the pathfinder- 第10部分

〃Well；　I　want　no　delicate　ladies　or　king's　majesties
（God　bless　'em！）　in　the　canoe；　in　going　over　these　falls；
for　a　boat's　breath；　either　way；　may　make　a　drowning　mat…
ter　of　it。　　Eau…douce；　we　shall　have　to　carry　the　Sergeant's
brother　over　Niagara　yet；　to　show　him　what　may　be　done
in　a　frontier。〃

〃The　devil！　　Master　Pathfinder；　you　must　be　joking
now！　　Surely　it　is　not　possible　for　a　bark　canoe　to　go　over
that　mighty　cataract？〃

〃You　never　were　more　mistaken；　Master　Cap；　in　your
life。　　Nothing　is　easier　and　many　is　the　canoe　I　have　seen
go　over　it　with　my　own　eyes；　and　if　we　both　live　I　hope
to　satisfy　you　that　the　feat　can　be　done。　　For　my　part；　I
think　the　largest　ship　that　ever　sailed　on　the　ocean　might
be　carried　over；　could　she　once　get　into　the　rapids。〃

Cap　did　not　perceive　the　wink　which　Pathfinder　ex…
changed　with　Eau…douce；　and　he　remained　silent　for　some
time；　for；　sooth　to　say；　he　had　never　suspected　the　possi…
bility　of　going　down　Niagara；　feasible　as　the　thing　must
appear　to　every　one　on　a　second　thought；　the　real　diffi…
culty　existing　in　going　up　it。

By　this　time　the　party　had　reached　the　place　where
Jasper　had　left　his　own　canoe；　concealed　in　the　bushes；
and　they　all　re…embarked；　Cap；　Jasper；　and　his　niece　in
one　boat　and　Pathfinder；　Arrowhead；　and　the　wife　of　the
latter　in　the　other。　　The　Mohican　had　already　passed　down
the　banks　of　the　river　by　land；　looking　cautiously　and　with
the　skill　of　his　people　for　the　signs　of　an　enemy。

The　cheek　of　Mabel　did　not　recover　all　its　bloom　until
the　canoe　was　again　in　the　current；　down　which　it　floated
swiftly；　occasionally　impelled　by　the　paddle　of　Jasper。
She　witnessed　the　descent　of　the　falls　with　a　degree　of
terror　which　had　rendered　her　mute；　but　her　fright　had
not　been　so　great　as　to　prevent　admiration　of　the　steadi…
ness　of　the　youth　who　directed　the　movement　from　blend…
ing　with　the　passing　terror。　　In　truth；　one　much　less
sensitive　might　have　had　her　feelings　awakened　by　the
cool　and　gallant　air　with　which　Eau…douce　had　accom…
plished　this　clever　exploit。　　He　had　stood　firmly　erect；
notwithstanding　the　plunge；　and　to　those　on　the　shore　it
was　evident　that；　by　a　timely　application　of　his　skill　and
strength；　the　canoe　had　received　a　sheer　which　alone　car…
ried　it　clear　of　a　rock　over　which　the　boiling　water　was
leaping　in　_jets　d'eau_；　　now　leaving　the　brown　stone　visi…
tie；　and　now　covering　it　with　a　limpid　sheet；　as　if　ma…
chinery　controlled　the　play　of　the　element。　　The　tongue
cannot　always　express　what　the　eyes　view；　but　Mabel　saw
enough；　even　in　that　moment　of　fear；　to　blend　for　ever　in
her　mind　the　pictures　presented　by　the　plunging　canoe
and　the　unmoved　steersman。　　She　admitted　that　insidious
feeling　which　binds　woman　so　strongly　to　man；　by　feeling
additional　security　in　finding　herself　under　his　care；　and；
for　the　first　time　since　leaving　Fort　Stanwix；　she　was　en…
tirely　at　her　ease　in　the　frail　bark　in　which　she　travelled。
As　the　other　canoe　kept　quite　near　her　own；　however；　and
the　Pathfinder；　by　floating　at　her　side；　was　most　in　view；
the　conversation　was　principally　maintained　with　that
person；　Jasper　seldom　speaking　unless　addressed；　and
constantly　exhibiting　a　weariness　in　the　management　of
his　own　boat；　which　might　have　been　remarked　by　one
accustomed　to　his　ordinarily　confident；　careless　manner。

〃We　know　too　well　a　woman's　gifts　to　think　of　carrying
the　Sergeant's　daughter　over　the　falls；〃　said　Pathfinder；
looking　at　Mabel；　while　he　addressed　her　uncle；　〃though
I've　been　acquainted　with　some　of　her　sex　that　would
think　but　little　of　doing　the　thing。〃

〃Mabel　is　faint…hearted；　like　her　mother；〃　returned
Cap；　〃and　you　did　well；　friend；　to　humor　her　weakness。
You　will　remember　the　child　has　never　been　at　sea。〃

〃No；　no；　it　was　easy　to　discover　that；　by　your　own　fear…
lessness；　any　one　might　have　seen　how　little　you　cared
about　the　matter。　　I　went　over　once　with　a　raw　hand；　and
he　jumped　out　of　the　canoe　just　as　it　tipped；　and　you　many
judge　what　a　time　he　had　of　it。〃

〃What　became　of　the　poor　fellow？〃　asked　Cap；　scarcely
knowing　how　to　take　the　other's　manner；　which　was　so
dry；　while　it　was　so　simple；　that　a　less　obtuse　subject　than
the　old　sailor　might　well　have　suspected　its　sincerity。
〃One　who　has　passed　the　place　knows　how　to　feel　for
him。〃

〃He　was　a　_poor_　fellow；　as　you　say；　and　a　poor　frontier
man　too；　though　he　came　out　to　show　his　skill　among　us
ignoranters。　　What　became　of　him？　　Why；　he　went　down
the　falls　topsy…turvey　like；　as　would　have　happened　to　a
court…house　or　a　fort。〃

〃If　it　should　jump　out　of　at　canoe；〃　interrupted　Jasper；
smiling；　thought　he　was　evidently　more　disposed　than　his
friend　to　let　the　passage　of　the　falls　be　forgotten。

〃The　boy　is　right；〃　rejoined　Pathfinder；　laughing　in
Mabel's　face；　the　canoes　being　now　so　near　that　they　almost
touched；　〃he　is　sartainly　right。　　But　you　have　not　told
us　what　you　think　of　the　leap　we　took？〃

〃It　was　perilous　and　bold；〃　said　Mabel；　〃while　looking
at　it；　I　could　have　wished　that　it　had　not　been　attempted；
though；　now　it　is　over；　I　can　admire　its　boldness　and　the
steadiness　with　which　it　was　made。〃

〃Now；　do　not　think　that　we　did　this　thing　to　set　our
selves　off　in　female　eyes。　　It　may　be　pleasant　to　the　young
to　win　each　other's　good　opinions　by　doing　things　which
may　seem　praiseworthy　and　bold；　but　neither　Eau…douce
nor　myself　is　of　that　race。　　My　natur'　has　few　turns　in　it；
and　is　a　straight　natur'；　nor　would　it　be　likely　to　lead　me
into　a　vanity　of　this　sort　while　out　on　duty。　　As　for　Jasper；
he　would　sooner　go　over　the　Oswego　Falls；　without　a　looker…
on；　than　do　it　before　a　hundred　pair　of　eyes。　　I　know　the
lad　well　from　much　consorting；　and　I　am　sure　he　is　not
boastful　or　vain…glorious。〃

Mabel　rewarded　the　scout　with　a　smile；　which　served　to
keep　the　canoes　together　for　some　time　longer；　for　the
sight　of　youth　and　beauty　was　so　rare　on　that　remote
frontier；　that　even　the　rebuked　and　self…mortified　feelings
of　this　wanderer　of　the　forest　were　sensibly　touched　by　the
blooming　loveliness　of　the　girl。

〃We　did　it　for　the　best；〃　Pathfinder　continued；　〃'twas
all　for　the　best。　　Had　we　waited　to　carry　the　canoe　across
the　portage；　time　would　have　been　lost；　and　nothinig　is　so
precious　as　time　when　you　are　mistrustful　of　Mingos。〃

〃But　we　have　little　to　fear　now。　　The　canoes　move
swiftly；　and　two　hours；　you　have　said；　will　carry　us　down
to　the　fort。〃

〃It　shall　be　a　cunning　Iroquois　who　hurts　a　hair　of　your
head；　pretty　one；　for　all　here　are　bound　to　the　Sergeant；
and　most；　I　think；　to　yourself；　to　see　you　safe　from　harm。
Ha；　Eau…douce！　what　is　that　in　the　river；　at　the　lower
turn；　yonder；　beneath　the　bushes；　　I　mean　standing　on
the　rock？〃

〃'Tis　the　Big　Serpent；　Pathfinder；　he　is　making　signs
to　us　in　a　way　I　don't　understand。〃

〃'Tis　the　Sarpent；　as　sure　as　I'm　a　white　man；　and
he　wishes　us　to　drop　in　nearer　to　his　shore。　　Mischief　is
brewing；　or　one　of　his　deliberation　and　steadiness　would
never　take　this　trouble。　　Courage；　all！　we　are　men；　and
must　meet　devilry　as　becomes　our　color　and　our　callings。
Ah；　I　never　knew　good　come　of　boasting！　and　here；　just
as　I　was　vaunting　of　our　safety；　comes　danger　to　give　me
the　lie。〃



CHAPTER　IV

Art；　stryving　to　compare
With　nature；　did　an　arber　greene　dispred；
Fram'd　of　wanton　yvie　flowing　fayre；
Through　which　the　fragrant　eglantines　did　spred。
SPENSER。


The　Oswego；　below　the　falls；　is　a　more　rapid；　unequal
stream　than　it　is　above　them。　　There　are　places　where　the
river　flows　in　the　quiet　stillness　of　deep　water；　but　many
shoals　and　rapids　occur；　and　at　that　distant　day；　when
everything　was　in　its　natural　state；　some　of　the　passes　were
not　altogether　without　hazard。　　Very　little　exertion　was
required　on　the　part　of　those　who　managed　the　canoes；
except　in　those　places　where　the　swiftness　of　the　current
and　the　presence　of　the　rocks　required　care；　then；　indeed；
not　only　vigilance；　but　great　coolness；　readiness；　and
strength　of　arm　became　necessary；　in　order　to　avoid　the
dangers。　　Of　all　this　the　Mohican　was　aware；　and　he　had
judiciously　selected　a　spot　where　the　river　flowed　tran…
quilly　to　intercept　the　canoes；　in　order　to　make　his
communication　without　hazard　to　those　he　wished　to
speak。

The　Pathfinder　had　no　sooner　recognized　the　form　of　his
red　friend；　than；　with　a　strong　sweep　of　his　paddle；　he
threw　the　head　of　his　own　canoe　towards　the　shore；　mo…
tioning　for　Jasper　to　follow。　　In　a　minute　both　boats　were
silently　drifting　down　the　stream；　within　reach　of　the
bushes　that　overhung　the　water；　all　observing　a　profound
silence；　some　from　alarm；　and　others　from　habitual　cau…
tion。　　As　the　travellers　drew　nearer　the　Indian；　he　made　a
sign　for　them　to　stop；　and　then　he　and　Pathfinder　had
a　short　but　earnest　conference。

〃The　Chief　is　not　apt　to　see　enemies　in　a　dead　log；〃　ob…
served　the　white　man　to　his　red　associate；　〃why　does　he
tell　us　to　stop？〃

〃Mingos　are　in　the　woods。〃

〃That　we　have　believed　these　two　days：　does　the　chief
know　it？〃

The　Mohican　quietly　held　up　the　head　of　a　pipe　formed
of　stone。

〃It　lay　on　a　fresh　trail　that　led　towards　th