That fills my heart with sadness。
WORDSWORTH。
THE scene was not without its sublimity； and the ardent；
generous…minded Mabel felt her blood thrill in her veins
and her cheeks flush； as the canoe shot into the strength
of the stream； to quit the spot。 The darkness of the night
had lessened； by the dispersion of the clouds； but the
overhanging woods rendered the shore so obscure； that the
boats floated down the current in a belt of gloom that ef…
fectually secured them from detection。 Still； there was
necessarily a strong feeling of insecurity in all on board
them； and even Jasper； who by this time began to tremble；
in behalf of the girl； at every unusual sound that arose
from the forest； kept casting uneasy glances around him
as he drifted on in company。 The paddle was used lightly；
and only with exceeding care； for the slightest sound in
the breathing stillness of that hour and place might ap…
prise the watchful ears of the Iroquois of their position。
All these accessories added to the impressive grandeur
of her situation； and contributed to render the moment
much the most exciting which had ever occurred in the
brief existence of Mabel Dunham。 Spirited； accustomed
to self…reliance； and sustained by the pride of considering
herself a soldier's daughter； she could hardly be said to be
under the influence of fear； yet her heart often beat quicker
than common； her fine blue eye lighted with an exhibition
of a resolution that was wasted in the darkness； and her
quickened feelings came in aid of the real sublimity that
belonged to the scene and to the incidents of the night。
〃Mabel！〃 said the suppressed voice of Jasper； as the
two canoes floated so near each other that the hand of the
young man held them together； 〃you have no dread？ you
trust freely to our care and willingness to protect you？〃
〃I am a soldier's daughter； as you know； Jasper Western；
and ought to be ashamed to confess fear。〃
〃Rely on me on us all。 Your uncle； Pathfinder； the
Delaware； were the poor fellow here； I myself； will risk
everything rather than harm should reach you。〃
〃I believe you； Jasper；〃 returned the girl； her hand un…
consciously playing in the water。 〃I know that my uncle
loves me； and will never think of himself until he has first
thought of me； and I believe you are all my father's
friends； and would willingly assist his child。 But I am
not so feeble and weak…minded as you may think； for；
though only a girl from the towns； and； like most of that
class； a little disposed to see danger where there is none； I
promise you； Jasper； no foolish fears of mine shall stand
in the way of your doing your duty。〃
〃The Sergeant's daughter is right； and she is worthy of
being honest Thomas Dunham's child；〃 put in the Path…
finder。 〃Ah's me； pretty one！ many is the time that your
father and I have scouted and marched together on the
flanks and rear of the enemy； in nights darker than this；
and that； too； when we did not know but the next momemt
would lead us into a bloody ambushment。 I was at his
side when he got the wound in his shoulder； and the
honest fellow will tell you； when you meet； the manner in
which we contrived to cross the river which lay in our rear；
in order to save his scalp。〃
〃He has told me；〃 said Mabel； with more energy perhaps
than her situation rendered prudent。 〃I have his letters；
in which he has mentioned all that； and I thank you from
the bottom of my heart for the service。 God will remem…
ber it； Pathfinder； and there is no gratitude that you can
ask of the daughter which she will not cheerfully repay
for her father's life。〃
〃Ay； that is the way with all your gentle and pure…
hearted creatures。 I have seen some of you before； and
have heard of others。 The Sergeant himself has talked to
me of his own young days； and of your mother； and of the
manner in which he courted her； and of all the crossings
and disappointments； until he succeeded at last。〃
〃My mother did not live long to repay him for what
he did to win her；〃 said Mabel； with a trembling lip。
〃So he tells me。 The honest Sergeant has kept nothing
back； for； being so many years my senior； he has looked
on me； in our many scoutings together； as a sort of son。〃
〃Perhaps； Pathfinder；〃 observed Jasper； with a huski…
ness in his voice that defeated the attempt at pleasantry；
〃he would be glad to have you for one in reality。〃
〃And if he did； Eau…douce； where would be the sin of
it？ He knows what I am on a trail or a scout； and he has
seen me often face to face with the Frenchers。 I have
sometimes thought； lad； that we all ought to seek for
wives； for the man that lives altogether in the woods； and
in company with his enemies or his prey； gets to lose some
of the feeling of kind in the end。 It is not easy to dwell
always in the presence of God and not feel the power of
His goodness。 I have attended church…sarvice in the gar…
risons； and tried hard； as becomes a true soldier； to join in
the prayers； for； though no enlisted sarvant of the king；
I fight his battles and sarve his cause； and so I have en…
deavored to worship garrison…fashion； but never could
raise within me the solemn feelings and true affection that
I feel when alone with God in the forest。 There I seem
to stand face to face with my Master； all around me is
fresh and beautiful； as it came from His hand； and there
is no nicety or doctrine to chill the feelings。 No no； the
woods are the true temple after all； for there the thoughts
are free to mount higher even than the clouds。〃
〃You speak the truth； Master Pathfinder；〃 said Cap；
〃and a truth that all who live much in solitude know。
What； for instance； is the reason that seafaring men in
general are so religious and conscientious in all they do；
but the fact that they are so often alone with Providence；
and have so little to do with the wickedness of the land。
Many and many is the time that I have stood my watch；
under the equator perhaps； or in the Southern Ocean；
when the nights are lighted up with the fires of heaven；
and that is the time； I can tell you； my hearties； to bring
a man to his bearings in the way of his sins。 I have rattled
down mine again and again under such circumstances；
until the shrouds and lanyards of conscience have fairly
creaked with the strain。 I agree with you； Master Path…
finder； therefore； in saying； if you want a truly religious
man； go to sea； or go into the woods。〃
〃Uncle； I thought seamen had little credit generally for
their respect for religion？〃
〃All dd slander； girl； for all the essentials of Chris…
tianity the seaman beats the landsman hand…over…hand。〃
〃I will not answer for all this； Master Cap；〃 returned
Pathfinder； 〃but I daresay some of it may be true。 I
want no thunder and lightning to remind me of my God；
nor am I as apt to bethink on most of all His goodness in
trouble and tribulations as on a calm； solemn； quiet day
in a forest； when His voice is heard in the creaking of a
dead branch or in the song of a bird； as much in my ears
at least as it is ever heard in uproar and gales。 How is it
with you； Eau…douce？ you face the tempests as well as
Master Cap； and ought to know something of the feelings
of storms。〃
〃I fear that I am too young and too inexperienced to
be able to say much on such a subject；〃 modestly answered
Jasper。
〃But you have your feelings！〃 said Mabel quickly。 〃You
cannot no one can live among such scenes without feel…
ing how much they ought to trust in God！〃
〃I shall not belie my training so much as to say I do
not sometimes think of these things； but I fear it is not so
often or so much as I ought。〃
〃Fresh water；〃 resumed Cap pithily； 〃you are not to
expect too much of the young man； Mabel。 I think they
call you sometimes by a name which would insinuate all
this： Eau…de…vie； is it not？〃
〃Eau…douce；〃 quietly replied Jasper； who from sailing
on the lake had acquired a knowledge of French； as well
as of several of the Indian dialects。 〃It is a name the Iro…
quois have given me to distinguish me from some of my
companions who once sailed upon the sea； and are fond
of filling the ears of the natives with stories of their great
salt…water lakes。〃
〃And why shouldn't they？ I daresay they do the sav…
ages no harm。 Ay； ay； Eau…deuce； that must mean the
white brandy； which may well enough be called the deuce；
for deuced stuff it is！〃
〃The signification of Eau…douce is sweet…water； and it
is the manner in which the French express fresh…water；〃
rejoined Jasper； a little nettled。
〃And how the devil do they make water out of Eau…in…
deuce； when it means brandy in Eau…de…vie？ Besides；
among seamen； Eau always means brandy； and Eau…de…
vie； brandy of a high proof。 I think nothing of your ig…
norance； young man； for it is natural to your situation；
and cannot be helped。 If you will return with me； and
make a v'y'ge or two on the Atlantic； it will serve you a
good turn the remainder of your days； and Mabel there；
and all the other young women near the coast； will think
all the better of you should you live to be as old as one of
the trees in this forest。〃
〃Nay； nay；〃 interrupted the single…he