the pathfinder- 第30部分

〃That　is　according　to　your　hunting　notions；　Pathfinder；
but　firearms　should　sparkle　and　glitter　in　the　sun；　and　I
never　yet　could　see　any　beauty　in　a　clouded　barrel。〃

〃Lord　Howe　thought　otherwise；　Sergeant；　and　he　was
accounted　a　good　soldier。〃

〃Very　true；　his　lordship　had　all　the　barrels　of　his　regi…
ment　darkened；　and　what　good　came　of　it？　　You　can　see
his　'scutcheon　hanging　in　the　English　church　at　Albany。
No；　no；　my　worthy　friend；　a　soldier　should　be　a　soldier；
and　at　no　time　ought　he　to　be　ashamed　or　afraid　to　carry
about　him　the　signs　and　symbols　of　his　honorable　trade。
Had　you　much　discourse　with　Mabel；　Pathfinder；　as　you
came　along　in　the　canoe？〃

〃There　was　not　much　opportunity；　Sergeant；　and　then
I　found　myself　so　much　beneath　her　in　idees；　that　I　was
afraid　to　speak　of　much　beyond　what　belonged　to　my　own
gifts。〃

〃Therein　you　are　partly　right　and　partly　wrong；　my
friend。　　Women　love　trifling　discourse；　though　they　like
to　have　most　of　it　to　themselves。　　Now　you　know　I'm　a
man　that　do　not　loosen　my　tongue　at　every　giddy　thought；
and　yet　there　were　days　when　I　could　see　that　Mabel's
mother　thought　none　the　worse　of　me　because　I　descended
a　little　from　my　manhood。　　It　is　true；　I　was　twenty…two
years　younger　then　than　I　am　to…day；　and；　moreover；
instead　of　being　the　oldest　sergeant　in　the　regiment；　I　was
the　youngest。　　Dignity　is　commanding　and　useful；　and
there　is　no　getting　on　without　it；　as　respects　the　men；　but
if　you　would　be　thoroughly　esteemed　by　a　woman；　it　is
necessary　to　condescend　a　little　on　occasions。〃

〃Ah's　me；　Sergeant；　I　sometimes　fear　it　will　never　do。〃

〃Why　do　you　think　so　discouragingly　of　a　matter　on
which　I　thought　both　our　minds　were　made　up？〃

〃We　did　agree；　if　Mabel　should　prove　what　you　told　me
she　was；　and　if　the　girl　could　fancy　a　rude　hunter　and
guide；　that　I　should　quit　some　of　my　wandering　ways；　and
try　to　humanize　my　mind　down　to　a　wife　and　children。
But　since　I　have　seen　the　girl；　I　will　own　that　many　mis…
givings　have　come　over　me。〃

〃How's　this？〃　interrupted　the　Sergeant　sternly；　〃did
I　not　understand　you　to　say　that　you　were　pleased？　　and
is　Mabel　a　young　woman　to　disappoint　expectation？〃

〃Ah；　Sergeant；　it　is　not　Mabel　that　I　distrust；　but　my…
self。　　I　am　but　a　poor　ignorant　woodsman；　after　all；　and
perhaps　I'm　not；　in　trutb；　as　good　as　even　you　and　I　may
think　me。〃

〃If　you　doubt　your　own　judgment　of　yourself；　Path…
finder；　I　beg　you　will　not　doubt　mine。　　Am　I　not　accus…
tomed　to　judge　men's　character？　and　am　I　often　deceived？
Ask　Major　Duncan；　sir；　if　you　desire　any　assurances　in　this
particular。〃

〃But；　Sergeant；　we　have　long　been　friends；　have　fi't
side　by　side　a　dozen　times；　and　have　done　each　other　many
services。　　When　this　is　the　case；　men　are　apt　to　think　over
kindly　of　each　other；　and　I　fear　me　that　the　daughter　may
not　be　so　likely　to　view　a　plain　ignorant　hunter　as　favor…
ably　as　the　father　does。〃

〃Tut；　tut；　Pathfinder！　you　don't　know　yourself；　man；
and　may　put　all　faith　in　my　judgment。　　In　the　first　place
you　have　experience；　and；　as　all　girls　must　want　that；　no
prudent　young　woman　would　overlook　such　a　qualification。
Then　you　are　not　one　of　the　coxcombs　that　strut　about
when　they　first　join　a　regiment；　but　a　man　who　has　seen
service；　and　who　carries　the　marks　of　it　on　his　person　and
countenance。　　I　daresay　you　have　been　under　fire　some
thirty　or　forty　times；　counting　all　the　skirmishes　and　am…
bushes　that　you've　seen。〃

〃All　of　that；　Sergeant；　all　of　that；　but　what　will　it
avail　in　gaining　the　good…will　of　a　tender…hearted　young
female？〃

〃It　will　gain　the　day。　　Experience　in　the　field　is　as
good　in　love　as　in　war。　　But　you　are　as　honest…hearted
and　as　loyal　a　subject　as　the　king　can　boast　of　　God　bless
him！〃

〃That　may　be　too；　but　I'm　afeared　I'm　too　rude　and
too　old　and　too　wild　like　to　suit　the　fancy　of　such　a　young
and　delicate　girl　as　Mabel；　who　has　been　unused　to　our
wilderness　ways；　and　may　think　the　settlements　better
suited　to　her　gifts　and　inclinations。〃

〃These　are　new　misgivings　for　you；　my　friend；　and　I
wonder　they　were　never　paraded　before。〃

〃Because　I　never　knew　my　own　worthlessness；　perhaps；
until　I　saw　Mabel。　　I　have　travelled　with　some　as　fair；
and　have　guided　them　through　the　forest；　and　seen　them
in　their　perils　and　in　their　gladness；　but　they　were　always
too　much　above　me　to　make　me　think　of　them　as　more
than　so　many　feeble　ones　I　was　bound　to　protect　and　de…
fend。　　The　case　is　now　different。　　Mabel　and　I　are　so
nearly　alike；　that　I　feel　weighed　down　with　a　load　that　is
hard　to　bear；　at　finding　us　so　unlike。　　I　do　wish；　Sergeant；
that　I　was　ten　years　younger；　more　comely　to　look　at；　and
better　suited　to　please　a　handsome　young　woman's　fancy。〃

〃Cheer　up；　my　brave　friend；　and　trust　to　a　father's　knowl…
edge　of　womankind。　　Mabel　half　loves　you　already；　and
a　fortnight's　intercourse　and　kindness；　down　among　the
islands　yonder　will　close　ranks　with　the　other　half。　　The
girl　as　much　as　told　me　this　herself　last　night。〃

〃Can　this　be　so；　Sergeant？〃　said　the　guide；　whose　meek
and　modest　nature　shrank　from　viewing　himself　in　colors
so　favorable。　　〃Can　this　be　truly　so？　　I　am　but　a　poor
hunter　and　Mabel；　I　see；　is　fit　to　be　an　officer's　lady。　　Do
you　think　the　girl　will　consent　to　quit　all　her　beloved　set…
tlement　usages；　and　her　visitings　and　church…goings；　to
dwell　with　a　plain　guide　and　hunter　up　hereaway　in　the
woods？　　Will　she　not　in　the　end；　crave　her　old　ways；　and
a　better　man？〃

〃A　better　man；　Pathfinder；　would　be　hard　to　find；〃　re…
turned　the　father。　　〃As　for　town　usages；　they　are　soon
forgotten　in　the　freedom　of　the　forest；　and　Mabel　has　just
spirit　enough　to　dwell　on　a　frontier。　　I've　not　planned
this　marriage；　my　friend；　without　thinking　it　over；　as　a
general　does　his　campaign。　　At　first；　I　thought　of　bringing
you　into　the　regiment；　that　you　might　succeed　me　when　I
retire；　which　must　be　sooner　or　later；　but　on　reflection；
Pathfinder　I　think　you　are　scarcely　fitted　for　the　office。
Still；　if　not　a　soldier　in　all　the　meanings　of　the　word；　you
are　a　soldier　in　its　best　meaning；　and　I　know　that　you　have
the　good…will　of　every　officer　in　the　corps。　　As　long　as　I
live；　Mabel　can　dwell　with　me；　and　you　will　always　have　a
home　when　you　return　from　your　scoutings　and　marches。〃

〃This　is　very　pleasant　to　think　of；　Sergeant；　if　the　girl
can　only　come　into　our　wishes　with　good…will。　　But；　ah's
me！　it　does　not　seem　that　one　like　myself　can　ever　be　agree…
able　in　her　handsome　eyes。　　If　I　were　younger；　and　more
comely；　now；　as　Jasper　Western　is；　for　instance；　there　might
be　a　chance　　yes；　then；　indeed；　there　might　be　some
chance。〃

〃That　for　Jasper　Eau…douce；　and　every　younker　of　them
in　or　about　the　fort！〃　returned　the　Sergeant；　snapping　his
fingers。　　〃If　not　actually　a　younger；　you　are　a　younger…look…
ing；　ay；　and　a　better…looking　man　than　the　_Scud's_　master
…　〃

〃Anan？〃　said　Pathfinder；　looking　up　at　his　companion
with　an　expression　of　doubt；　as　if　he　did　not　understand
his　meaning。

〃I　say　if　not　actually　younger　in　days　and　years；　you
look　more　hardy　and　like　whipcord　than　Jasper；　or　any　of
them；　and　there　will　be　more　of　you；　thirty　years　hence；
than　of　all　of　them　put　together。　　A　good　conscience　will
keep　one　like　you　a　mere　boy　all　his　life。〃

〃Jasper　has　as　clear　a　conscience　as　any　youth　I　know；
Sergeant；　and　is　as　likely　to　wear　on　that　account　as　any
in　the　colony。〃

〃Then　you　are　my　friend；〃　squeezing　the　other's　hand；
…　〃my　tried；　sworn；　and
constant　friend。〃

〃Yes；　we　have　been　friends；　Sergeant；　near　twenty　years
before　Mabel　was　born。〃

〃True　enough；　before　Mabel　was　born；　we　were　well…
tried　friends；　and　the　hussy　would　never　dream　of　refus…
ing　to　marry　a　man　who　was　her　father's　friend　before　she
was　born。〃

〃We　don't　know；　Sergeant；　we　don't　know。　　Like　loves
like。　　The　young　prefer　the　young　for　companions；　and
the　old　the　old。〃

〃Not　for　wives；　Pathfinder；　I　never　knew　an　old　man；
now；　who　had　an　objection　to　a　young　wife。　　Then　you
are　respected　and　esteemed　by　every　officer　in　the　fort；　as
I　have　said　already；　and　it　will　please　her　fancy　to　like　a
man　that　every　one　else　likes。〃

〃I　hope　I　have　no　enemies　but　the　Mingos；〃　returned
the　guide；　stroking　down　his　hair　meekly　and　speaking
thoughtfully。　　〃I've　tried　to　do　right；　and　that　ought　to
make　friends；　though　it　sometimes　fails。〃

〃And　you　may　be　said　to　keep　the　best　company；　for
even　old　Duncan　of　Lundie　is　glad　to　see　you；　and　you　pass
hours　in　his　society。　　Of　all　the　guides；　he　confides　most
in　you。〃

〃Ay；　even　greater　than　he　is　have　marched　by　my　side
for　days；　and　have　conversed　with　me　as　if　I　were　their
brother；　but；　Sergeant；　I　have　never　been　puffed　up　by
their　company；　for　I　know　that　the　woods　often　bring
men　to　a　level　who　would　not　be　so　in　the　settlements。〃

〃And　you　are　known　to　be　the　greatest　rifle　shot　that
ever　pulled　trigger　in　all　this　region。〃

〃If　Mabel　could　fancy　a　man　for　that；　I　might　have　no
great　reason　to　despair；　and　yet；　Sergeant；　I　sometimes
think　that　it　is　all　as　much　owing　to　Killdeer　as　to　any　skill
of　my　own。　　It　is　sartainly　a　wonderful　p