the pathfinder-第91部分

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as　my　opinion　that　they　travel　such　different　roads　that
they　will　never　meet。〃

〃Explain　yourself；　my　friend；〃　said　the　bewildered　sea…
man；　looking　around　him　in　search　of　Muir；　whose　absence
began　to　excite　his　distrust。　　〃I　see　nothing　of　the　Quar…
termaster；　but　I　think　him　too　much　of　a　man　to　run
away；　now　that　the　victory　is　gained。　　If　the　fight　were
ahead　instead　of　in　our　wake；　the　case　would　be　altered。〃

〃There　lies　all　that　is　left　of　him；　beneath　that　great…
coat；〃　returned　the　guide；　who　then　briefly　related　the
manner　of　the　Lieutenant's　death。　　〃The　Tuscarora　was
as　venemous　in　his　blow　as　a　rattler；　though　he　failed　to
give　the　warning；〃　continued　Pathfinder。　　〃I've　seen
many　a　desperate　fight；　and　several　of　these　sudden　out…
breaks　of　savage　temper；　but　never　before　did　I　see　a　hu…
man　soul　quit　the　body　more　unexpectedly；　or　at　a　worse
moment　for　the　hopes　of　the　dying　man。　　His　breath　was
stopped　with　the　lie　on　his　lips；　and　the　spirit　might　be
said　to　have　passed　away　in　the　very　ardor　of　wickedness。〃

Cap　listened　with　a　gaping　mouth；　and　he　gave　two　or
three　violent　hems；　as　the　other　concluded；　like　one　who
distrusted　his　own　respiration。

〃This　is　an　uncertain　and　uncomfortable　life　of　yours；
Master　Pathfinder；　what　between　the　fresh　water　and　the
savages；〃　said　he；　〃and　the　sooner　I　get　quit　of　it；　the
higher　will　be　my　opinion　of　myself。　　Now　you　mention
it；　I　will　say　that　the　man　ran　for　that　berth　in　the　rocks；
when　the　enemy　first　bore　down　upon　us；　with　a　sort　of
instinct　that　I　thought　surprising　in　an　officer；　but　I　was
in　too　great　a　hurry　to　follow；　to　log　the　whole　matter　ac…
curately。　　God　bless　me！　　God　bless　me！　　a　traitor；　do　you
say；　and　ready　to　sell　his　country；　and　to　a　rascally　French…
man　too？〃

〃To　sell　anything；　country；　soul；　body；　Mabel；　and　all
our　scalps；　and　no　ways　particular；　I'll　engage；　as　to　the
purchaser。　　The　countrymen　of　Captain　Flinty…heart　here
were　the　paymasters　this　time。〃

〃Just　like　'em；　ever　ready　to　buy　when　they　can't
thrash；　and　to　run　when　they　can　do　neither。〃

Monsieur　Sanglier　lifted　his　cap　with　ironical　gravity；
and　acknowledged　the　compliment　with　an　expression　of
polite　contempt　that　was　altogether　lost　on　its　insensible
subject。　　But　Pathfinder　had　too　much　native　courtesy；
and　was　far　too　just…minded；　to　allow　the　attack　to　go　un…
noticed。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　interposed；　〃to　my　mind　there　is　no
great　difference　'atween　an　Englishman　and　a　Frenchman；
after　all。　　They　talk　different　tongues；　and　live　under
different　kings；　I　will　allow；　but　both　are　human；　and
feel　like　human　beings；　when　there　is　occasion　for　it。〃

Captain　Flinty…heart；　as　Pathfinder　called　him；　made
another　obeisance；　but　this　time　the　smile　was　friendly；
and　not　ironical；　for　he　felt　that　the　intention　was　good；
whatever　might　have　been　the　mode　of　expressing　it。　　Too
philosophical；　however；　to　heed　what　a　man　like　Cap
might　say　or　think；　he　finished　his　breakfast；　without　al…
lowing　his　attention　to　be　again　diverted　from　that　im…
portant　pursuit。

〃My　business　here　was　principally　with　the　Quarter…
master；〃　Cap　continued；　as　soon　as　he　had　done　regarding
the　prisoner's　pantomime。　　〃The　Sergeant　must　be　near
his　end；　and　I　have　thought　he　might　wish　to　say　some…
thing　to　his　successor　in　authority　before　he　finally　de…
parted。　　It　is　too　late；　it　would　seem；　and；　as　you　say；
Pathfinder；　the　Lieutenant　has　truly　gone　before。〃

〃That　he　has；　though　on　a　different　path。　　As　for　au…
thority；　I　suppose　the　Corporal　has　now　a　right　to　com…
mand　what's　left　of　the　55th；　though　a　small　and　worried；
not　to　say　frightened；　party　it　is。　　But；　if　anything　needs
to　be　done；　the　chances　are　greatly　in　favor　of　my　being
called　on　to　do　it。　　I　suppose；　however；　we　have　only　to
bury　our　dead；　set　fire　to　the　block　and　the　huts；　for　they
stand　in　the　inimy's　territory　by　position；　if　not　by　law；
and　must　not　be　left　for　their　convenience。　　Our　using
them　again　is　out　of　the　question；　for；　now　the　Frenchers
know　where　the　island　is　to　be　found；　it　would　be　like
thrusting　the　hand　into　a　wolf…trap　with　our　eyes　wide
open。　　This　part　of　the　work　the　Sarpent　and　I　will　see
to；　for　we　are　as　practysed　in　retreats　as　in　advances。〃

〃All　that　is　very　well；　my　good　friend。　　And　now　for
my　poor　brother…in…law：　though　he　is　a　soldier；　we　cannot
let　him　slip　without　a　word　of　consolation　and　a　leave…
taking；　in　my　judgment。　　This　has　been　an　unlucky　affair
on　every　tack；　though　I　suppose　it　is　what　one　had　a　right
to　expect；　considering　the　state　of　the　times　and　the　na…
ture　of　the　navigation。　　We　must　make　the　best　of　it；　and
try　to　help　the　worthy　man　to　unmoor；　without　straining
his　messengers。　　Death　is　a　circumstance；　after　all；　Master
Pathfinder；　and　one　of　a　very　general　character　too；　seeing
that　we　must　all　submit　to　it；　sooner　or　later。〃

〃You　say　truth；　you　say　truth；　and　for　that　reason　I
hold　it　to　be　wise　to　be　always　ready。　　I've　often　thought；
Saltwater；　that　he　is　the　happiest　who　has　the　least　to　leave
behind　him　when　the　summons　comes。　　Now；　here　am　I；
a　hunter　and　a　scout　and　a　guide；　although　I　do　not　own　a
foot　of　land　on　'arth；　yet　do　I　enjoy　and　possess　more　than
the　great　Albany　Patroon。　　With　the　heavens　over　my　head
to　keep　me　in　mind　of　the　last　great　hunt；　and　the　dried
leaves　beneath　my　feet；　I　tramp　over　the　ground　as　freely
as　if　I　was　its　lord　and　owner；　and　what　more　need　heart
desire？　　I　do　not　say　that　I　love　nothing　that　belongs　to
'arth；　for　I　do；　though　not　much；　unless　it　might　be　Mabel
Dunham；　that　I　can't　carry　with　me。　　I　have　some　pups
at　the　higher　fort　that　I　vally　considerable；　though　they
are　too　noisy　for　warfare；　and　so　we　are　compelled　to　live
separate　for　awhile；　and　then　I　think　it　would　grieve　me
to　part　with　Killdeer；　but　I　see　no　reason　why　we　should
not　be　buried　in　the　same　grave；　for　we　are　as　near　as　can
be　of　the　same　length　　six　feet　to　a　hair's　breadth；　but；
bating　these；　and　a　pipe　that　the　Sarpent　gave　me；　and　a
few　tokens　received　from　travellers；　all　of　which　might　be
put　in　a　pouch　and　laid　under　my　head；　when　the　order
comes　to　march　I　shall　be　ready　at　a　minute's　warning；
and；　let　me　tell　you；　Master　Cap；　that's　what　I　call　a　cir…
cumstance　too。〃

〃'Tis　just　so　with　me；〃　answered　the　sailor；　as　the　two
walked　towards　the　block；　too　much　occupied　with　their
respective　morality　to　remember　at　the　moment　the　mel…
ancholy　errand　they　were　on；　〃that's　just　my　way　of　feel…
ing　and　reasoning。　　How　often　have　I　felt；　when　near
shipwreck；　the　relief　of　not　owning　the　craft！　　'If　she
goes；'　I　have　said　to　myself；　'why；　my　life　goes　with　her；
but　not　my　property；　and　there's　great　comfort　in　that。'
I've　discovered；　in　the　course　of　boxing　about　the　world
from　the　Horn　to　Cape　North；　not　to　speak　of　this　run　on
a　bit　of　fresh　water；　that　if　a　man　has　a　few　dollars；　and
puts　them　in　a　chest　under　lock　and　key；　he　is　pretty　cer…
tain　to　fasten　up　his　heart　in　the　same　till；　and　so　I　carry
pretty　much　all　I　own　in　a　belt　round　my　body；　in　order；
as　I　say；　to　keep　the　vitals　in　the　right　place。　　D…　me；
Pathfinder；　if　I　think　a　man　without　a　heart　any　better
than　a　fish　with　a　hole　in　his　air…bag。〃

〃I　don't　know　how　that　may　be；　Master　Cap；　but　a　man
without　a　conscience　is　but　a　poor　creatur'；　take　my　word
for　it；　as　any　one　will　discover　who　has　to　do　with　a　Mingo。
I　trouble　myself　but　little　with　dollars　or　half…joes；　for
these　are　the　favoryte　coin　in　this　part　of　the　world；　but
I　can　easily　believe；　by　what　I've　seen　of　mankind；　that　if
a　man　_has_　a　chest　filled　with　either；　he　may　be　said　to　lock
up　his　heart　in　the　same　box。　　I　once　hunted　for　two　sum…
mers；　during　the　last　peace；　and　I　collected　so　much　peltry
that　I　found　my　right　feelings　giving　way　to　a　craving
after　property；　and　if　I　have　consarn　in　marrying　Mabel；
it　is　that　I　may　get　to　love　such　things　too　well；　in　order
to　make　her　comfortable。〃

〃You're　a　philosopher；　that's　clear；　Pathfinder；　and　I
don't　know　but　you're　a　Christian。〃

〃I　should　be　out　of　humor　with　the　man　that　gainsayed
the　last；　Master　Cap。　　I　have　not　been　Christianized　by
the　Moravians；　like　so　many　of　the　Delawares；　it　is　true；
but　I　hold　to　Christianity　and　white　gifts。　　With　me；　it　is
as　on…creditable　for　a　white　man　not　to　be　a　Christian　as
it　is　for　a　red…skin　not　to　believe　in　his　happy　hunting…
grounds；　indeed；　after　allowing　for　difference　in　traditions；
and　in　some　variations　about　the　manner　in　which　the
spirit　will　be　occupied　after　death；　I　hold　that　a　good　Dela…
ware　is　a　good　Christian；　though　he　never　saw　a　Moravian；
and　a　good　Christian　a　good　Delaware；　so　far　as　natur　'is
consarned。　　The　Sarpent　and　I　talk　these　matters　over
often；　for　he　has　a　hankerin'　after　Christianity　　〃

〃The　d…l　he　has！〃　interrupted　Cap。　　〃And　what　does
he　intend　to　do　in　a　church　with　all　the　scalps　he　takes？〃

〃Don't　run　away　with　a　false　idee；　friend　Cap；　don't　run
away　with　a　false　idee。　　These　things　are　only　skin…deep；
and　all　depend　on　edication　and　nat'ral　gifts。　　Look
around　you　at　mankind；　and　tell　me　why　you　see　a　red
warrior　here；　a　black　one　there；　and　white　armies　in　an…
other　place？　　All　this；　and　a　great　deal　more　of　the　same
kind　that　I　could　point　out；　has　been　ordered　for　some
special　purpose；　and　it　is　not　for　us　to　fly　in　the　face　of
facts　and　deny　their　truth。　　No；　no；　each　color　has　its
gifts；　and　its　laws；　and　its　traditions；　and　one　is　not　to
condemn　another　because　he　does　not　exactly　comprehend
it。〃

〃You　must　have　read　a　great　deal；　Pathfinder；　to　see
things　so　clear　as　this；〃　returned　Cap；　not　a　little　mystified
by　his　companion's　simple　creed。　　〃It's　all　as　plain　as　day
to　me　now；　though　I　must　say　I　never　fell　in　with　these
opinions　before。　　What　denomination　do　you　belong　to；
my　friend？〃

〃Anan？〃

〃What　sect　do　you　hold　out　for？　　What　particular
church　do　you　fetch　up　in？〃

〃Look　about　you；　and　judge　for　yourself。　　I'm　in　church
now；　I　eat　in　church；　drink　in　church；　sleep　in　church。
The　'arth　is　the　temple　of　the　Lord；　and　I　wait　on　Him
hourly；　daily；　without　ceasing；　I　humbly　hope。　　No；　no；
I'l