the pathfinder-第25章

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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　piece；　and　might
do　as　much　in　the　hands　of　another。〃

〃That　is　your　own　humble　opinion　of　yourself；　Path…
finder；　but　we　have　seen　too　many　fail　with　the　same
weapon；　and　you　succeed　too　often　with　the　rifles　of　other
men；　to　allow　me　to　agree　with　you。　　We　will　get　up　a
shooting　match　in　a　day　or　two；　when　you　call　show　your
skill；　and　when　Mabel　will　form　some　judgment　concern…
ing　your　true　character。〃

〃Will　that　be　fair；　Sergeant？　　Everybody　knows　that
Killdeer　seldom　misses；　and　ought　we　to　make　a　trial　of
this　sort　when　we　all　know　what　must　be　the　result？〃

〃Tut；　tut；　man！　　I　foresee　I　must　do　half　this　courting
for　you。　　For　one　who　is　always　inside　of　the　smoke　in　a
skirmish；　you　are　the　faintest…hearted　suitor　I　ever　met
with。　　Remember；　Mabel　comes　of　a　bold　stock；　and　the
girl　will　be　as　likely　to　admire　a　man　as　her　mother　was
before　her。〃

Here　the　Sergeant　arose；　and　proceeded　to　attend　to　his
never…ceasing　duties；　without　apology；　the　terms　on　which
the　guide　stood　with　all　in　the　garrison　rendering　this
freedom　quite　a　matter　of　course。

The　reader　will　have　gathered　from　the　conversation
just　related；　one　of　the　plans　that　Sergeant　Dunham　had
in　view　in　causing　his　daughter　to　be　brought　to　the
frontier。　　Although　necessarily　much　weaned　from　the
caresses　and　blandishments　that　had　rendered　his　child　so
dear　to　him　during　the　first　year　or　two　of　his　widowerhood；
he　had　still　a　strong　but　somewhat　latent　love　for　her。
Accustomed　to　command　and　to　obey；　without　being　ques…
tioned　himself　or　questioning　others；　concerning　the　rea…
sonableness　of　the　mandates；　he　was　perhaps　too　much
disposed　to　believe　that　his　daughter　would　marry　the　man
he　might　select；　while　he　was　far　from　being　disposed　to
do　violence　to　her　wishes。　　The　fact　was；　few　knew　the
Pathfinder　intimately　without　secretly　believing　him　to
be　one　of　extraordinary　qualities。　　Ever　the　same；　simple…
minded；　faithful；　utterly　without　fear；　and　yet　prudent；
foremost　in　all　warrantable　enterprises；　or　what　the　opinion
of　the　day　considered　as　such；　and　never　engaged　in　any…
thing　to　call　a　blush　to　his　cheek　or　censure　on　his　acts；　it
was　not　possible　to　live　much　with　this　being　and　not　feel
respect　and　admiration　for　him　which　had　no　reference
to　his　position　in　life。　　The　most　surprising　peculiarity
about　the　man　himself　was　the　entire　indifference　with
which　he　regarded　all　distinctions　which　did　not　depend
on　personal　merit。　　He　was　respectful　to　his　superiors
from　habit；　but　had　often　been　known　to　correct　their
mistakes　and　to　reprove　their　vices　with　a　fearlessness　that
proved　how　essentially　he　regarded　the　more　material
points；　and　with　a　natural　discrimination　that　appeared　to
set　education　at　defiance。　　In　short；　a　disbeliever　in　the
ability　of　man　to　distinguish　between　good　and　evil　with…
out　the　aid　of　instruction；　would　have　been　staggered　by
the　character　of　this　extraordinary　inhabitant　of　the　fron…
tier。　　His　feelings　appeared　to　possess　the　freshness　and
nature　of　the　forest　in　which　he　passed　so　much　of　his
time；　and　no　casuist　could　have　made　clearer　decisions　in
matters　relating　to　right　and　wrong；　and　yet　he　was　not
without　his　prejudices；　which；　though　few；　and　colored　by
the　character　and　usages　of　the　individual；　were　deep…
rooted；　and　almost　formed　a　part　of　his　nature。　　But　the
most　striking　feature　about　the　moral　organization　of
Pathfinder　was　his　beautiful　and　unerring　sense　of　justice。
This　noble　trait　　and　without　it　no　man　can　be　truly　great；
with　it　no　man　other　than　respectable　　probably　had　its
unseen　influence　on　all　who　associated　with　him；　for　the
common　and　unprincipled　brawler　of　the　camp　had　been
known　to　return　from　an　expedition　made　in　his　company
rebuked　by　his　sentiments；　softened　by　his　language；　and
improved　by　his　example。　　As　might　have　been　expected；
with　so　elevated　a　quality　his　fidelity　was　like　the　immov…
able　rock；　treachery　in　him　was　classed　among　the　things
which　are　impossible；　and　as　he　seldom　retired　before　his
enemies；　so　was　he　never　known；　under　any　circumstances
that　admitted　of　an　alternative；　to　abandon　a　friend。　　The
affinities　of　such　a　character　were；　as　a　matter　of　course；
those　of　like　for　like。　　His　associates　and　intimates；　though
more　or　less　determined　by　chance；　were　generally　of　the
highest　order　as　to　moral　propensities；　for　he　appeared　to
possess　a　species　of　instinctive　discrimination；　which　led
him；　insensibly　to　himself；　most　probably；　to　cling　closest
to　those　whose　characters　would　best　reward　his　friend…
ship。　　In　short；　it　was　said　of　the　Pathfinder；　by　one　ac…
customed　to　study　his　fellows；　that　he　was　a　fair　example
of　what　a　just…minded　and　pure　man　might　be；　while　un…
tempted　by　unruly　or　ambitious　desires；　and　left　to　follow
the　bias　of　his　feelings；　amid　the　solitary　grandeur　and
ennobling　influences　of　a　sublime　nature；　neither　led　aside
by　the　inducements　which　influence　all　to　do　evil　amid　the
incentives　of　civilization；　nor　forgetful　of　the　Almighty
Being　whose　spirit　pervad