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the pathfinder-第73部分

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master with me; and may set fire to the building; in order
to dislodge them。  They tell me that fire is the great dan…
ger to such places。〃

〃No burn blockhouse;〃 said June quietly;

〃You cannot know that; my good June; and I have no
means to keep them off。〃

〃No burn blockhouse。  Blockhouse good; got no scalp。〃

〃But tell me why; June; I fear they will burn it。〃

〃Blockhouse wet  much rain  logs green  no burn easy。
Red man know it  fine t'ing  then no burn it to tell
Yengeese that Iroquois been here。  Fader come back;
miss blockhouse; no found。  No; no; Indian too much
cunning; no touch anything。〃

〃I understand you; June; and hope your prediction may
be true; for; as regards my dear father; should he escape 
perhaps he is already dead or captured; June ?〃

〃No touch fader  don't know where he gone  water got
no trail  red man can't follow。  No burn blockhouse 
blockhouse good; got no scalp。〃

〃Do you think it possible for me to remain here safely
until my father returns?〃

〃Don't know; daughter tell best when fader come back。〃
Mabel felt uneasy at the glance of June's dark eye as
she uttered this; for the unpleasant surmise arose that her
companion was endeavoring to discover a fact that might
be useful to her own people; while it would lead to the
destruction of her parent and his party。  She was about to
make an evasive answer; when a heavy push at the outer
door suddenly drew all her thoughts to the immediate
danger。

〃They come!〃 she exclaimed。  〃Perhaps; June; it is
my uncle or the Quartermaster。  I cannot keep out even
Mr。 Muir at a moment like this。〃

〃Why no look? plenty loophole; made purpose。〃

Mabel took the hint; and; going to one of the downward
loops; that had been cut through the logs in the part that
overhung the basement; she cautiously raised the little
block that ordinarily filled the small hole; and caught a
glance at what was passing at the door。  The start and
changing countenance told her companion that some of her
own people were below。

〃Red man;〃 said June; lifting a finger in admonition to
be prudent。

〃Four; and horrible in their paint and bloody trophies。
Arrowhead is among them。〃

June had moved to a corner; where several spare rifles
had been deposited; and had already taken one into her
hand; when the name of her husband appeared to arrest
her movements。  It was but for an instant; however; for she
immediately went to the loop; and was about to thrust the
muzzle of the piece through it; when a feeling of natural
aversion induced Mabel to seize her arm。

〃No; no; no; June!〃 said the latter; 〃not against your
own husband; though my life be the penalty。〃

〃No hurt Arrowhead;〃 returned June; with a slight
shudder; 〃no hurt red man at all。  No fire at 'em; only
scare。〃

Mabel now comprehended the intention of June; and
no longer opposed it。  The latter thrust the muzzle of the
rifle through the loophole; and; taking care to make noise
enough to attract attraction; she pulled the trigger。  The
piece had no sooner been discharged than Mabel reproached
her friend for the very act that was intended to serve her。

〃You declared it was not your intention to fire;〃 she
said; 〃and you may have destroyed your own husband。〃

〃All run away before I fire;〃 returned June; laughing;
and going to another loop to watch the movements of her
friends; laughing still heartier。  〃See! get cover  every
warrior。  Think Saltwater and Quartermaster here。  Take
good care now。〃

〃Heaven be praised!  And now; June; I may hope for a
little time to compose my thoughts to prayer; that I may
not die like Jennie; thinking only of life and the things
of the world。〃

June laid aside the rifle; and came and seated herself
near the box on which Mabel had sunk; under that physi…
cal reaction which accompanies joy as well as sorrow。  She
looked steadily in our heroine's face; and the latter thought
that her countenance had an expression of severity mingled
with its concern。

〃Arrowhead great warrior;〃 said the Tuscarora's wife。
〃All the girls of tribe look at him much。  The pale…face
beauty has eyes too?〃

〃June!  what do these words  that look  imply? what
would you say?〃

〃Why you so 'fraid June shoot Arrowhead?〃

〃Would it not have been horrible to see a wife destroy
her own husband?  No; June; rather would I have died
myself。〃

〃Very sure; dat all?〃

〃That was all; June; as God is my judge!  and surely
that was enough。  No; no! there have been sufficient hor…
rors to…day; without increasing them by an act like this。
What other motive can you suspect?〃

〃Don't know。  Poor Tuscarora girl very foolish。  Arrow…
head great chief; and look all round him。  Talk of pale…
face beauty in his sleep。  Great chief like many wives。〃

〃Can a chief possess more than one wife; June; among
your people?〃

〃Have as many as he can keep。  Great hunter marry
often。  Arrowhead got only June now; but he look too
much; see too much; talk too much of pale…face girl。〃

Mabel was conscious of this fact; which had distressed
her not a little; in the course of their journey; but it
shocked her to hear this allusion; coming; as it did; from
the mouth of the wife herself。  She knew that habit and
opinions made great differences in such matters; but; in
addition to the pain and mortification she experienced at
being the unwilling rival of a wife; she felt an apprehension
that jealousy would be but an equivocal guarantee for
her personal safety in her present situation。  A closer look
at June; however; reassured her; for; while it was easy to
trace in the unpractised features of this unsophisticated
being the pain of blighted affections; no distrust could
have tortured the earnest expression of her honest counte…
nance into that of treachery or hate。

〃You will not betray me; June?〃 Mabel said; pressing
the other's hand; and yielding to an impulse of generous
confidence。  〃You will not give up one of your own sex
to the tomahawk?〃

〃No tomahawk touch you。  Arrowhead no let 'em。  If
June must have sister…wife; love to have you。〃

〃No; June; my religion; my feelings; both forbid it;
and; if I could be the wife of an Indian at all; I would
never take the place that is yours in a wigwam。〃

June made no answer; but she looked gratified; and even
grateful。  She knew that few; perhaps no Indian girl
within the circle of Arrowhead's acquaintance; could com…
pare with herself in personal attractions; and; though it
might suit her husband to marry a dozen wives; she knew
of no one; beside Mabel; whose influence she could really
dread。  So keen an interest; however; had she taken in the
beauty; winning manners; kindness; and feminine gentle…
ness of our heroine; that when jealousy came to chill these
feelings; it had rather lent strength to that interest; and;
under its wayward influence; had actually been one of the
strongest of the incentives that had induced her to risk so
much in order to save her imaginary rival from the conse…
quences of the attack that she so well knew was about to
take place。  In a word; June; with a wife's keenness of
perception; had detected Arrowhead's admiration of Mabel;
and; instead of feeling that harrowing jealousy that might
have rendered her rival hateful; as would have been apt
to be the case with a woman unaccustomed to defer to the
superior rights of the lordly sex; she had studied the looks
and character of the pale…face beauty; until; meeting with
nothing to repel her own feelings; but everything to en…
courage them; she had got to entertain an admiration and
love for her; which; though certainly very different; was
scarcely less strong than that of her husband's。  Arrow…
head himself had sent her to warn Mabel of the coming
danger; though he was ignorant that she had stolen upon
the island in the rear of the assailants; and was now in…
trenched in the citadel along with the object of their joint
care。  On the contrary; he supposed; as his wife had said;
that Cap and Muir were in the blockhouse with Mabel; and
that the attempt to repel him and his companions had
been made by the men。

〃June sorry the Lily〃  for so the Indian; in her poeti…
cal language; had named our heroine  〃June sorry the
Lily no marry Arrowhead。  His wigwam big; and a great
chief must get wives enough to fill it。〃

〃I thank you; June; for this preference; which is not
according to the notion of us white women;〃 returned
Mabel; smiling in spite of the fearful situation in which
she was placed; 〃but I may not; probably never shall;
marry at all。〃

〃Must have good husband;〃 said June; 〃marry Eau…
douce; if don't like Arrowhead。〃

〃June! this is not a fit subject for a girl who scarcely
knows if she is to live another hour or not。  I would obtain
some signs of my dear uncle's being alive and safe; if pos…
sible。〃

〃June go see。〃

〃Can you?  will you?  would it be safe for you to be
seen on the island? is your presence known to the warriors;
and would they be pleased to find a woman on the war…
path with them?〃

All this Mabel asked in rapid connection; fearing that
the answer might not be as she wished。  She had thought
it extraordinary that June should be of the party; and; im…
probable as it seemed; she had fancied that the woman
had covertly followed the Iroquois in her own canoe; and
had got in their advance; merely to give her the notice
which had probably saved her life。  But in all this she
was mistaken; as June; in her imperfect manner; now
found means to let her know。

Arrowhead; though a chief; was in disgrace with his own
people; and was acting with the Iroquois temporarily;
though with a perfect understanding。  He had a wigwam;
it is true; but was seldom in it; feigning friendship for
the English; he had passed the summer ostensibly in their
service; while he was; in truth; acting for the French; and
his wife journeyed with him in his many migrations; most
of the distances being passed over in canoes。  In a word;
her presence was no secret; her husband seldom moving
without her。  Enough of this to embolden Mabel to wish
that her friend might go out; to ascertain the fate of her
uncle; did June succeed in letting the other know; and
it w
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