the pathfinder-第93部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


source　of　very　great　satisfaction。　　My　mother　always　said；
Master　Pathfinder；　that　dying　people's　spirits　should　not
be　damped；　but　that　they　ought　to　be　encouraged　by　all
proper　and　prudent　means；　and　this　news　will　give　the
poor　fellow　a　great　lift；　if　he　feels　towards　them　savages
any　way　as　I　feel　myself。〃

June　arose　at　this　intelligence；　and　stole　from　the　block…
house　with　a　noiseless　step。　　Dunham　listened　with　a　va…
cant　stare；　for　life　had　already　lost　so　many　of　its　ties　that
he　had　really　forgotten　Arrowhead；　and　cared　nothing　for
Muir；　but　he　inquired；　in　a　feeble　voice；　for　Eau…douce。
The　young　man　was　immediately　summoned；　and　soon
made　his　appearance。　　The　Sergeant　gazed　at　him　kindly；
and　the　expression　of　his　eyes　was　that　of　regret　for　the
injury　he　had　done　him　in　thought。　　The　party　in　the
blockhouse　now　consisted　of　Pathfinder；　Cap；　Mabel；　Jas…
por；　and　the　dying　man。　　With　the　exception　of　the　daugh…
ter；　all　stood　around　the　Sergeant's　pallet；　in　attendance
in　his　last　moments。　　Mabel　kneeled　at　his　side；　now　press…
ing　a　clammy　hand　to　her　head；　now　applying　moisture　to
the　parched　lips　of　her　father。

〃Your　case　will　shortly　be　ourn；　Sergeant；〃　said　Path…
finder；　who　could　hardly　be　said　to　be　awestruck　by　the
scene；　for　he　had　witnessed　the　approach　and　victories　of
death　too　often　for　that；　but　who　felt　the　full　difference
between　his　triumphs　in　the　excitement　of　battle　and　in
the　quiet　of　the　domestic　circle；　〃and　I　make　no　question
we　shall　meet　ag'in　hereafter。　　Arrowhead　has　gone　his
way；　'tis　true；　but　it　can　never　be　the　way　of　a　just　In…
dian。　　You've　seen　the　last　of　him；　for　his　path　cannot　be
the　path　of　the　just。　　Reason　is　ag'in　the　thought　in　his
case；　as　it　is　also；　in　my　judgment；　ag'in　it　too　in　the　case
of　Lieutenant　Muir。　　You　have　done　your　duty　in　life；
and　when　a　man　does　that；　he　may　start　on　the　longest
journey　with　a　light　heart　and　an　actyve　foot。〃

〃I　hope　so；　my　friend：　I've　tried　to　do　my　duty。〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　put　in　Cap；　〃intention　is　half　the　battle；　and
though　you　would　have　done　better　had　you　hove…to　in
the　offing　and　sent　a　craft　in　to　feel　how　the　land　lay；　things
might　have　turned　out　differently：　no　one　here　doubts
that　you　meant　all　for　the　best；　and　no　one　anywhere　else；
I　should　think；　from　what　I've　seen　of　this　world　and　read
of　t'other。〃

〃I　did；　yes。　　I　meant　all　for　the　best。〃

〃Father！　　Oh；　my　beloved　father！〃

〃Magnet　is　taken　aback　by　this　blow；　Master　Pathfinder；
and　can　say　or　do　but　little　to　carry　her　father　over　the
shoals；　so　we　must　try　all　the　harder　to　serve　him　a
friendly　turn　ourselves。〃

〃Did　you　speak；　Mabel？〃　Dunham　asked；　turning　his
eyes　in　the　direction　of　his　daughter；　for　he　was　already
too　feeble　to　turn　his　body。

〃Yes；　father；　rely　on　nothing　you　have　done　yourself
for　mercy　and　salvation；　trust　altogether　in　the　blessed
mediation　of　the　Son　of　God！〃

〃The　chaplain　has　told　us　something　like　this；　brother。
The　dear　child　may　be　right。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　that's　doctrine；　out　of　question。　　He　will　be
our　Judge；　and　keeps　the　log…book　of　our　acts；　and　will
foot　them　all　up　at　the　last　day；　and　then　say　who　has
done　well　and　who　has　done　ill。　　I　do　believe　Mabel　is
right；　but　then　you　need　not　be　concerned；　as　no　doubt
the　account　has　been　fairly　kept。〃

〃Uncle！　　dearest　father！　this　is　a　vain　illusion！　　Oh；　place
all　your　trust　in　the　mediation　of　our　Holy　Redeemer！
Have　you　not　often　felt　your　own　insufficiency　to　effect
your　own　wishes　in　the　commonest　things？　and　how　can
you　imagine　yourself；　by　your　own　acts；　equal　to　raise　up
a　frail　and　sinful　nature　sufficiently　to　be　received　into　the
presence　of　perfect　purity？　　There　is　no　hope　for　any　but
in　the　mediation　of　Christ！〃

〃This　is　what　the　Moravians　used　to　tell　us；〃　said　Path…
finder　to　Cap　in　a　low　voice；　〃rely　on　it；　Mabel　is　right。〃

〃Right　enough；　friend　Pathfinder；　in　the　distances；　but
wrong　in　the　course。　　I'm　afraid　the　child　will　get　the
Sergeant　adrift；　at　the　very　moment　when　we　had　him　in
the　best　of　the　water　and　in　the　plainest　part　of　the　chan…
nel。〃

〃Leave　it　to　Mabel；　leave　it　to　Mabel；　she　knows　better
than　any　of　us；　and　can　do　no　harm。〃

〃I　have　heard　this　before；〃　Dunham　at　length　replied。
〃Ah；　Mabel！　it　is　strange　for　the　parent　to　lean　on　the
child　at　a　moment　like　this！〃

〃Put　your　trust　in　God；　father；　lean　on　His　holy　and
compassionate　Son。　　Pray；　dearest；　dearest　father；　pray
for　His　omnipotent　support。〃

〃I　am　not　used　to　prayer。　　Brother；　Pathfinder　　Jasper；
can　you　help　me　to　words？〃

Cap　scarcely　knew　what　prayer　meant；　and　he　had　no
answer　to　give。　　Pathfinder　prayed　often；　daily；　if　not
hourly；　but　it　was　mentally；　in　his　own　simple　modes　of
thinking；　and　without　the　aid　of　words　at　all。　　In　this
strait；　therefore；　he　was　as　useless　as　the　mariner；　and　had
no　reply　to　make。　　As　for　Jasper　Eau…douce；　though　he
would　gladly　have　endeavored　to　move　a　mountain　to　re…
lieve　Mabel；　this　was　asking　assistance　it　exceeded　his
power　to　give；　and　he　shrank　back　with　the　shame　that　is
only　too　apt　to　overcome　the　young　and　vigorous；　when
called　on　to　perform　an　act　that　tacitly　confesses　their
real　weakness　and　dependence　on　a　superior　power。

〃Father；〃　said　Mabel；　wiping　her　eyes；　and　endeavoring
to　compose　features　that　were　pallid；　and　actually　quiver…
ing　with　emotion；　〃I　will　pray　with　you；　for　you；　for　_my…
self_；　for　us　_all_。　　The　petition　of　the　feeblest　and　humblest
is　never　unheeded。〃

There　was　something　sublime；　as　well　as　much　that　was
supremely　touching；　in　this　act　of　filial　piety。　　The　quiet
but　earnest　manner　in　which　this　young　creature　prepared
herself　to　perform　the　duty；　the　self…abandonment　with
which　she　forgot　her　sex's　timidity　and　sex's　shame；　in
order　to　sustain　her　parent　at　that　trying　moment；　the
loftiness　of　purpose　with　which　she　directed　all　her　powers
to　the　immense　object　before　her；　with　a　woman's　devotion
and　a　woman's　superiority　to　trifles；　when　her　affections
make　the　appeal；　and　the　holy　calm　into　which　her　grief
was　compressed；　rendered　her；　for　the　moment；　an　object
of　something　very　like　awe　and　veneration　to　her　compan…
ions。

Mabel　had　been　religiously　educated；　equally　without
exaggeration　and　without　self…sufficiency。　　Her　reliance　on
God　was　cheerful　and　full　of　hope；　while　it　was　of　the
humblest　and　most　dependent　nature。　　She　had　been　ac…
customed　from　childhood　to　address　herself　to　the　Deity
in　prayer；　taking　example　from　the　Divine　mandate　of
Christ　Himself；　who　commanded　His　followers　to　abstain
from　vain　repetitions；　and　who　has　left　behind　Him　a　pe…
tition　which　is　unequalled　for　sublimity；　as　if　expressly　to
rebuke　the　disposition　of　man　to　set　up　his　own　loose　and
random　thoughts　as　the　most　acceptable　sacrifice。　　The
sect　in　which　she　had　been　reared　has　furnished　to　its　fol…
lowers　some　of　the　most　beautiful　compositions　in　the　lan…
guage；　as　a　suitable　vehicle　for　its　devotion　and　solicitations。
Accustomed　to　this　mode　of　public　and　even　private
prayer；　the　mind　of　our　heroine　had　naturally　fallen　into
its　train　of　lofty　thought；　her　task　had　become　improved
by　its　study；　and　her　language　elevated　and　enriched　by
its　phrases。　　When　she　kneeled　at　the　bedside　of　her
father；　the　very　reverence　of　her　attitude　and　manner　pre…
pared　the　spectators　for　what　was　to　come；　and　as　her
affectionate　heart　prompted　her　tongue；　and　memory　came
in　aid　of　both；　the　petition　and　praises　that　she　offered　up
were　of　a　character　which　might　have　worthily　led　the
spirits　of　angels。　　Although　the　words　were　not　slavishly
borrowed；　the　expressions　partook　of　the　simple　dignity　of
the　liturgy　to　which　she　had　been　accustomed；　and　was
probably　as　worthy　of　the　Being　to　whom　they　were　ad…
dressed　as　they　could　well　be　made　by　human　powers。
They　produced　their　full　impression　on　the　hearers；　for　it
is　worthy　of　remark；　that；　notwithstanding　the　pernicious
effects　of　a　false　taste　when　long　submitted　to；　real　sub…
limity　and　beauty　are　so　closely　allied　to　nature　that　they
generally　find　an　echo　in　every　heart。

But　when　our　heroine　came　to　touch　upon　the　situation
of　the　dying　man；　she　became　the　most　truly　persuasive；
for　then　she　was　the　most　truly　zealous　and　natural。　　The
beauty　of　the　language　was　preserved；　but　it　was　sustained
by　the　simple　power　of　love；　and　her　words　were　warmed
by　a　holy　zeal；　that　approached　to　the　grandeur　of　true　elo…
quence。　　We　might　record　some　of　her　expressions；　but
doubt　the　propriety　of　subjecting　such　sacred　themes　to　a
too　familiar　analysis；　and　refrain。

The　effect　of　this　singular　but　solemn　scene　was　differ…
ent　on　the　different　individuals　present。　　Dunham　himself
was　soon　lost　in　the　subject　of　the　prayer；　and　he　felt
some　such　relief　as　one　who　finds　himself　staggering　on
the　edge　of　a　precipice；　under　a　burthen　difficult　to　be
borne；　might　be　supposed　to　experience　when　he　unex…
pectedly　feels　the　weight　removed；　in　order　to　be　placed　on
the　shoulders　of　another　better　able　to　sustain　it。　　Cap
was　surprised；　as　well　as　awed；　though　the　effects　on　his
mind　were　not　very　deep　or　very　lasting。　　He　wondered　a
little　at　his　own　sensations；　and　had　his　doubts　whether
they　were　so　manly　and　heroic　as　they　ought　to　be；　but　he
was　far　too　sensible　of　the　influence　of　truth；　humility；　re…
ligious　submission；　and　human　dependency；　to　think　of
interposing　with　any　of　his　crude　objections。　　Jasper
knelt　opposite　to　Mabel；　covered　his　face；　and　followed　her
words；　with　an　earnest　wish　to　aid　her　prayers　with　his
own；　though　it　may　be　questioned　if　his　thoughts　did　not
dwell　quite　as　much　on　the　soft；　gentle　accents　of　the　pe…
titioner　as　on　the　subject　of　her　petition。

The　effect　on　Pathfinder　was　striking　and　visible：　visi…
ble；　because　he　stood　erect；　also　opposite　to　Mabel；　and
the　workings　of　his　countenance；　as　usual；　betrayed　the
workings　of　the　spirit　within。　　He　leaned　on　his　rifle；　and
at　moments　the　sinewy　fingers　grasped　the　barrel　with　a
force　that　seemed　to　compress　the　weapon；　while；　once　or
twice；　as　Mabel's　language　rose　in　intimate　association
with　her　thoughts；　he　lifted　his　eyes　to　t