　a　woman
much　younger　than　himself；　and　he　saw　no　unfitness　in　the
respective　years　of　the　intended　couple。　　Mabel　was　edu…
cated　so　much　above　him；　too；　that　he　was　not　aware　of
the　difference　which　actually　existed　between　the　parent
and　child　in　this　respect。　　It　followed　that　Sergeant　Dun…
ham　was　not　altogether　qualified　to　appreciate　his　daugh…
ter's　tastes；　or　to　form　a　very　probable　conjecture　what
would　be　the　direction　taken　by　those　feelings　which
oftener　depend　on　impulses　and　passion　than　on　reason。
Still；　the　worthy　soldier　was　not　so　wrong　in　his　estimate
of　the　Pathfinder's　chances　as　might　at　first　appear。　　Know…
ing　all　the　sterling　qualities　of　the　man；　his　truth；　integ…
rity　of　purpose；　courage；　self…devotion；　disinterestedness；
it　was　far　from　unreasonable　to　suppose　that　qualities　like
these　would　produce　a　deep　impression　on　any　female　heart；
and　the　father　erred　principally　in　fancying　that　the
daughter　might　know　as　it　might　be　by　intuition　what　he
himself　had　acquired　by　years　of　intercourse　and　adventure。

As　Pathfinder　and　his　military　friend　descended　the　hill
to　the　shore　of　the　lake；　the　discourse　did　not　flag。　　The
latter　continued　to　persuade　the　former　that　his　diffidence
alone　prevented　complete　success　with　Mabel；　and　that　he
had　only　to　persevere　in　order　to　prevail。　　Pathfinder　was
much　too　modest　by　nature；　and　had　been　too　plainly；
though　so　delicately；　discouraged　in　the　recent　interview
to　believe　all　he　heard；　still　the　father　used　so　many　argu…
inents　which　seemed　plausible；　and　it　was　so　grateful　to
fancy　that　the　daughter　might　yet　be　his；　that　the　reader
is　not　to　be　surprised　when　he　is　told　that　this　unsophis…
ticated　being　did　not　view　Mabel's　recent　conduct　in　pre…
cisely　the　light　in　which　he　may　be　inclined　to　view　it
himself。　　He　did　not　credit　all　that　the　Sergeant　told　him；
it　is　true；　but　he　began　to　think　virgin　coyness　and　igno…
rance　of　her　own　feelings　might　have　induced　Mabel　to
use　the　language　she　had。

〃The　Quartermaster　is　no　favorite；〃　said　Pathfinder　in
answer　to　one　of　his　companion's　remarks。　　〃Mabel　will
never　look　on　him　as　more　than　one　who　has　had　four　or
five　wives　already。〃

〃Which　is　more　than　his　share。　　A　man　may　marry
twice　without　offence　to　good　morals　and　decency；　I　allow！
but　four　times　is　an　aggravation。〃

〃I　should　think　even　marrying　once　what　Master　Cap
calls　a　circumstance；〃　put　in　Pathfinder；　laughing　in　his
quiet　way；　for　by　this　time　his　spirits　had　recovered　some
of　their　buoyancy。

〃It　is；　indeed；　my　friend；　and　a　most　solemn　circum…
stance　too。　　If　it　were　not　that　Mabel　is　to　be　your　wife；
I　would　advise　you　to　remain　single。　　But　here　is　the　girl
herself；　and　discretion　is　the　word。〃

〃Ah's　me；　Sergeant；　I　fear　you　are　mistaken！〃



CHAPTER　XIX。

Thus　was　this　place
A　happy　rural　seat　of　various　view。
MILTON。


Mabel　was　in　waiting　on　the　beach；　and　the　canoe　was
soon　launched。　　Pathfinder　carried　the　party　out　through
the　surf　in　the　same　skillful　manner　that　he　had　brought
it　in；　and　though　Mabel's　color　heightened　with　excite…
ment；　and　her　heart　seemed　often　ready　to　leap　out　of　her
mouth　again；　they　reached　the　side　of　the　_Scud_　without
having　received　even　a　drop　of　spray。

Ontario　is　like　a　quick…tempered　man；　sudden　to　be　an…
gered；　and　as　soon　appeased。　　The　sea　had　already　fallen；
and　though　the　breakers　bounded　the　shore；　far　as　the　eye
could　reach；　it　was　merely　in　lines　of　brightness；　that　ap…
peared　and　vanished　like　the　returning　waves　produced　by
a　stone　which　had　been　dropped　into　a　pool。　　The　cable
of　the　_Scud_　was　scarcely　seen　above　the　water；　and　Jasper
had　already　hoisted　his　sails；　in　readiness　to　depart　as　soon
as　the　expected　breeze　from　the　shore　should　fill　the　can…
vas。

It　was　just　sunset　as　the　cutter's　mainsail　flapped　and
its　stem　began　to　sever　the　water。　　The　air　was　light　and
southerly；　and　the　head　of　the　vessel　was　kept　looking　up
along　the　south　shore；　it　being　the　intention　to　get　to　the
eastward　again　as　fast　as　possible。　　The　night　that　suc…
ceeded　was　quiet；　and　the　rest　of　those　who　slept　deep　and
tranquil。

Some　difficulty　occurred　concerning　the　command　of
the　vessel；　but　the　matter　had　been　finally　settled　by　an
amicable　compromise。　　As　the　distrust　of　Jasper　was　far
from　being　appeased；　Cap　retained　a　supervisory　power；
while　the　young　man　was　allowed　to　work　the　craft；　sub…
ject；　at　all　times；　to　the　control　and　interference　of　the　old
seaman。　　To　this　Jasper　consented；　in　preference　to　ex…
posing　Mabel　any　longer　to　tbe　dangers　of　their　present
situation；　for；　now　that　the　violence　of　the　elements　had
ceased；　he　well　knew　that　the　_Montcalm_　would　be　in　search
of　them。　　He　had　the　discretion；　however；　not　to　reveal
his　apprehensions　on　this　head；　for　it　happened　that　the
very　means　he　deemed　the　best　to　escape　the　enemy　were
those　which　would　be　most　likely　to　awaken　new　suspi…
cions　of　his　honesty　in　the　minds　of　those　who　held　the
power　to　defeat　his　intentions。　　In　other　words；　Jasper
believed　that　the　gallant　young　Frenchman；　who　com…
manded　the　ship　of　the　enemy；　would　quit　his　anchorage
under　the　fort　at　Niagara；　and　stand　up　the　lake；　as　soon
as　the　wind　abated；　in　order　to　ascertain　the　fate　of　the
_Scud_；　keeping　midway　between　the　two　shores　as　the　best
means　of　commanding　a　broad　view；　and　that；　on　his　part；
it　would　be　expedient　to　hug　one　coast　or　the　other；　not
only　to　avoid　a　meeting；　but　as　affording　a　chance　of　pass…
ing　without　detection　by　blending　his　sails　and　spars　with
objects　on　the　land。　　He　preferred　the　south　because　it
was　the　weather　shore；　and　because　he　thought　it　was　that
which　the　enemy　would　the　least　expect　him　to　take；
though　it　necessarily　led　near　his　settlements；　and　in　front
of　one　of　the　strongest　posts　he　held　in　that　part　of　the
world。

Of　all　this；　however；　Cap　was　happily　ignorant；　and　the
Sergeant's　mind　was　too　much　occupied　with　the　details
of　his　military　trust　to　enter　into　these　niceties；　which　so
properly　belonged　to　another　profession。　　No　opposition
was　made；　therefore；　and　before　morning　Jasper　had　ap…
parently　dropped　quietly　into　all　his　former　authority；　is…
suing　his　orders　freely；　and　meeting　with　obedience　with…
out　hesitation　or　cavil。

The　appearance　of　day　brought　all　on　board　on　deck
again；　and；　as　is　usual　with　adventurers　on　the　water；　the
opening　horizon　was　curiously　examined；　as　objects　started
out　of　the　obscurity；　and　the　panorama　brightened　under
the　growing　light。　　East；　west；　and　north　nothing　was　visi…
ble　but　water　glittering　in　the　rising　sun；　but　southward
stretched　the　endless　belt　of　woods　that　then　held　Ontario
in　a　setting　of　forest　verdure。　　Suddenly　an　opening　ap…
peared　ahead；　and　then　the　massive　walls　of　a　chateau…look…
ing　house；　with　outworks；　bastions；　blockhouses；　and　pali…
sadoes；　frowned　on　a　headland　that　bordered　the　outlet　of
a　broad　stream。　　Just　as　the　fort　became　visible；　a　little
cloud　rose　over　it；　and　the　white　ensign　of　France　was　seen
fluttering　from　a　lofty　flagstaff。

Cap　gave　an　ejaculation　as　he　witnessed　this　ungrateful
exhibition；　and　he　cast　a　quick　suspicious　glance　at　his
brother…in…law。

The　dirty　tablecloth　hung　up　to　air；　as　my　name　is
Charles　Cap！〃　he　muttered；　〃and　we　hugging　this　dd
shore　as　if　it　were　our　wife　and　children　met　on　the　return
from　an　India　v'y'ge！　　Hark'e；　Jasper；　are　you　in　search
of　a　cargo　of　frogs；　that　you　keep　so　near　in　to　this　New
France？〃

〃I　hug　the　land；　sir；　in　the　hope　of　passing　the　enemy's
ship　without　being　seen；　for　I　think　she　must　be　some…
where　down　here　to　leeward。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　this　sounds　well；　and　I　hope　it　may　turn　out　as
you　say。　　I　trust　there　is　no　under…tow　here？〃

〃We　are　on　a　weather　shore；　now；〃　said　Jasper；　smiling；
〃and　I　think　you　will　admit；　Master　Cap；　that　a　strong
under…tow　makes　an　easy　cable：　we　owe　all　our　lives　to　the
under…tow　of　this　very　lake。〃

〃French　flummery！〃　growled　Cap；　though　he　did　not
care　to　be　heard　by　Jasper。　　〃Give　me　a　fair；　honest；
English…Yankee…American　tow；　above　board；　and　above
water　too；　if　I　must　have　a　tow　at　all；　and　none　of　your
sneaking　drift　that　is　below　the　surface；　where　one　can
neither　see　nor　feel。　　I　daresay；　if　the　truth　could　be　come
at；　that　this　late　escape　of　ours　was　all　a　contrived　affair。〃

〃We　have　now　a　good　opportunity；　at　least；　to　recon…
noitre　the　enemy's　post　at　Niagara；　brother；　for　such　I　take
this　fort　to　be；〃　put　in　the　Sergeant。　　〃Let　us　be　all　eyes
in　passing；　and　remember　that　we　are　almost　in　face　of
the　enemy。〃

This　advice　of　the　Sergeant　needed　nothing　to　enforce
it；　for　the　interest　and　novelty　of　passing　a　spot　occupied
by　human　beings　were　of　themselves　sufficient　to　attract
deep　attention　in　that　scene　of　a　vast　but　deserted　nature。
The　wind　was　now　fresh　enough　to　urge　the　_Scud_　through
the　water　with　considerable　velocity；　and　Jasper　eased　her
helm　as　she　opened　the　river；　and　luffed　nearly　into　the
mouth　of　that　noble　strait；　or　river；　as　it　is　termed。　　A
dull；　distant；　heavy　roar　came　down　through　the　opening
in　the　banks；　swelling　on　the　currents　of　the　air；　like　the
deeper　notes　of　some　immense　organ；　and　occasionally
seeming　to　cause　the　earth　itself　to　tremble。

〃That　sounds　like　surf　on　some　long　unbroken　coast！〃
exclaimed　Cap；　as　a　swell；　deeper　than　common；　came　to　his
ears。

〃Ay；　that　is　such　surf　as　we　have　in　this　quarter　of　the
world；〃　Pathfinder　answered。　　〃There　is　no　under…tow
there；　Master　Cap；　but　all　the　water　that　strikes　the　rocks
stays　there；　so　far　as　going　back　again　is　consarned。　　That
is　old　Niagara　that　you　hear；　or　this　noble　stream　tum…
bling　down　a　mountain。〃