the pathfinder-第74部分

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that　her　friend　might　go　out；　to　ascertain　the　fate　of　her
uncle；　did　June　succeed　in　letting　the　other　know；　and
it　was　soon　settled　between　them　that　the　Indian　woman
should　quit　the　blockhouse　with　that　object　the　moment　a
favorable　opportunity　offered。

They　first　examined　the　island；　as　thoroughly　as　their
position　would　allow；　from　the　different　loops；　and　found
that　its　conquerors　were　preparing　for　a　feast；　having　seized
upon　the　provisions　of　the　English　and　rifled　the　huts。
Most　of　the　stores　were　in　the　blockhouse；　but　enough
were　found　outside　to　reward　the　Indians　for　an　attack
that　had　been　attended　by　so　little　risk。　　A　party　had
already　removed　the　dead　bodies；　and　Mabel　saw　that　their
arms　were　collected　in　a　pile　near　the　spot　chosen　for　the
banquet。　　June　suggested　that；　by　some　signs　which　she
understood；　the　dead　themselves　were　carried　into　a　thicket
and　either　buried　or　concealed　from　view。　　None　of　the
more　prominent　objects　on　the　island；　however；　were　dis…
turbed；　it　being　the　desire　of　the　conquerors　to　lure　the
party　of　the　Sergeant　into　an　ambush　on　its　return。　　June
made　her　companion　observe　a　man　in　a　tree；　a　look…out；
as　she　said；　to　give　timely　notice　of　the　approach　of　any
boat；　although；　the　departure　of　the　expedition　being　so
recent；　nothing　but　some　unexpected　event　would　be　likely
to　bring　it　back　so　soon。　　There　did　not　appear　to　be　any
intention　to　attack　the　blockhouse　immediately；　but　every
indication；　as　understood　by　June；　rather　showed　that　it
was　the　intention　of　the　Indians　to　keep　it　besieged　until
the　return　of　the　Sergeant's　party；　lest；　the　signs　of　an　as…
sault　should　give　a　warning　to　eyes　as　practised　as　those
of　Pathfinder。　　The　boat；　however；　had　been　secured；　and
was　removed　to　the　spot　where　the　canoes　of　the　Indians
were　hid　in　the　bushes。

June　now　announced　her　intention　to　join　her　friends；
the　moment　being　particularly　favorable　for　her　to　quit
the　blockhouse。　　Mabel　felt　some　distrust　as　they　de…
scended　the　ladder；　but　at　the　next　instant　she　was
ashamed　of　the　feeling；　as　unjust　to　her　companion　and
unworthy　of　herself；　and　by　the　time　they　both　stood　on
the　ground　her　confidence　was　restored。　　The　process　of
unbarring　the　door　was　conducted　with　the　utmost　cau…
tion；　and　when　the　last　bar　was　ready　to　be　turned　June
took　her　station　near　the　spot　where　the　opening　must
necessarily　be。　　The　bar　was　just　turned　free　of　the
brackets；　the　door　was　opened　merely　wide　enongh　to　allow
her　body　to　pass；　and　June　glided　through　the　space。
Mabel　closed　the　door　again；　with　a　convulsive　movement；
and　as　the　bar　turned　into　its　place；　her　heart　beat　audibly。
She　then　felt　secure；　and　the　two　other　bars　were　turned
down　in　a　more　deliberate　manner。　　When　all　was　fast
again；　she　ascended　to　the　first　floor；　where　alone　she　could
get　a　glimpse　of　what　was　going　on　without。

Long　and　painfully　melancholy　hours　passed；　during
which　Mabel　had　no　intelligence　from　June。　　She　heard
the　yells　of　the　savages；　for　liquor　had　carried　them　be…
yond　the　bounds　of　precaution；　and　occasionally　caught
glimpses　of　their　mad　orgies　through　the　loops；　and　at　all
times　was　conscious　of　their　fearful　presence　by　sounds
and　sights　that　would　have　chilled　the　blood　of　one　who
had　not　so　lately　witnessed　scenes　so　much　more　terrible。
Toward　the　middle　of　the　day；　she　fancied　she　saw　a　white
man　on　the　island；　though　his　dress　and　wild　appearance
at　first　made　her　take　him　for　a　newly…arrived　savage。　　A
view　of　his　face；　although　it　was　swarthy　naturally；　and
much　darkened　by　exposure；　left　no　doubt　that　her　con…
jecture　was　true；　and　she　felt　as　if　there　was　now　one　of
a　species　more　like　her　own　present；　and　one　to　whom　she
might　appeal　for　succor　in　the　last　emergency。　　Mabel　lit…
tle　knew；　alas！　how　；small　was　the　influence　exercised　by
the　whites　over　their　savage　allies；　when　the　latter　had
begun　to　taste　of　blood；　or　how　slight；　indeed；　was　the
disposition　to　divert　them　from　their　cruelties。

The　day　seemed　a　month　by　Mabel's　computation；　and
the　only　part　of　it　that　did　not　drag　were　the　minutes
spent　in　prayer。　　She　had　recourse　to　this　relief　from　time
to　time；　and　at　each　effort　she　found　her　spirit　firmer；　her
mind　more　tranquil；　and　her　resignation　more　confirmed。
She　understood　the　reasoning　of　June；　and　believed　it
highly　probable　that　the　blockhouse　would　be　left　unmo…
lested　until　the　return　of　her　father；　in　order　to　entice　him
into　an　ambuscade；　and　she　felt　much　less　apprehension　of
immediate　danger　in　consequence；　but　the　future　offered
little　ground　of　hope；　and　her　thoughts　had　already　begun
to　calculate　the　chances　of　her　captivity。　　At　such　mo…
ments；　Arrowhead　and　his　offensive　admiration　filled　a
prominent　place　in　the　background：　for　our　heroine　well
knew　that　the　Indians　usually　carried　off　to　their　villages；
for　the　purposes　of　adoption；　such　captives　as　they　did　not
slay；　and　that　many　instances　had　occurred　in　which　in…
dividuals　of　her　sex　had　passed　the　remainder　of　their
lives　in　the　wigwams　of　their　conquerors。　　Such　thoughts
as　these　invariably　drove　her　to　her　knees　and　to　her
prayers。

While　the　light　lasted　the　situation　of　our　heroine　was
sufficiently　alarming；　but　as　the　shades　of　evening　grad…
ually　gathered　over　the　island；　it　became　fearfully　appal…
ling。　　By　this　time　the　savages　had　wrought　themselves
up　to　the　point　of　fury；　for　they　had　possessed　themselves
of　all　the　liquor　of　the　English；　and　their　outcries　and
gesticulations　were　those　of　men　truly　possessed　by　evil
spirits。　　All　the　efforts　of　their　French　leader　to　restrain
them　were　entirely　fruitless；　and　he　had　wisely　withdrawn
to　an　adjacent　island；　where　he　had　a　sort　of　bivouac；　that
he　might　keep　at　a　safe　distance　from　friends　so　apt　to
run　into　excesses。　　Before　quitting　the　spot；　however；　this
officer；　at　great　risk　to　his　own　life；　had　succeeded　in　ex…
tinguishing　the　fire；　and　in　securing　the　ordinary　means
to　relight　it。　　This　precaution　he　took　lest　the　Indians
should　burn　the　blockhouse；　the　preservation　of　which　was
necessary　to　the　success　of　his　future　plans。　　He　would
gladly　have　removed　all　the　arms　also；　but　this　he　found
impracticable；　the　warriors　clinging　to　their　knives　and
tomahawks　with　the　tenacity　of　men　who　regarded　a　point
of　honor　as　long　as　a　faculty　was　left；　and　to　carry　off　the
rifles；　and　leave　behind　him　the　very　weapons　that　were
generally　used　on　such　occasions；　would　have　been　an　idle
expedient。　　The　extinguishing　of　the　fire　proved　to　be　the
most　prudent　measure；　for　no　sooner　was　the　officer's　back
turned　than　one　of　the　warriors　in　fact　proposed　to　fire
the　blockhouse。　　Arrowhead　had　also　withdrawn　from　the
group　of　drunkards　as　soon　as　he　found　that　they　were
losing　their　senses；　and　had　taken　possession　of　a　hut；
where　he　had　thrown　himself　on　the　straw；　and　sought　the
rest　that　two　wakeful　and　watchful　nights　had　rendered
necessary。　　It　followed　that　no　one　was　left　among　the
Indians　to　care　for　Mabel；　if；　indeed；　any　knew　of　her　ex…
istence　at　all；　and　the　proposal　of　the　drunkard　was　re…
ceived　with　yells　of　delight　by　eight　or　ten　more　as　much
intoxicated　and　habitually　as　brutal　as　himself。

This　was　the　fearful　moment　for　Mabel。　　The　Indians；
in　their　present　condition；　were　reckless　of　any　rifles　that
the　blockhouse　might　hold；　though　they　did　retain　dim
recollections　of　its　containing　living　beings；　an　additional
incentive　to　their　enterprise；　and　they　approached　its
base　whooping　and　leaping　like　demons。　　As　yet　they
were　excited；　not　overcome　by　the　liquor　they　had　drunk。
The　first　attempt　was　made　at　the　door；　against　which
they　ran　in　a　body；　but　the　solid　structure；　which　was
built　entirely　of　logs；　defied　their　efforts。　　The　rush　of　a
hundred　men　with　the　same　object　would　have　been　use…
less。　　This　Mabel；　however；　did　not　know；　and　her　heart
seemed　to　leap　into　her　mouth　as　she　heard　the　heavy　shock
at　each　renewed　effort。　　At　length　when；　she　found　that
the　door　resisted　these　assaults　as　if　it　were　of　stone；
neither　trembling　nor　yielding；　and　only　betraying　its　not
being　a　part　of　the　wall　by　rattling　a　little　on　its　heavy
hinges；　her　courage　revived；　and　she　seized　the　first　mo…
ment　of　a　cessation　to　look　down　through　the　loop；　in
order；　if　possible；　to　learn　the　extent　of　her　danger。　　A
silence；　for　which　it　was　not　easy　to　account；　stimulated
her　curiosity；　for　nothing　is　so　alarming　to　those　who　are
conscious　of　the　presence　of　imminent　danger；　as　to　be
unable　to　trace　its　approach。

Mabel　found　that　two　or　three　of　the　Iroquois　had　been
raking　the　embers；　where　they　had　found　a　few　small　coals；
and　with　these　they　were　endeavoring　to　light　a　fire。　　The
interest　with　which　they　labored；　the　hope　of　destroying；
and　the　force　of　habit；　enabled　them　to　act　intelligently
and　in　unison；　so　long　as　their　fell　object　was　kept　in
view。　　A　white　man　would　have　abandoned　the　attempt
to　light　a　fire　in　despair；　with　coals　that　came　out　of　the
ashes　resembling　sparks；　but　these　children　of　the　forest
had　many　expedients　that　were　unknown　to　civilization。
By　the　aid　of　a　few　dry　leaves；　which　they　alone　knew
where　to　seek；　a　blaze　was　finally　kindled；　and　then　the
addition　of　a　few　light　sticks　made　sure　of　the　advantage
that　had　been　obtained。　　When　Mabel　stooped　down　over
the　loop；　the　Indians　were　making　a　pile　of　brush　against
the　door；　and　as　she　remained　gazing　at　their　proceedings；
she　saw　the　twigs　ignite；　the　flame　dart　from　branch　to
branch；　until　the　whole　pile　was　cracking　and　snapping
under　a　bright　blaze。　　The　Indians　now　gave　a　yell　of
triumph；　and　returned　to　their　companions；　well　assured
that　the　work　of　destruction　was　commenced。　　Mabel　re…
mained　looking　down；　scarcely　able　to　tear　herself　away
from　the　spot；　so　intense　and　engrossing　was　the　interest
she　felt　in　the　progress　of　the　fire。　　As　the　pile　kindled
throughout；　however；　the　flames　mounted；　until　they
flashed　so　near　her　eyes　as　to　compel　her　to　retreat。　　Just
as　she　reached　the　opposite　side　of　the　room；　to　which　she
had　retired　in　her　alarm；　a　forked　stream　shot　up　through
the　loophole；　t