the pathfinder-第63部分

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true。〃

〃I　fear　you're　right；　I　do；　yes；　I　fear　you're　right；　
when　I　consider　myself；　what　I　am；　how　little　I　know；　and
how　rude　my　life　has　been；　I　altogether　distrust　my　claim；
even　to　think　a　moment　of　one　so　tutored；　and　gay；　and
light　of　heart；　and　delicate　　〃

〃You　forget　handsome；〃　coarsely　interrupted　Muir。

〃And　handsome；　too；　I　fear；〃　returned　the　meek　and
self…abased　guide；　〃I　might　have　said　handsome　at　once；
among　her　other　qualities；　for　the　young　fa'n；　just　as　it
learns　to　bound；　is　not　more　pleasant　to　the　eye　of　the　hun…
ter　than　Mabel　is　lovely　in　mine。　　I　do　indeed　fear　that
all　the　thoughts　I　have　harbored　about　her　are　vain　and
presumptuous。〃

〃If　you　think　this；　my　friend；　of　your　own　accord　and
natural　modesty；　as　it　might　be；　my　duty　to　you　as　an　old
fellow…campaigner　compels　me　to　say　　〃

〃Quartermaster；〃　interrupted　the　other；　regarding　his
companion　keenly；　〃you　and　I　have　lived　together　much
behind　the　ramparts　of　forts；　but　very　little　in　the　open
woods　or　in　front　of　the　enemy。〃

〃Garrison　or　tent；　it　all　passes　for　part　of　the　same　cam…
paign；　you　know；　Pathfinder；　and　then　my　duty　keeps　me
much　within　sight　of　the　storehouses；　greatly　contrary　to
my　inclinations；　as　ye　may　well　suppose；　having　yourself
the　ardor　of　battle　in　your　temperament。　　But　had　ye　heard
what　Mabel　had　just　been　saying　of　you；　ye'd　no　think
another　minute　of　making　yourself　agreeable　to　the　saucy
and　uncompromising　hussy。〃

Pathfinder　looked　earnestly　at　the　lieutenant；　for　it　was
impossible　he　should　not　feel　an　interest　in　what　might　be
Mabel's　opinion；　but　he　had　too　much　of　the　innate　and
true　feeling　of　a　gentleman　to　ask　to　hear　what　another　had
said　of　him。　　Muir；　however；　was　not　to　be　foiled　by　this
self…denial　and　self…respect；　for；　believing　he　had　a　man
of　great　truth　and　simplicity　to　deal　with；　he　determined
to　practise　on　his　credulity；　as　one　means　of　getting　rid　of
his　rivalry。　　He　therefore　pursued　the　subject；　as　soon　as
he　perceived　that　his　companion's　self…denial　was　stronger
than　his　curiosity。

〃You　ought　to　know　her　opinion；　Pathfinder；〃　he　con…
tinued；　〃and　I　think　every　man　ought　to　hear　what　his
friends　and　acquaintances　say　of　him：　and　so；　by　way　of
proving　my　own　regard　for　your　character　and　feelings；
I'll　just　tell　you　in　as　few　words　as　possible。　　You　know
that　Mabel　has　a　wicked；　malicious　way　with　them　eyes　of
her　own；　when　she　has　a　mind　to　be　hard　upon　one's　feel…
ings。〃

〃To　me　her　eyes；　Lieutenant　Muir；　have　always　seemed
winning　and　soft；　though　I　will　acknowledge　that　they
sometimes　laugh；　yes；　I　have　known　them　to　laugh；　and
that　right　heartily；　and　with　downright　goodwill。〃

〃Well；　it　was　just　that　then；　her　eyes　were　laughing
with　all　their　might；　as　it　were；　and　in　the　midst　of　all
her　fun；　she　broke　out　with　an　exclamation　to　this　effect：
…　I　hope　'twill　no'　hurt　your　sensibility；　Pathfinder？〃

〃I　will　not　say　Quartermaster；　I　will　not　say。　　Mabel's
opinion　of　me　is　of　no　more　account　than　that　of　most　others。〃

〃Then　I'll　no'　tell　ye；　but　just　keep　discretion　on　the
subject；　and　why　should　a　man　be　telling　another　what
his　friends　say　of　him；　especially　when　they　happen　to　say
that　which　may　not　be　pleasant　to　hear？　　I'll　not　add　an…
other　word　to　this　present　communication。〃

〃I　cannot　make　you　speak；　Quartermaster；　if　you　are
not　so　minded；　and　perhaps　it　is　better　for　me　not　to　know
Mabel's　opinion；　as　you　seem　to　think　it　is　not　in　my　favor。
Ah's　me！　if　we　could　be　what　we　wish　to　be；　instead　of
being　only　what　we　are；　there　would　be　a　great　difference
in　our　characters　and　knowledge　and　appearance。　　One
may　be　rude　and　coarse　and　ignorant；　and　yet　happy；　if　he
does　not　know　it；　but　it　is　hard　to　see　our　own　failings　in
the　strongest　light；　just　as　we　wish　to　hear　the　least　about
them。〃

〃That's　just　the　_rationale_；　as　the　French　say；　of　the
matter；　and　so　I　was　telling　Mabel；　when　she　ran　away
and　left　me。　　You　noticed　the　manner　in　which　she
skipped　off　as　you　approached？〃

〃It　was　very　observable；〃　answered　Pathfinder；　drawing
a　long　breath　and　clenching　the　barrel　of　his　rifle　as　if　the
fingers　would　bury　themselves　in　the　iron。

〃It　was　more　than　observable　　it　was　flagrant；　that's
just　the　word；　and　the　dictionary　wouldn't　supply　a　bet…
ter；　after　an　hour's　search。　　Well；　you　must　know；　Path…
finder；　　for　I　cannot　reasonably　deny　you　the　gratification
of　hearing　this；　　so　you　must　know　the　minx　bounded　off
in　that　manner　in　preference　to　hearing　what　I　had　to　say
in　your　justification。〃

〃And　what　could　you　find　to　say　in　my　behalf；　Quarter…
master？〃

〃Why；　d'ye　understand；　my　friend；　I　was　ruled　by　cir…
cumstances；　and　no'　ventured　indiscreetly　into　generalities；
but　was　preparing　to　meet　particulars；　as　it　might　be；　with
particulars。　　If　you　were　thought　wild；　half…savage；　or　of
a　frontier　formation；　I　could　tell　her；　ye　know；　that　it　came
of　the　frontier；　wild　and　half…savage　life　ye'd　led；　and　all
her　objections　must　cease　at　once；　or　there　would　be　a　sort
of　a　misunderstanding　with　Providence。〃

〃And　did　you　tell　her　this；　Quartermaster？〃

〃I'll　no'　swear　to　the　exact　words；　but　the　idea　was　prev…
alent　in　my　mind；　ye'll　understand。　　The　girl　was　impa…
tient；　and　would　not　hear　the　half　I　had　to　say；　but　away
she　skipped；　as　ye　saw　with　your　own　eyes；　Pathfinder；　as
if　her　opinion　were　fully　made　up；　and　she　cared　to　listen
no　longer。　　I　fear　her　mind　may　be　said　to　have　come　to
its　conclusion？〃

〃I　fear　it　has　indeed；　Quartermaster；　and　her　father；
after　all；　is　mistaken。　　Yes；　yes；　the　Sergeant　has　fallen
into　a　grievous　error。〃

〃Well；　man；　why　need　ye　lament；　and　undo　all　the　grand
reputation　ye've　been　so　many　weary　years　making？
Shoulder　the　rifle　that　ye　use　so　well；　and　off　into　the
woods　with　ye；　for　there's　not　the　female　breathing　that　is
worth　a　heavy　heart　for　a　minute；　as　I　know　from　experi…
ence。　　Tak'　the　word　of　one　who　knows　the　sax；　and　has
had　two　wives；　that　women；　after　all；　are　very　much　the
sort　of　creatures　we　do　not　imagine　them　to　be。　　Now；　if
you　would　really　mortify　Mabel；　here　is　as　glorious　an
occasion　as　any　rejected　lover　could　desire。〃

〃The　last　wish　I　have；　Lieutenant；　would　be　to　mortify
Mabel。〃

〃Well；　ye'll　come　to　that　in　the　end；　notwithstanding；
for　it's　human　nature　to　desire　to　give　unpleasant　feelings
to　them　that　give　unpleasant　feelings　to　us。　　But　a　better
occasion　never　offered　to　make　your　friends　love　you；　than
is　to　be　had　at　this　very　moment；　and　that　is　the　certain
means　of　causing　one's　enemies　to　envy　us。〃

〃Quartermaster；　Mabel　is　not　my　inimy；　and　if　she　was；
the　last　thing　I　could　desire　would　be　to　give　her　an　uneasy
moment。〃

〃Ye　say　so；　Pathfinder；　ye　say　so；　and　I　daresay　ye　think
so；　but　reason　and　nature　are　both　against　you；　as　ye'll
find　in　the　end。　　Ye've　heard　the　saying　'love　me；　love
my　dog：'　well；　now；　that　means；　read　backwards；　'don't
love　me；　don't　love　my　dog。'　　Now；　listen　to　what　is　in
your　power　to　do。　　You　know　we　occupy　an　exceedingly
precarious　and　uncertain　postion　here；　almost　in　the　jaws
of　the　lion；　as　it　were？〃

〃Do　you　mean　the　Frenchers　by　the　lion；　and　this　island
as　his　jaws；　Lieutenant？〃

〃Metaphorically　only；　my　friend；　for　the　French　are　no
lions；　and　this　island　is　not　a　jaw　　unless；　indeed；　it　may
prove　to　be；　what　I　greatly　fear　may　come　true；　the　jaw…
bone　of　an　ass。〃

Here　the　Quartermaster　indulged　in　a　sneering　laugh；
that　proclaimed　anything　but　respect　and　admiration　for
his　friend　Lundie's　sagacity　in　selecting　that　particular
spot　for　his　operations。

〃The　post　is　as　well　chosen　as　any　I　ever　put　foot　in；〃
said　Pathfinder；　looking　around　him　as　one　surveys　a　pic…
ture。

〃I'll　no'　deny　it；　I'll　no'　deny　it。　　Lundie　is　a　great　sol…
dier；　in　a　small　way；　and　his　father　was　a　great　laird；　with
the　same　qualification。　　I　was　born　on　the　estate；　and　have
followed　the　Major　so　long　that　I've　got　to　reverence　all
he　says　and　does：　that's　just　my　weakness；　ye'll　know；
Pathfinder。　　Well；　this　post　may　be　the　post　of　an　ass；　or
of　a　Solomon；　as　men　fancy；　but　it's　most　critically　placed；
as　is　apparent　by　all　Lundie's　precautions　and　injunctions。
There　are　savages　out　scouting　through　these　Thousand
Islands　and　over　the　forest；　searching　for　this　very　spot；　as
is　known　to　Lundie　himself；　on　certain　information；　and
the　greatest　service　you　can　render　the　55th　is　to　discover
their　trails　and　lead　them　off　on　a　false　scent。　　Unhappily
Sergeant　Dunham　has　taken　up　the　notion　that　the　danger
is　to　be　apprehended　from　up…stream；　because　Frontenac
lies　above　us；　whereas　all　experience　tells　us　that　Indians
come　on　the　side　which　is　most　contrary　to　reason；　and；
consequently；　are　to　be　expected　from　below。　　Take　your
canoe；　therefore；　and　go　down…stream　among　the　islands；
that　we　may　have　notice　if　any　danger　approaches　from
that　quarter。〃

〃The　Big　Sarpent　is　on　the　look…out　in　that　quarter；
and　as　he　knows　the　station　well；　no　doubt　he　will　give　us
timely　notice；　should　any　wish　to　sarcumvent　us　in　that
direction。〃

〃He　is　but　an　Indian；　after　all；　Pathfinder；　and　this　is
an　affair　that　calls　for　the　knowledge　of　a　white　man。
Lundie　will　be　eternally　grateful　to　the　man　who　shall
help　this　little　enterprise　to　come　off　with　flying　colors。
To　tell　you　the　truth；　my　friend；　he　is　conscious　it　should
never　have　been　attempted；　but　he　has　too　much　of　the
old　laird's　obstinacy　about　him　to　own　an　error；　though　it
be　as　manifest　as　the　morning　star。〃

The　Quartermaster　then　continued　to　reason　with　his
companion；　in　order　to　induce　him　to　quit　the　island　with…
out　delay；　using　such　arguments　as　first　suggested　them…
selves；　sometimes　contradicting　himself；　and　not　unfre…
quently　urging　at　one　moment　a　motive　that　at　the　next
was　directly　opposed　by　another。　　The　Pathfinder；　simple
as　he　was；　detected　these　flaws　in　the　Lieutenant's　philos…
ophy；　though　he　was　far　from　suspecting　that　they　pro…
ceeded　from　a　desire　to　clear　the　coast　of　Mabel's　suitor。
He　did　not　exactly　suspect　the　secret　objects　of　Muir；　but
he　was　far　from　being　blind　to　his　sophistry。　　The　result
was