the pathfinder-第67部分

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〃Late　come；　late　served；　Mabel；〃　said　her　uncle；　be…
tween　mouthfuls　of　broiled　salmon；　for　though　the　cook…
ery　might　be　very　unsophisticated　on　that　remote　frontier；
the　viands　were　generally　delicious；　　〃late　come；　late
served；　it　is　a　good　rule；　and　keeps　laggards　up　to　their
work。〃

〃I　am　no　laggard；　uncle；　for　I　have　been　stirring　nearly
an　hour；　and　exploring　our　island。〃

〃It's　little　you'll　make　o'　that；　Mistress　Mabel；〃　put　in
Muir；　〃that's　little　by　nature。　　Lundie　　or　it　might　be
better　to　style　him　Major　Duncan　in　this　presence〃　（this
was　said　in　consideration　of　the　corporal　and　the　common
men；　though　they　were　taking　their　meal　a　little　apart）　
〃has　not　added　an　empire　to　his　Majesty's　dominions　in
getting　possession　of　this　island；　which　is　likely　to　equal
that　of　the　celebrated　Sancho　in　revenues　and　profits　
Sancho；　of　whom；　doubtless；　Master　Cap；　you'll　often　have
been　reading　in　your　leisure　hours；　more　especially　in
calms　and　moments　of　inactivity。〃

〃I　know　the　spot　you　mean；　Quartermaster；　Sancho's
Island　　coral　rock；　of　new　formation；　and　as　bad　a　land…
fall；　in　a　dark　night　and　blowing　weather；　as　a　sinner
could　wish　to　keep　clear　of。　　It's　a　famous　place　for　cocoa…
nuts　and　bitter　water；　that　Sancho's　Island。〃

〃It's　no'　very　famous　for　dinners；〃　returned　Muir；　re…
pressing　the　smile　which　was　struggling　to　his　lips　out　of
respect　to　Mabel；　〃nor　do　I　think　there'll　be　much　to
choose　between　its　revenue　and　that　of　this　spot。　　In　my
judgment；　Master　Cap；　this　is　a　very　unmilitary　position；
and　I　look　to　some　calamity　befalling　it；　sooner　or　later。〃

〃It　is　to　be　hoped　not　until　our　turn　of　duty　is　over；〃
observed　Mabel。　　〃I　have　no　wish　to　study　the　French
language。〃

〃We　might　think　ourselves　happy；　did　it　not　prove　to
be　the　Iroquois。　　I　have　reasoned　with　Major　Duncan　on
the　occupation　of　this　position；　but　'a　wilfu'　man　maun
ha'　his　way。'　　My　first　object　in　accompanying　this　party
was　to　endeavor　to　make　myself　acceptable　and　useful　to
your　beautiful　niece；　Master　Cap；　and　the　second　was　to
take　such　an　account　of　the　stores　that　belong　to　my　par…
ticular　department　as　shall　leave　no　question　open　to　con…
troversy；　concerning　the　manner　of　expenditure；　when　they
shall　have　disappeared　by　means　of　the　enemy。〃

〃Do　you　look　upon　matters　as　so　serious？〃　demanded
Cap；　actually　suspending　his　mastication　of　a　bit　of　veni…
son　　for　he　passed　alternately　from　fish　to　flesh　and　back
again　　in　the　interest　he　took　in　the　answer。　　〃Is　the
danger　pressing？〃

〃I'll　no'　say　just　that；　and　I'll　no'　say　just　the　contrary。
There　is　always　danger　in　war；　and　there　is　more　of　it
at　the　advanced　posts　than　at　the　main　encampment。　　It
ought；　therefore；　to　occasion　no　surprise　were　we　to　be
visited　by　the　French　at　any　moment。〃

〃And　what　the　devil　is　to　be　done　in　that　case？　　Six
men　and　two　women　would　make　but　a　poor　job　in　defend…
ing　such　a　place　as　this；　should　the　enemy　invade　us；　as；
no　doubt；　Frenchman…like；　they　would　take　very　good　care
to　come　strong…handed。〃

〃That　we　may　depend　on　　some　very　formidable　force
at　the　very　lowest。　　A　military　disposition　might　be　made
in　defence　of　the　island；　out　of　all　question；　and　accord…
ing　to　the　art　of　war；　though　we　would　probably　fail　in
the　force　necessary　to　carry　out　the　design　in　any　very
creditable　manner。　　In　the　first　place；　a　detachment　should
be　sent　off　to　the　shore；　with　orders　to　annoy　the　enemy
in　landing；　a　strong　party　ought　instantly　to　be　thrown
into　the　blockhouse；　as　the　citadel；　for　on　that　all　the　dif…
ferent　detachments　would　naturally　fall　back　for　support；
as　the　French　advanced；　and　an　entrenched　camp　might
be　laid　out　around　the　stronghold；　as　it　would　be　very　un…
military　indeed　to　let　the　foe　get　near　enough　to　the　foot
of　the　walls　to　mine　them。　　Chevaux…de…frise　would　keep
the　cavalry　in　check；　and　as　for　the　artillery；　redoubts
should　be　thrown　up　under　cover　of　yon　woods。　　Strong
skirmishing　parties；　moreover；　would　be　exceedingly　ser…
viceable　in　retarding　the　march　of　the　enemy；　and　these
different　huts；　if　properly　piqueted　and　ditched；　would　be
converted　into　very　eligible　positions　for　that　object。〃

〃Whe…e…e…w…；　Quartermaster！　　And　who　the　d…l
is　to　find　all　the　men　to　carry　out　such　a　plan？〃

〃The　king；　out　of　all　question；　Master　Cap。　　It　is　his
quarrel；　and　it's　just　he　should　bear　the　burthen　o'　it。〃

〃And　we　are　only　six！　　This　is　fine　talking；　with　a
vengeance。　　You　could　be　sent　down　to　the　shore　to　op…
pose　the　landing；　Mabel　might　skirmish　with　her　tongue
at　least；　the　soldier's　wife　might　act　chevaux…de…frise　to
entangle　the　cavalry；　the　corporal　should　command　the
entrenched　camp；　his　three　men　could　occupy　the　five
huts；　and　I　would　take　the　blockhouse。　　Whe…e…e…w！
you　describe　well；　Lieutenant；　and　should　have　been　a
limner　instead　of　a　soldier。〃

〃Na；　I've　been　very　literal　and　upright　in　my　exposition
of　matters。　　That　there　is　no　greater　force　here　to　carry
out　the　plan　is　a　fault　of　his　Majesty's　ministers；　and　none
of　mine。〃

〃But　should　our　enemy　really　appear；〃　asked　Mabel；
with　more　interest　than　she　might　have　shown；　had　she
not　remembered　the　guest　in　the　hut；　〃what　course　ought
we　to　pursue？〃

〃My　advice　would　be　to　attempt　to　achieve　that；　pretty
Mabel；　which　rendered　Xenophon　so　justly　celebrated。〃

〃I　think　you　mean　a　retreat；　though　I　half　guess　at　your
allusion。〃

〃You've　imagined　my　meaning　from　the　possession　of
a　strong　native　sense；　young　lady。　　I　am　aware　that　your
worthy　father　has　pointed　out　to　the　Corporal　certain
modes　and　methods　by　which　he　fancies　this　island　could
be　held；　in　case　the　French　should　discover　its　position；
but　the　excellent　Sergeant；　though　your　father；　and　as　good
a　man　in　his　duties　as　ever　wielded　a　spontoon；　is　not　the
great　Lord　Stair；　or　even　the　Duke　of　Marlborough。　　I'll
not　deny　the　Sergeant's　merits　in　his　particular　sphere；
though　I　cannot　exaggerate　qualities；　however　excellent；
into　those　of　men　who　may　be　in　some　trifling　degree　his
superiors。　　Sergeant　Dunham　has　taken　counsel　of　his
heart；　instead　of　his　head；　in　resolving　to　issue　such　orders；
but；　if　the　fort　fall；　the　blame　will　lie　on　him　that　ordered
it　to　be　occupied；　and　not　on　him　whose　duty　it　was　to
defend　it。　　Whatever　may　be　the　determination　of　the
latter；　should　the　French　and　their　allies　land；　a　good
commander　never　neglects　the　preparations　necessary　to
effect　a　retreat；　and　I　would　advise　Master　Cap；　who　is
the　admiral　of　our　navy；　to　have　a　boat　in　readiness　to
evacuate　the　island；　if　need　comes　to　need。　　The　largest
boat　that　we　have　left　carries　a　very　ample　sail；　and　by
hauling　it　round　here；　and　mooring　it　under　those　bushes；
there　will　be　a　convenient　place　for　a　hurried　embarka…
tion；　and　then　you'll　perceive；　pretty　Mabel；　that　it　is
scarcely　fifty　yards　before　we　shall　be　in　a　channel　between
two　other　islands；　and　hid　from　the　sight　of　those　who
may　happen　to　be　on　this。〃

〃All　that　you　say　is　very　true；　Mr。　Muir；　but　may　not
the　French　come　from　that　quarter　themselves？　　If　it　is
so　good　for　a　retreat；　it　is　equally　good　for　an　advance。〃

〃They'll　no'　have　the　sense　to　do　so　discreet　a　thing；〃
returned　Muir；　looking　furtively　and　a　little　uneasily
around　him；　〃they'll　no'　have　sufficient　discretion。　　Your
French　are　a　head…over…heels　nation；　and　usually　come
forward　in　a　random　way；　so　we　may　look　for　them；　if
they　come　at　all；　on　the　other　side　of　the　island。〃

The　discourse　now　became　exceedingly　desultory；　touch…
ing　principally；　however；　on　the　probabilities　of　an　inva…
sion；　and　the　best　means　of　meeting　it。

To　most　of　this　Mabel　paid　but　little　attention；　though
she　felt　some　surprise　that　Lieutenant　Muir；　an　officer
whose　character　for　courage　stood　well；　should　openly
recommend　an　abandonment　of　what　appeared　to　her　to
be　doubly　a　duty；　her　father's　character　being　connected
with　the　defence　of　the　island。　　Her　mind；　however；　was
so　much　occupied　with　her　guest；　that；　seizing　the　first
favorable　moment；　she　left　the　table；　and　was　soon　in　her
own　hut　again。　　Carefully　fastening　the　door；　and　seeing
that　the　simple　curtain　was　drawn　before　the　single　little
window；　Mabel　next　led　the　Dew…of…June；　or　June；　as　she
was　familiarly　termed　by　those　who　spoke　to　her　in　Eng…
lish；　into　the　outer　room；　making　signs　of　affection　and
confidence。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　June；〃　said　Mabel；　with　one　of
her　sweetest　smiles；　and　in　her　own　winning　voice；　　〃very
glad　to　see　you。　　What　has　brought　you　hither；　and　how
did　you　discover　the　island？〃

〃Speak　slow；〃　said　June；　returning　smile　for　smile；　and
pressing　the　little　hand　she　held　with　one　of　her　own　that
was　scarcely　larger；　though　it　had　been　hardened　by　labor；
〃more　slow　　too　quick。〃

Mabel　repeated　her　questions；　endeavoring　to　repress　the
impetuosity　of　her　feelings；　and　she　succeeded　in　speak…
ing　so　distinctly　as　to　be　understood。

〃June；　friend；〃　returned　the　Indian　woman。

〃I　believe　you；　June　　from　my　soul　I　believe　you；　what
has　this　to　do　with　your　visit？〃

〃Friend　come　to　see　friend；〃　answered　June；　again
smiling　openly　in　the　other's　face。

〃There　is　some　other　reason；　June；　else　would　you　never
run　this　risk；　and　alone。　　You　are　alone；　June？〃

〃June　wid　you；　no　one　else。　　June　come　alone；　paddle
canoe。〃

〃I　hope　so；　I　think　so　　nay；　I　know　so。　　You　would　not
be　treacherous　with　me；　June？〃

〃What　treacherous？〃

〃You　would　not　betray　me；　would　not　give　me　to　the
French；　to　the　Iroquois；　to　Arrowhead？〃

June　shook　her　head　earnestly。

〃You　would　not　sell　my　scalp？〃

Here　June　passed　her　arm　fondly　around　the　slender
waist　of　Mabel　and　pressed　her　to　her　heart　with　a　tender…
ness　and　affection　that　brought　tears　into　the　eyes　of　our
heroine。　　It　was　done　in　the　fond　caressing　manner　of　a
woman；　and　it　was　scarcely　possible　that　it　should　not　ob…
tain　credit　for　sincerity　with　a　young　and　ingenuous　per…
son　of　the　same　sex。　　Mabel　returned　the　pressure；　and
then　held　the　other　off　at　the　length　of　her　arm；　looked
her　steadily　in　the　face；　and　continued　her　inquiries。

〃If　June　has　something　to　tell　her　friend