the pathfinder-第97部分

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on　'arth　that　would　make　my　tongue　bold　and　persuading；
Mabel；　I　do　think　it's　yourself；　and　yet　in　our　late　conver…
sations　Jasper　has　outdone　me；　even　on　this　point；　in　a
way　to　make　me　ashamed　of　myself。　　He　has　told　me　how
simple　you　were；　and　how　true…hearted；　and　kind…hearted；
and　how　you　looked　down　upon　vanities；　for　though　you
might　be　the　wife　of　more　than　one　officer；　as　he　thinks；
that　you　cling　to　feeling；　and　would　rather　be　true　to
yourself　and　natur'　than　a　colonel's　lady。　　He　fairly　made
my　blood　warm；　he　did；　when　he　spoke　of　your　having
beauty　without　seeming　ever　to　have　looked　upon　it；　and
the　manner　in　which　you　moved　about　like　a　young　fa'n；
so　nat'ral　and　graceful　like；　without　knowing　it；　and　the
truth　and　justice　of　your　idees；　and　the　warmth　and　gener…
osity　of　your　heart　　〃

〃Jasper！〃　interrupted　Mabel；　giving　way　to　feelings
that　had　gathered　an　ungovernable　force　by　being　so　long
pent；　and　falling　into　the　young　man's　willing　arms；　weep…
ing　like　a　child；　and　almost　as　helpless。　　〃Jasper！　　Jasper！
why　have　you　kept　this　from　me？〃

The　answer　of　Eau…douce　was　not　very　intelligible；　nor
was　the　murmured　dialogue　that　followed　remarkable　for
coherency。　　But　the　language　of　affection　is　easily　under…
stood。　　The　hour　that　succeeded　passed　like　a　very　few
minutes　of　ordinary　life；　so　far　as　a　computation　of　time
was　concerned；　and　when　Mabel　recollected　herself；　and
bethought　her　of　the　existence　of　others；　her　uncle　was　pac…
ing　the　cutter's　deck　in　great　impatience；　and　wondering
why　Jasper　should　be　losing　so　much　of　a　favorable　wind。
Her　first　thought　was　of　him；　who　was　so　likely　to　feel　the
recent　betrayal　of　her　real　emotions。

〃Oh；　Jasper；〃　she　exclaimed；　like　one　suddenly　self…
convicted；　〃the　Pathfinder！〃

Eau…douce　fairly　trembled；　not　with　unmanly　apprehen…
sion；　but　with　the　painful　conviction　of　the　pang　he　had
given　his　friend；　and　he　looked　in　all　directions　in　the
expectation　of　seeing　his　person。　　But　Pathfinder　had
withdrawn；　with　a　tact　and　a　delicacy　that　might　have
done　credit　to　the　sensibility　and　breeding　of　a　courtier。
For　several　minutes　the　two　lovers　sat；　silently　waiting　his
return；　uncertain　what　propriety　required　of　them　under
circumstances　so　marked　and　so　peculiar。　　At　length　they
beheld　their　friend　advancing　slowly　towards　them；　with
a　thoughtful　and　even　pensive　air。

〃I　now　understand　what　you　meant；　Jasper；　by　speaking
without　a　tongue　and　hearing　without　an　ear；〃　he　said
when　close　enough　to　the　tree　to　be　heard。　　〃Yes；　I　un…
derstand　it　now；　I　do；　and　a　very　pleasant　sort　of　discourse
it　is；　when　one　can　hold　it　with　Mabel　Dunham。　　Ah's　me！
I　told　the　Sergeant　I　wasn't　fit　for　her；　that　I　was　too
old；　too　ignorant；　and　too　wild　like；　but　he　_would_　have　it
otherwise。〃

Jasper　and　Mabel　sat；　resembling　Milton's　picture　of
our　first　parents；　when　the　consciousness　of　sin　first　laid
its　leaden　weight　on　their　souls。　　Neither　spoke；　neither
even　moved；　though　both　at　that　moment　fancied　they
could　part　with　their　new…found　happiness　in　order　to　re…
store　their　friend　to　his　peace　of　mind。　　Jasper　was　pale
as　death；　but；　in　Mabel；　maiden　modesty　had　caused　the
blood　to　mantle　on　her　cheeks；　until　their　bloom　was
heightened　to　a　richness　that　was　scarcely　equalled　in　her
hours　of　light…hearted　buoyancy　and　joy。　　As　the　feeling
which；　in　her　sex；　always　accompanies　the　security　of　love
returned；　threw　its　softness　and　tenderness　over　her　coun…
tenance；　she　was　singularly　beautiful。　　Pathfinder　gazed
at　her　with　an　intentness　he　did　not　endeavor　to　conceal；
and　then　he　fairly　laughed　in　his　own　way；　and　with　a　sort
of　wild　exultation；　as　men　that　are　untutored　are　wont　to
express　their　delight。　　This　momentary　indulgence；　how…
ever；　was　expiated　by　the　pang　which　followed　the　sudden
consciousness　that　this　glorious　young　creature　was　lost　to
him　for　ever。　　It　required　a　full　minute　for　this　simple…
minded　being　to　recover　from　the　shock　of　this　conviction；
and　then　he　recovered　his　dignity　of　manner；　speaking
with　gravity；　almost　with　solemnity。

〃I　have　always　known；　Mabel　Dunham；　that　men　have
their　gifts；〃　said　he；　〃but　I'd　forgotten　that　it　did　not
belong　to　mine　to　please　the　young；　the　beautiful；　and
l'arned。　　I　hope　the　mistake　has　been　no　very　heavy　sin；
and　if　it　was；　I've　been　heavily　punished　for　it；　I　have。
Nay；　Mabel；　I　know　what　you'd　say；　but　it's　unnecessary；
I　_feel_　it　all；　and　that　is　as　good　as　if　I　_heard_　it　all。　　I've
had　a　bitter　hour；　Mabel。　　I've　had　a　very　bitter　hour；
lad。〃

〃Hour！〃　echoed　Mabel；　as　the　other　first　used　the
word；　the　tell…tale　blood；　which　had　begun　to　ebb　towards
her　heart；　rushing　again　tumultuously　to　her　very　tem…
ples；　〃surely　not　an　hour；　Pathfinder？〃

〃Hour！〃　exclaimed　Jasper　at　the　same　instant；　〃no；
no；　my　worthy　friend；　it　is　not　ten　minutes　since　you　left
us！〃

〃Well；　it　may　be　so；　though　to　me　it　has　seemed　to　be
day。　　I　begin　to　think；　however；　that　the　happy　count
time　by　minutes；　and　the　miserable　count　it　by　months。
But　we　will　talk　no　more　of　this；　it　is　all　over　now；　and
many　words　about　it　will　make　you　no　happier；　while　they
will　only　tell　me　what　I've　lost；　and　quite　likely　how　much
I　desarved　to　lose　her。　　No；　no；　Mabel；　'tis　useless　to　in…
terrupt　me；　I　admit　it　all；　and　your　gainsaying　it；　though
it　be　so　well　meant；　cannot　change　my　mind。　　Well；　Jas…
per；　she　is　yours；　and；　though　it's　hard　to　think　it；　I　do
believe　you'll　make　her　happier　than　I　could；　for　your　gifts
are　better　suited　to　do　so；　though　I　would　have　strived
hard　to　do　as　much；　if　I　know　myself；　I　would。　　I　ought
to　have　known　better　than　to　believe　the　Sergeant；　and　I
ought　to　have　put　faith　in　what　Mabel　told　me　at　the　head
of　the　lake；　for　reason　and　judgment　might　have　shown
me　its　truth；　but　it　is　so　pleasant　to　think　what　we　wish；
and　mankind　so　easily　over…persuade　us；　when　we　over…per…
suade　ourselves。　　But　what's　the　use　in　talking　of　it；　as　I
said　afore？　　It's　true；　Mabel　seemed　to　be　consenting；
though　it　all　came　from　a　wish　to　please　her　father；　and
from　being　skeary　about　the　savages　　〃

〃Pathfinder！〃

〃I　understand　you；　Mabel；　and　have　no　hard　feelings；　I
haven't。　　I　sometimes　think　I　should　like　to　live　in　your
neighborhood；　that　I　might　look　at　your　happiness；　but；
on　the　whole；　it's　better　I　should　quit　the　55th　altogether；
and　go　back　to　the　60th；　which　is　my　natyve　rigiment；　as
it　might　be。　　It　would　have　been　better；　perhaps；　had　I
never　left　it；　though　my　sarvices　were　much　wanted　in
this　quarter；　and　I'd　been　with　some　of　the　55th　years
agone；　Sergeant　Dunham；　for　instance；　when　he　was　in
another　corps。　　Still；　Jasper；　I　do　not　regret　that　I've
known　you　　〃

〃And　me；　Pathfinder！〃　impetuously　interrupted　Mabel；
〃do　you　regret　having　known　_me_？　　Could　I　think　so；　I
should　never　be　at　peace　with　myself。〃

〃You；　Mabel！〃　returned　the　guide；　taking　the　hand　of
our　heroine　and　looking　up　into　her　countenance　with
guileless　simplicity；　but　earnest　affection；　〃how　could　I
be　sorry　that　a　ray　of　the　sun　came　across　the　gloom　of　a
cheerless　day　　that　light　has　broken　in　upon　darkness；
though　it　remained　so　short　a　time？　　I　do　not　flatter
myself　with　being　able　to　march　quite　so　light…hearted
as　I　once　used　to　could；　or　to　sleep　as　sound；　for　some　time
to　come；　but　I　shall　always　remember　how　near　I　was　to
being　undeservedly　happy；　I　shall。　　So　far　from　blaming
you；　Mabel；　I　only　blame　myself　for　being　so　vain　as　to
think　it　possible　I　could　please　such　a　creatur'；　for　sar…
tainly　you　told　me　how　it　was；　when　we　talked　it　over　on
the　mountain；　and　I　ought　to　have　believed　you　then；　for
I　do　suppose　it's　nat'ral　that　young　women　should　know
their　own　minds　better　than　their　fathers。　　Ah's　me！　　It's
settled　now；　and　nothing　remains　but　for　me　to　take　leave
of　you；　that　you　may　depart；　I　feel　that　Master　Cap　must
be　impatient；　and　there　is　danger　of　his　coming　on　shore
to　look　for　us　all。〃

〃To　take　leave！〃　exclaimed　Mabel。

〃Leave！〃　echoed　Jasper；　〃you　do　not　mean　to　quit　us；
my　friend？〃

〃'Tis　best；　Mabel；　'tis　altogether　best；　Eau…douce；　and
it's　wisest。　　I　could　live　and　die　in　your　company；　if　I　only
followed　feeling；　but；　if　I　follow　reason；　I　shall　quit　you
here。　　You　will　go　back　to　Oswego；　and　become　man　and
wife　as　soon　as　you　arrive；　　for　all　that　is　determined　with
Master　Cap；　who　hankers　after　the　sea　again；　and　who
knows　what　is　to　happen；　　while　I　shall　return　to　the　wil…
derness　and　my　Maker。　　Come；　Mabel；〃　continued　Path…
finder；　rising　and　drawing　nearer　to　our　heroine；　with　grave
decorum；　〃kiss　me；　Jasper　will　not　grudge　me　one　kiss；
then　we'll　part。〃

〃Oh；　Pathfinder！〃　exclaimed　Mabel；　falling　into　the
arms　of　the　guide；　and　kissing　his　cheeks　again　and　again；
with　a　freedom　and　warmth　she　had　been　far　from　mani…
festing　while　held　to　the　bosom　of　Jasper；　〃God　bless　you；
dearest　Pathfinder！　　You'll　come　to　us　hereafter。　　We
shall　see　you　again。　　When　old；　you　will　come　to　our
dwelling；　and　let　me　be　a　daughter　to　you？〃

〃Yes；　that's　it；〃　returned　the　guide；　almost　gasping　for
breath；　〃I'll　try　to　think　of　it　in　that　way。　　You're　more
befitting　to　be　my　daughter　than　to　be　my　wife；　you　are。
Farewell；　Jasper。　　Now　we'll　go　to　the　canoe；　it's　time
you　were　on　board。〃

The　manner　in　which　Pathfinder　led　the　way　to　the
shore　was　solemn　and　calm。　　As　soon　as　he　reached　the
canoe；　he　again　took　Mabel　by　the　hands；　held　her　at　the
length　of　his　own　arms；　and　gazed　wistfully　into　her　face；
until　the　unbidden　tears　rolled　out　of　the　fountains　of
feeling　and　trickled　down　his　rugged　cheeks　in　streams。

〃Bless　me；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Mabel；　kneeling　reverently
at　his　feet。　　〃Oh；　at　least　bless　me　before　we　part！〃

That　untutored　but　noble…minded　being　did　as　she　de…
sired；　and；　aiding　her　to　enter　the　canoe；　seemed　to　tear
himself　away　as　one　snaps　a　strong　and　obstinate　cord。
Before　he　retired；　however；　he　took　Jasper　by　the　arm　and
led　him　a　little　aside；　when　he　spoke　as　follows：　

〃You're　kind　of　heart　and　gentle　by　natur'；　Jasper；　but
we　are　both　rough　and　wild　in　comparison　with　that　dear
creatur'。　　Be　careful　of　her；　and