the pathfinder- 第26部分

For　the　first　time　since　she　had　left　her　room；　Mabel
now　turned　her　eyes　beneath　her；　and　got　a　view　of　what
might　be　called　the　foreground　of　the　remarkable　picture
she　had　been　studying　with　so　much　pleasure。　　The
Oswego　threw　its　dark　waters　into　the　lake；　between　banks
of　some　height；　that　on　its　eastern　side　being　bolder　and
projecting　farther　north　than　that　on　its　western。　　The
fort　was　on　the　latter；　and　immediately　beneath　it　were　a
few　huts　of　logs；　which；　as　they　could　not　interfere　with
the　defence　of　the　place；　had　been　erected　along　the　strand
for　the　purpose　of　receiving　and　containing　such　stores　as
were　landed；　or　were　intended　to　be　embarked；　in　the
communications　between　the　different　ports　on　the　shores
of　Ontario。　　Two　low；　curved；　gravelly　points　had　been
formed　with　surprising　regularity　by　the　counteracting
forces　of　the　northerly　winds　and　the　swift　current；　and；
inclining　from　the　storms　of　the　lake；　formed　two　coves
within　the　river：　that　on　the　western　side　was　the　most
deeply　indented；　and；　as　it　also　had　the　most　water；　it
formed　a　sort　of　picturesque　little　port　for　the　post。　　It
was　along　the　narrow　strand　that　lay　between　the　low
height　of　the　fort　and　the　water　of　this　cove；　that　the　rude
buildings　just　mentioned　had　been　erected。

Several　skiffs；　bateaux；　and　canoes　were　hauled　up　on
the　shore；　and　in　the　cove　itself　lay　the　little　craft　from
which　Jasper　obtained　his　claim　to　be　considered　a　sailor。
She　was　cutter…rigged；　might　have　been　of　forty　tons　bur…
then；　was　so　neatly　constructed　and　painted　as　to　have
something　of　the　air　of　a　vessel　of　war；　though　entirely
without　quarters；　and　rigged　and　sparred　with　so　scrupu…
lous　a　regard　to　proportions　and　beauty；　as　well　as　fitness
and　judgment；　as　to　give　her　an　appearance　that　even
Mabel　at　once　distinguished　to　be　gallant　and　trim。　　Her
mould　was　admirable；　for　a　wright　of　great　skill　had　sent
her　drafts　from　England；　at　the　express　request　of　the
officer　who　had　caused　her　to　be　constructed；　her　paint
dark；　warlike；　and　neat；　and　the　long　coach…whip　pennant
that　she　wore　at　once　proclaimed　her　to　be　the　property
of　the　king。　　Her　name　was　the　_Scud_。

〃That；　then；　is　the　vessel　of　Jasper！〃　said　Mabel；　who
associated　the　master　of　the　little　craft　very　naturally　with
the　cutter　itself。　　〃Are　there　many　others　on　this　lake？〃

〃The　Frenchers　have　three：　one　of　which；　they　tell　me；
is　a　real　ship；　such　as　are　used　on　the　ocean；　another　a
brig；　and　a　third　is　a　cutter；　like　the　_Scud_　here；　which
they　call　the　_Squirrel_；　in　their　own　tongue；　however；　and
which　seems　to　have　a　natural　hatred　of　our　own　pretty
boat；　for　Jasper　seldom　goes　out　that　the　_Squirrel_　is　not
at　his　heels。〃

〃And　is　Jasper　one　to　run　from　a　Frenchman；　though
he　appears　in　the　shape　of　a　squirrel；　and　that；　too；　on　the
water？〃

〃Of　what　use　would　valor　be　without　the　means　of
turning　it　to　account？　　Jasper　is　a　brave　boy；　as　all　on　this
frontier　know；　but　he　has　no　gun　except　a　little　howitzer；
and　then　his　crew　consists　only　of　two　men　besides　him…
self；　and　a　boy。　　I　was　with　him　in　one　of　his　trampooses；
and　the　youngster　was　risky　enough；　for　he　brought　us
so　near　the　enemy　that　rifles　began　to　talk；　but　the
Frenchers　carry　cannon　and　ports；　and　never　show　their
faces　outside　of　Frontenac；　without　having　some　twenty
men；　besides　their　_Squirrel_；　in　their　cutter。　　No；　no；　this
_Scud_　was　built　for　flying；　and　the　major　says　he　will　not
put　her　in　a　fighting　humor　by　giving　her　men　and　arms；
lest　she　should　take　him　at　his　word；　and　get　her　wings
clipped。　　I　know　little　of　these　things；　for　my　gifts　are
not　at　all　in　that　way；　but　I　see　the　reason　of　the　thing　
I　see　its　reason；　though　Jasper　does　not。〃

〃Ah！　here　is　my　uncle；　none　the　worse　for　his　swim；
coming　to　look　at　this　inland　sea。〃

Sure　enough；　Cap；　who　had　announced　his　approach　by
a　couple　of　lusty　hems；　now　made　his　appearance　on　the
bastion；　where；　after　nodding　to　his　neice　and　her　com…
panion；　he　made　a　deliberate　survey　of　the　expanse　of
water　before　him。　　In　order　to　effect　this　at　his　ease；　the
mariner　mounted　on　one　of　the　old　iron　guns；　folded　his
arms　across　his　breast；　and　balanced　his　body；　as　if　he　felt
the　motion　of　a　vessel。　　To　complete　the　picture；　he　had
a　short　pipe　in　his　mouth。

〃Well；　Master　Cap；〃　asked　the　Pathfinder　innocently；　for
he　did　not　detect　the　expression　of　contempt　that　was
gradually　settling　on　the　features　of　the　other；　〃is　it　not
a　beautiful　sheet；　and　fit　to　be　named　a　sea？〃

〃This；　then；　is　what　you　call　your　lake？〃　demanded
Cap；　sweeping　the　northern　horizon　with　his　pipe。　　〃I
say；　is　this　really　your　lake？〃

〃Sartain；　and；　if　the　judgment　of　one　who　has　lived　on
the　shores　of　many　others　can　be　taken；　a　very　good　lake
it　is。〃

〃Just　as　I　expected。　　A　pond　in　dimensions；　and　a
scuttle…butt　in　taste。　　It　is　all　in　vain　to　travel　inland；　in
the　hope　of　seeing　anything　either　full…grown　or　useful。
I　knew　it　would　turn　out　just　in　this　way。〃

〃What　is　the　matter…with　Ontario；　Master　Cap？　　It　is
large；　and　fair　to　look　at；　and　pleasant　enough　to　drink；
for　those　who　can't　get　at　the　water　of　the　springs。〃

〃Do　you　call　this　large？〃　asked　Cap；　again　sweeping
the　air　with　the　pipe。　　〃I　will　just　ask　you　what　there　is
large　about　it？　　Didn't　Jasper　himself　confess　that　it　was
only　some　twenty　leagues　from　shore　to　shore？〃

〃But；　uncle；〃　interposed　Mabel；　〃no　land　is　to　be　seen；
except　here　on　our　own　coast。　　To　me　it　koks　exactly　like
the　ocean。〃

〃This　bit　of　a　pond　look　like　the　ocean！　　Well；　Magnet；
that　from　a　girl　who　has　had　real　seamen　in　her　family　is
downright　nonsense。　　What　is　there　about　it；　pray；　that
has　even　the　outline　of　a　sea　on　it？〃

〃Why；　there　is　water　　water　　water　　nothing　but
water；　for　miles　on　miles　　far　as　the　eye　can　see。〃

〃And　isn't　there　water　　water　　water　　nothing　but
water　for　miles　on　miles　in　your　rivers；　that　you　have　been
canoeing　through；　too？　　ay；　and　'as　far　as　the　eye　can　see；'
in　the　bargain？〃

〃Yes；　uncle；　but　the　rivers　have　their　banks；　and　there
are　trees　along　them；　and　they　are　narrow。〃

〃And　isn't　this　a　bank　where　we　stand？　don't　these
soldiers　call　this　the　bank　of　the　lake？　and　aren't　there
trees　in　thousands？　and　aren't　twenty　leagues　narrow
enough　of　all　conscience？　　Who　the　devil　ever　heard　of
the　banks　of　the　ocean；　unless　it　might　be　the　banks　that
are　under　water？〃

〃But；　uncle；　we　cannot　see　across　this　lake；　as　we　can
see　across　a　river。〃

〃There　you　are　out；　Magnet。　　Aren't　the　Amazon　and
Oronoco　and　La　Plata　rivers；　and　can　you　see　across　them？
Hark'e　Pathfinder；　I　very　much　doubt　if　this　stripe　of
water　here　be　even　a　lake；　for　to　me　it　appears　to　be　only
a　river。　　You　are　by　no　means　particular　about　your
geography；　I　find；　up　here　in　the　woods。〃

〃There　_you_　are　out；　Master　Cap。　　There　is　a　river；　and
a　noble　one　too；　at　each　end　of　it；　but　this　is　old　Ontario
before　you；　and；　though　it　is　not　my　gift　to　live　on　a　lake；
to　my　judgment　there　are　few　better　than　this。〃

〃And；　uncle；　if　we　stood　on　the　beach　at　Rockaway；
what　more　should　we　see　than　we　now　behold？　　There　is
a　shore　on　one　side；　or　banks　there；　and　trees　too；　as　well
as　those　which　are　here。〃

〃This　is　perverseness；　Magnet；　and　young　girls　should
steer　clear　of　anything　like　obstinacy。　　In　the　first　place；
the　ocean　has　coasts；　but　no　banks；　except　the　Grand
Banks；　as　I　tell　you；　which　are　out　of　sight　of　land；　and
you　will　not　pretend　that　this　bank　is　out　of　sight　of
land；　or　even　under　water？〃

As　Mabel　could　not　very　plausibly　set　up　this　extrava…
gant　opinion；　Cap　pursued　the　subject；　his　countenance
beginning　to　discover　the　triumph　of　a　successful　dis…
putant。

〃And　then　them　trees　bear　no　comparison　to　these
trees。　　The　coasts　of　the　ocean　have　farms　and　cities　and
country…seats；　and；　in　some　parts　of　the　world；　castles　and
monasteries　and　lighthouses　　ay；　ay　　lighthouses；　in
particular；　on　them；　not　one　of　all　which　things　is　to　be
seen　here。　　No；　no；　Master　Pathfinder；　I　never　heard　of
an　ocean　that　hadn't　more　or　less　lighthouses　on　it；
whereas；　hereaway　there　is　not　even　a　beacon。〃

〃There　is　what　is　better；　there　is　what　is　better；　a　forest
and　noble　trees；　a　fit　temple　of　God。〃

〃Ay；　your　forest　may　do　for　a　lake；　but　of　what　use
would　an　ocean　be　if　the　earth　all　around　it　were　forest？
Ships　would　be　unnecessary；　as　timber　might　be　floated　in
rafts；　and　there　would　be　an　end　of　trade；　and　what　would
a　world　be　without　trade？　　I　am　of　that　philosopher's
opinion　who　says　human　nature　was　invented　for　the　pur…
poses　of　trade。　　Magnet；　I　am　astonished　that　you　should
think　this　water　even　looks　like　sea…water！　　Now；　I　dare…
say　that　there　isn't　such　a　thing　as　a　whale　in　all　your
lake；　Master　Pathfinder？〃

〃I　never　heard　of　one；　I　will　confess；　but　I　am　no　judge
of　animals　that　live　in　the　water；　unless　it　be　the　fishes　of
the　rivers　and　the　brooks。〃

〃Nor　a　grampus；　nor　a　porpoise　even？　not　so　much　as
a　poor　devil　of　a　shark？〃

〃I　will　not　take　it　on　myself　to　say　there　is　either。　　My
gifts　are　not　in　that　way；　I　tell　you；　Master　Cap。〃

〃