the pathfinder-第90部分

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the　position　of　the　island　had　been　betrayed　to　the　enemy
by　the　latter。　　An　extraordinary　compensation　　that　which
was　found　in　his　purse　　had　induced　him　to　accompany
the　party　under　Sergeant　Dunham；　in　order　to　give　the
signals　that　were　to　bring　on　the　attack。　　The　disposition
of　Muir　towards　the　sex　was　a　natural　weakness；　and　he
would　have　married　Mabel；　or　any　one　else　who　would　ac…
cept　his　hand；　but　his　admiration　of　her　was　in　a　great
degree　feigned；　in　order　that　he　might　have　an　excuse　for
accompanying　the　party　without　sharing　in　the　responsi…
bility　of　its　defeat；　or　incurring　the　risk　of　having　no
other　strong　and　seemingly　sufficient　motive。　　Much　of
this　was　known　to　Captain　Sanglier；　particularly　the　part
in　connection　with　Mabel；　and　he　did　not　fail　to　let　his
auditors　into　the　whole　secret；　frequently　laughing　in　a
sarcastic　manner；　as　he　revealed　the　different　expedients
of　the　luckless　Quartermaster。

〃_Touchez…la_；〃　said　the　cold…blooded　partisan；　holding
out　his　sinewy　hand　to　Pathfinder；　when　he　ended　his　ex…
planations；　〃you　be　_honnete_；　and　dat　is　_beaucoup_。　　We
tak'　de　spy　as　we　tak'　_la　medicine_；　for　de　good；　_mais；　je　les
deteste！　　Touchez…la。_〃

〃I'll　shake　your　hand；　Captain；　I　will；　for　you're　a　law…
ful　and　nat'ral　inimy；〃　returned　Pathfinder；　〃and　a　man…
ful　one；　but　the　body　of　the　Quartermaster　shall　never
disgrace　English　ground。　　I　did　intend　to　carry　it　back　to
Lundie　that　he　might　play　his　bagpipes　over　it；　but　now
it　shall　lie　here　on　the　spot　where　he　acted　his　villainy；　and
have　his　own　treason　for　a　headstone。　　Captain　Flintyheart；
I　suppose　this　consorting　with　traitors　is　a　part　of　a　sol…
dier's　regular　business；　but；　I　tell　you　honestly；　it　is　not
to　my　liking；　and　I'd　rather　it　should　be　you　than　I　who
had　this　affair　on　his　conscience。　　What　an　awful　sinner！
To　plot；　right　and　left；　ag'in　country；　friends；　and　the
Lord！　　Jasper；　boy；　a　word　with　you　aside；　for　a　single
minute。〃

Pathfinder　now　led　the　young　man　apart；　and；　squeez…
ing　his　hand；　with　the　tears　in　his　own　eyes；　he　continued：

〃You　know　me；　Eau…douce；　and　I　know　you；〃　said　he；
〃and　this　news　has　not　changed　my　opinion　of　you　in　any
manner。　　I　never　believed　their　tales；　though　it　looked
solemn　at　one　minute；　I　will　own；　yes；　it　did　look　solemn；
and　it　made　me　feel　solemn　too。　　I　never　suspected　you
for　a　minute；　for　I　know　your　gifts　don't　lie　that…a…way；
but；　I　must　own；　I　didn't　suspect　the　Quartermaster
neither。〃

〃And　he　holding　his　Majesty's　commission；　Pathfinder！〃

〃It　isn't　so　much　that；　Jasper　Western；　it　isn't　so　much
that。　　He　held　a　commission　from　God　to　act　right；　and　to
deal　fairly　with　his　fellow…creaturs；　and　he　has　failed
awfully　in　his　duty。〃

〃To　think　of　his　pretending　love　for　one　like　Mabel；
too；　when　he　felt　none。〃

〃That　was　bad；　sartainly；　the　fellow　must　have　had
Mingo　blood　in　his　veins。　　The　man　that　deals　unfairly
by　a　woman　can　be　but　a　mongrel；　lad；　for　the　Lord　has
made　them　helpless　on　purpose　that　we　may　gain　their
love　by　kindness　and　sarvices。　　Here　is　the　Sergeant；　poor
man；　on　his　dying　bed；　he　has　given　me　his　daughter　for
a　wife；　and　Mabel；　dear　girl；　she　has　consented　to　it；　and
it　makes　me　feel　that　I　have　two　welfares　to　look　after；　two
naturs　to　care　for；　and　two　hearts　to　gladden。　　Ah's　me；
Jasper！　　I　sometimes　feel　that　I'm　not　good　enough　for
that　sweet　child！〃

Eau…douce　had　nearly　gasped　for　breath　when　he　first
heard　this　intelligence；　and；　though　he　succeeded　in　sup…
pressing　any　other　outward　signs　of　agitation；　his　cheek
was　blanched　nearly　to　the　paleness　of　death。　　Still　he
found　means　to　answer　not　only　with　firmness；　but　with
energy；　

〃Say　not　so；　Pathfinder；　you　are　good　enough　for　a
queen。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　boy；　according　to　your　idees　of　my　goodness；
that　is　to　say；　I　can　kill　a　deer；　or　even　a　Mingo　at　need；
with　any　man　on　the　lines；　or　I　can　follow　a　forest…path
with　as　true　an　eye；　or　read　the　stars；　when　others　do　not
understand　them。　　No　doubt；　no　doubt；　Mabel　will　have
venison　enough；　and　fish　enough；　and　pigeons　enough；
but　will　she　have　knowledge　enough；　and　will　she　have
idees　enough；　and　pleasant　conversation　enough；　when　life
comes　to　drag　a　little；　and　each　of　us　begins　to　pass　for　our
true　value？〃

〃If　you　pass　for　your　value；　Pathfinder；　the　greatest　lady
in　the　land　would　be　happy　with　you。　　On　that　head　you
have　no　reason　to　feel　afraid。〃

〃Now；　Jasper；　I　dare　to　say　_you_　think　so；　nay；　I　_know_
you　do；　for　it　is　nat'ral；　and　according　to　friendship；　for
people　to　look　over…favorably　at　them　they　love。　　Yes；　yes；
if　I　had　to　marry　you；　boy；　I　should　give　myself　no　con…
sarn　about　my　being　well　looked　upon；　for　you　have　always
shown　a　disposition　to　see　me　and　all　I　do　with　friendly
eyes。　　But　a　young　gal；　after　all；　must　wish　to　marry　a
man　that　is　nearer　to　her　own　age　and　fancies；　than　to
have　one　old　enough　to　be　her　father；　and　rude　enough　to
frighten　her。　　I　wonder；　Jasper；　that　Mabel　never　took　a
fancy　to　you；　now；　rather　than　setting　her　mind　on　me。〃

〃Take；　a　fancy　to　me；　Pathfinder！〃　returned　the　young
man；　endeavoring　to　clear　his　voice　without　betraying
himself；　〃what　is　there　about　me　to　please　such　a　girl　as
Mabel　Dunham？　　I　have　all　that　you　find　fault　with　in
yourself；　with　none　of　that　excellence　that　makes　even　the
generals　respect　you。〃

〃Well；　well；　it's　all　chance；　say　what　we　will　about　it。
Here　have　I　journeyed　and　guided　through　the　woods　fe…
male　after　female；　and　consorted　with　them　in　the　garri…
sons；　and　never　have　I　even　felt　an　inclination　for　any；
until　I　saw　Mabel　Dunham。　　It's　true　the　poor　Sergeant
first　set　me　to　thinking　about　his　daughter；　but　after　we
got　a　little　acquainted　like；　I'd　no　need　of　being　spoken
to；　to　think　of　her　night　and　day。　　I'm　tough；　Jasper；　yes；
I'm　very　tough；　and　I'm　risolute　enough；　as　you　all　know；
and　yet　I　do　think　it　would　quite　break　me　down；　now；　to
lose　Mabel　Dunham！〃

〃We　will　talk　no　more　of　it；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Jasper；
returning　his　friend's　squeeze　of　the　hand；　and　moving
back　towards　the　fire；　though　slowly；　and　in　the　manner
of　one　who　cared　little　where　he　went；　〃we　will　talk　no
more　of　it。　　You　are　worthy　of　Mabel；　and　Mabel　is　worthy
of　you　　you　like　Mabel；　and　Mabel　likes　you　　her　father
has　chosen　you　for　her　husband；　and　no　one　has　a　right　to
interfere。　　As　for　the　Quartermaster；　his　feigning　love　for
Mabel　is　worse　even　than　his　treason　to　the　king。〃

By　this　time　they　were　so　near　the　fire　that　it　was　neces…
sary　to　change　the　conversation。　　Luckily；　at　that　instant；
Cap；　who　had　been　in　the　block　in　company　with　his　dy…
ing　brother…in…law；　and　who　knew　nothing　of　what　had
passed　since　the　capitulation；　now　appeared；　walking　with
a　meditative　and　melancholy　air　towards　the　group。　　Much
of　that　hearty　dogmatism；　that　imparted　even　to　his　ordi…
nary　air　and　demeanor　an　appearance　of　something　like
contempt　for　all　around　him；　had　disappeared；　and　he
seemed　thoughtful；　if　not　meek。

〃This　death；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　when　ho　had　got　suffi…
ciently　near；　〃is　a　melancholy　business；　make　the　best　of
it。　　Now；　here　is　Sergeant　Dunham；　a　very　good　soldier；　I
make　no　question；　about　to　slip　his　cable；　and　yet　he　holds
on　to　the　better　end　of　it；　as　if　he　was　determined　it　should
never　run　out　of　the　hawse…hole；　and　all　because　he　loves
his　daughter；　it　seems　to　me。　　For　my　part；　when　a　friend
is　really　under　the　necessity　of　making　a　long　journey；　I
always　wish　him　well　and　happily　off。〃

〃You　wouldn't　kill　the　Sergeant　before　his　time？〃　Path…
finder　reproachfully　answered。　　〃Life　is　sweet；　even　to　the
aged；　and；　for　that　matter；　I've　known　some　that　seemed
to　set　much　store　by　it　when　it　got　to　be　of　the　least　value。〃

Nothing　had　been　further　from　Cap's　real　thoughts　than
the　wish　to　hasten　his　brother…in…law's　end。　　He　had　found
himself　embarrassed　with　the　duties　of　smoothing　a　death…
bed；　and　all　he　had　meant　was　to　express　a　sincere　desire
that　the　Sergeant　were　happily　rid　of　doubt　and　suffering。
A　little　shocked；　therefore；　at　the　interpretation　that　had
been　put　on　his　words；　he　rejoined　with　some　of　the　asper…
ity　of　the　man；　though　rebuked　by　a　consciousness　of　not
having　done　his　own　wishes　justice。　　〃You　are　too　old　and
too　sensible　a　person；　Pathfinder；〃　said　be；　〃to　fetch　a　man
up　with　a　surge；　when　he　is　paying　out　his　ideas　in　dis…
tress；　as　it　might　be。　　Sergeant　Dunham　is　both　my
brother…in…law　and　my　friend；　　that　is　to　say；　as　intimate
a　friend　as　a　soldier　well　can　be　with　a　seafaring　man；　　and
I　respect　and　honor　him　accordingly。　　I　make　no　doubt；
moreover；　that　he　has　lived　such　a　life　as　becomes　a　man；
and　there　can　be　no　great　harm；　after　all；　in　wishing　any
one　well　berthed　in　heaven。　　Well！　we　are　mortal；　the　best
of　us；　that　you'll　not　deny；　and　it　ought　to　be　a　lesson
not　to　feel　pride　in　our　strength　and　beauty。　　Where　is
the　Quartermaster；　Pathfinder？　　It　is　proper　he　should
come　and　have　a　parting　word　with　the　poor　Sergeant；　who
is　only　going　a　little　before　us。〃

〃You　have　spoken　more　truth；　Master　Cap；　than　you've
been　knowing　to；　all　this　time。　　You　might　have　gone
further；　notwithstanding；　and　said　that　we　are　mortal；　the
_worst_　of　us；　which　is　quite　as　true；　and　a　good　deal　more
wholesome；　than　saying　that　we　are　mortal；　the　_best_　of　us。
As　for　the　Quartermaster's　coming　to　speak　a　parting
word　to　the　Sergeant；　it　is　quite　out　of　the　question；　seeing
that　he　has　gone　ahead；　and　that　too　with　little　parting
notice　to　himself；　or　to　any　one　else。〃

〃You　are　not　quite　so　clear　as　common　in　your　language；
Pathfinder。　　I　know　that　we　ought　all　to　have　solemn
thoughts　on　these　occasions；　but　I　see　no　use　in　speaking
in　parables。〃

〃If　my　words　are　not　plain；　the　idee　is。　　In　short；　Mas…
ter　Cap；　while　Sergeant　Dunham　has　been　preparing　him…
self　for　a　long　journey；　like　a　conscientious　and　honest
man　as　he　is；　deliberately；　the　Quartermaster　has　started；
in　a　hurry；　before　him；　and；　although　it　is　a　matter　on
which　it　does　not　become　me　to　be　very　positive；　I　give　it
as　my　opinion　that　they　travel　such　different　roads　that
they　will　never　me