the pathfinder-第82部分

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already　mentioned。

After　this　simple　explanation　was　made；　the　Sergeant
was　so　weak　as　to　need　repose；　and　his　companions；　while
they　ministered　to　his　wants；　suffered　some　time　to　pass　in
silence。　　Pathfinder　took　the　occasion　to　reconnoitre　from
the　loops　and　the　roof；　and　he　examined　the　condition　of
the　rifles；　of　which　there　were　a　dozen　kept　in　the　build…
ing；　the　soldiers　having　used　their　regimental　muskets　in
the　expedition。　　But　Mabel　never　left　her　father's　side　for
an　instant；　and　when；　by　his　breathing；　she　fancied　he
slept；　she　bent　her　knees　and　prayed。

The　half…hour　that　succeeded　was　awfully　solemn　and
still。　　The　moccasin　of　Pathfinder　was　barely　heard　over…
head；　and　occasionally　the　sound　of　the　breech　of　a　rifle
fell　upon　the　floor；　for　he　was　busied　in　examining　the
pieces；　with　a　view　to　ascertain　the　state　of　their　charges
and　their　primings。　　Beyond　this；　nothing　was　so　loud　as
the　breathing　of　the　wounded　man。　　Mabel's　heart　yearned
to　be　in　communication　with　the　father　she　was　so　soon　to
lose；　and　yet　she　would　not　disturb　his　apparent　repose。
But　Dunham　slept　not；　he　was　in　that　state　when　the
world　suddenly　loses　its　attractious；　its　illusions；　and　its
power；　and　the　unknown　future　fills　the　mind　with　its
conjectures；　its　revelations；　and　its　immensity。　　He　had
been　a　moral　man　for　one　of　his　mode　of　life；　but　he　had
thought　little　of　this　all…important　moment。　　Had　the　din
of　battle　been　ringing　in　his　ears；　his　martial　ardor　might
have　endured　to　the　end；　but　there；　in　the　silence　of　that
nearly　untenanted　blockhouse；　with　no　sound　to　enliven
him；　no　appeal　to　keep　alive　factitious　sentiment；　no　hope
of　victory　to　impel；　things　began　to　appear　in　their　true
colors；　and　this　state　of　being　to　be　estimated　at　its　just
value。　　He　would　have　given　treasures　for　religious　con…
solation；　and　yet　he　knew　not　where　to　turn　to　seek　it。
He　thought　of　Pathfinder；　but　he　distrusted　his　knowl…
edge。　　He　thought　of　Mabel；　but　for　the　parent　to　appeal
to　the　child　for　such　succor　appeared　like　reversing　the
order　of　nature。　　Then　it　was　that　he　felt　the　full　re…
sponsibility　of　the　parental　character；　and　had　some　clear
glimpse　of　the　manner　in　which　he　himself　had　discharged
the　trust　towards　an　orphan　child。　　While　thoughts　like
these　were　rising　in　his　mind；　Mabel；　who　watched　the
slightest　change　in　his　breathing；　heard　a　guarded　knock
at　the　door。　　Supposing　it　might　be　Chingachgook；　she
rose；　undid　two　of　the　bars；　and　held　the　third　in　her　hand；
as　she　asked　who　was　there。　　The　answer　was　in　her　uncle's
voice；　and　he　implored　her　to　give　him　instant　admission。
Without　an　instant　of　hesitation；　she　turned　the　bar；　and
Cap　entered。　　He　had　barely　passed　the　opening；　when
Mabel　closed　the　door　again；　and　secured　it　as　before；　for
practice　had　rendered　her　expert　in　this　portion　of　her
duties。

The　sturdy　seaman；　when　he　had　made　sure　of　the　state
of　his　brother…in…law；　and　that　Mabel；　as　well　as　himself；
was　safe；　was　softened　nearly　to　tears。　　His　own　appear…
ance　he　explained　by　saying　that　he　had　been　carelessly
guarded；　under　the　impression　that　he　and　the　Quarter…
master　were　sleeping　under　the　fumes　of　liquor　with　which
they　had　been　plied　with　a　view　to　keep　them　quiet　in　the
expected　engagement。　　Muir　had　been　left　asleep；　or　seem…
ing　to　sleep；　but　Cap　had　run　into　the　bushes　on　the
alarm　of　the　attack；　and　having　found　Pathfinder's　canoe；
had　only　succeeded；　at　that　moment；　in　getting　to　the
blockhouse；　whither　he　had　come　with　the　kind　intent　of
escaping　with　his　niece　by　water。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary
to　say　that　he　changed　his　plan　when　he　ascertained　the
state　of　the　Sergeant；　and　the　apparent　security　of　his
present　quarters。

〃If　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　Master　Pathfinder；〃
said　he；　〃we　must　strike；　and　that　will　entitle　us　to　re…
ceive　quarter。　　We　owe　it　to　our　manhood　to　hold　out　a
reasonable　time；　and　to　ourselves　to　haul　down　the　ensign
in　season　to　make　saving　conditions。　　I　wished　Master
Muir　to　do　the　same　thing　when　we　were　captured　by　these
chaps　you　call　vagabonds　　and　rightly　are　they　named；　for
viler　vagabonds　do　not　walk　the　earth　　〃

〃You've　found　out　their　characters？〃　interrupted
Pathfinder；　who　was　always　as　ready　to　chime　in　with
abuse　of　the　Mingos　as　with　the　praises　of　his　friends。
〃Now；　had　you　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　Delawares；
you　would　have　learned　the　difference。〃

〃Well；　to　me　they　seem　much　of　a　muchness；　black…
guards　fore　and　aft；　always　excepting　our　friend　the　Ser…
pent；　who　is　a　gentleman　for　an　Indian。　　But；　when　these
savages　made　the　assault　on　us；　killing　Corporal　M'Nab
and　his　men　as　if　they　had　been　so　many　rabbits；　Lieuten…
ant　Muir　and　myself　took　refuge　in　one　of　the　holes　of
this　here　island；　of　which　there　are　so　many　among　the
rocks；　and　there　we　remained　stowed　away　like　two　leaguers
in　a　ship's　hold；　until　we　gave　out　for　want　of　grub。　　A
man　may　say　that　grub　is　the　foundation　of　human　nature。
I　desired　the　Quartermaster　to　make　terms；　for　we　could
have　defended　ourselves　for　an　hour　or　two　in　the　place；
bad　as　it　was；　but　he　declined；　on　the　ground　that　the
knaves　wouldn't　keep　faith　if　any　of　them　were　hurt；　and
so　there　was　no　use　in　asking　them　to。　　I　consented　to
strike；　on　two　principles；　one；　that　we　might　be　said　to
have　struck　already；　for　running　below　is　generally　thought
to　be　giving　up　the　ship；　and　the　other；　that　we　had　an
enemy　in　our　stomachs　that　was　more　formidable　in　his
attacks　than　the　enemy　on　deck。　　Hunger　is　a　dble
circumstance；　as　any　man　who　has　lived　on　it　eight…and…
forty　hours　will　acknowledge。〃

〃Uncle；〃　said　Mabel　in　a　mournful　voice　and　with　an
expostulatory　manner；　〃my　poor　father　is　sadly；　sadly
hurt！〃

〃True；　Magnet；　true；　I　will　sit　by　him；　and　do　my　best
at　consolation。　　Are　the　bars　well　fastened；　girl？　for　on
such　an　occasion　the　mind　should　be　tranquil　and　undis…
turbed。〃

〃We　are　safe；　I　believe；　from　all　but　this　heavy　blow　of
Providence。〃

〃Well；　then；　Magnet；　do　you　go　up　to　the　floor　above
and　try　to　compose　yourself；　while　Pathfinder　runs　aloft
and　takes　a　look…out　from　the　cross…trees。　　Your　father
may　wish　to　say　something　to　me　in　private；　and　it　may　be
well　to　leave　us　alone。　　These　are　solemn　scenes；　and　in…
experienced　people；　like　myself；　do　not　always　wish　what
they　say　to　be　overheard。〃

Although　the　idea　of　her　uncle's　affording　religious　con…
solation　by　the　side　of　a　death…bed　certainly　never　ob…
truded　itself　on　the　imagination　of　Mabel；　she　thought
there　might　be　a　propriety　in　the　request　with　which　she
was　unacquainted；　and　she　complied　accordingly。　　Path…
finder　had　already　ascended　to　the　roof　to　make　his　sur…
vey；　and　the　brothers…in…law　were　left　alone。　　Cap　took　a
seat　by　the　side　of　the　Sergeant；　and　bethought　him　seri…
ously　of　the　grave　duty　he　had　before　him。　　A　silence　of
several　minutes　succeeded；　during　which　brief　space　the
mariner　was　digesting　the　substance　of　his　intended　dis…
course。

〃I　must　say；　Sergeant　Dunham；〃　Cap　at　length　com…
menced　in　his　peculiar　manner；　〃that　there　has　been　mis…
management　somewhere　in　this　unhappy　expedition；　and；
the　present　being　an　occasion　when　truth　ought　to　be
spoken；　and　nothing　but　the　truth；　I　feel　it　my　duty　to　be
say　as　much　in　plain　language。　　In　short；　Sergeant；　on
this　point　there　cannot　well　be　two　opinions；　for；　seaman
as　I　am；　and　no　soldier；　I　can　see　several　errors　myself；
that　it　needs　no　great　education　to　detect。〃

〃What　would　you　have；　brother　Cap？〃　returned　the
other　in　a　feeble　voice；　〃what　is　done　is　done；　and　it　is
now　too　late　to　remedy　it。〃

〃Very　true；　brother　Dunham；　but　not　to　repent　of　it；
the　Good　Book　tells　us　it　is　never　too　late　to　repent；　and
I've；　always　neard　that　this　is　the　precious　moment。　　If
you've　anything　on　your　mind；　Sergeant；　hoist　it　out　freely；
for；　you　know；　you　trust　it　to　a　friend。　　You　were　my　own
sister's　husband；　and　poor　little　Magnet　is　my　own　sister's
daughter；　and；　living　or　dead；　I　shall　always　look　upon
you　as　a　brother。　　It's　a　thousand　pities　that　you　didn't
lie　off　and　on　with　the　boats；　and　send　a　canoe　ahead　to
reconnoitre；　in　which　case　your　command　would　have
been　saved；　and　this　disaster　would　not　have　befallen　us
all。　　Well；　Sergeant；　we　are　_all_　mortal；　that　is　some　con…
solation；　I　make　no　doubt；　and　if　you　go　before　a　little；
why；　we　must　follow。　　Yes；　that　_must_　give　you　consola…
tion。〃

〃I　know　all　this；　brother　Cap；　and　hope　I'm　prepared
to　meet　a　soldier's　fate　　there　is　poor　Mabel　　〃

〃Ay；　ay；　that's　a　heavy　drag；　I　know；　but　you　wouldn't
take　her　with　you　if　you　could；　Sergeant；　and　so　the　better
way　is　to　make　as　light　of　the　separation　as　you　can。
Mabel　is　a　good　girl；　and　so　was　her　mother　before　her；
she　was　my　sister；　and　it　shall　be　my　care　to　see　that　her
daughter　gets　a　good　husband；　if　our　lives　and　scalps　are
spared；　for　I　suppose　no　one　would　care　about　entering
into　a　family　that　has　no　scalps。〃

〃Brother；　my　child　is　betrothed；　she　will　become　the
wife　of　Pathfinder。〃

〃Well；　brother　Dunham；　every　man　has　his　opinions
and　his　manner　of　viewing　things；　and；　to　my　notion；　this
match　will　be　anything　but　agreeable　to　Mabel。　　I　have
no　objection　to　the　age　of　the　man；　I'm　not　one　of　them
that　thinks　it　necessary　to　be　a　boy　to　make　a　girl　happy；
but；　on　the　whole；　I　prefer　a　man　of　about　fifty　for　a　hus…
band；　still　there　ought　not　to　be　any　circumstance　be…
tween　the　parties　to　make　them　unhappy。　　Circumstances
play　the　devil　with　matrimony；　and　I　set　it　down　as　one
that　Pathfinder　don't　know　as　much　as　my　niece。　　You've
seen　but　little　of　the　girl；　Sergeant；　and　have　not　got　the
run　of　her　knowledge；　but　let　her　pay　it　out　freely；　as　she
will　do　when　she　gets　to　be　thoroughly　acquainted；　and
you'll　fall　in　with　but　few　schoolmasters　that　can　keep
their　luffs　in　her　company。〃

〃She's　a　good　child　　a　dear；　good　child；〃　muttered　the
Sergeant；　his　eyes　filling　with　tears；　〃and　it　is　my　mis…
fortune　that　I　have　seen　so　little　of　her。〃

〃She　is　indeed　a　good　girl；　and　knows　altogether　too
much　for　poor　Pathfinder；　who　is　a　reasonable　man　and　an