the pathfinder-第4章

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have　something　still　to　learn；　considering　the　school　to
which　you　have　been　sent。　　This　is　my　niece　Mabel；　I　call
her　Magnet；　for　a　reason　she　never　dreams　of；　though　you
may　possibly　have　education　enough　to　guess　at　it；　having
some　pretentions　to　understand　the　compass；　I　suppose。〃

〃The　reason　is　easily　comprehended；〃　said　the　young
man；　involuntarily　fastening　his　keen　dark　eye；　at　the
same　time；　on　the　suffused　face　of　the　girl；　〃and　I　feel
sure　that　the　sailor　who　steers　by　your　Magnet　will　never
make　a　bad　land…fall。〃

〃Ha！　you　do　make　use　of　some　of　the　terms；　I　find；　and
that　with　propriety；　though；　on　the　whole；　I　fear　you　have
seen　more　green　than　blue　water。〃

〃It　is　not　surprising　that　we　should　get　some　of　the
phrases　which　belong　to　the　land；　for　we　are　seldom　out
of　sight　of　it　twenty…four　hours　at　a　time。〃

〃More's　the　pity；　boy；　more's　the　pity！　　A　very　little
land　ought　to　go　a　great　way　with　a　seafaring　man。　　Now；
if　the　truth　were　known；　Master　Western；　I　suppose　there
is　more　or　less　land　all　round　your　lake。〃

〃And；　uncle；　is　there　not　more　or　less　land　around　the
ocean？〃　said　Magnet　quickly；　for　she　dreaded　a　prema…
ture　display　of　the　old　seaman's　peculiar　dogmatism；　not
to　say　pedantry。

〃No；　child；　there　is　more　or　less　ocean　all　round　the
land；　that's　what　I　tell　the　people　ashore；　youngster。
They　are　living；　as　it　might　be；　in　the　midst　of　the　sea；
without　knowihg　it；　by　sufferance；　as　it　were；　the　water
being　so　much　the　more　powerful　and　the　largest。　　But
there　is　no　end　to　conceit　in　this　world：　for　a　fellow　who
never　saw　salt　water　often　fancies　he　knows　more　than
one　who　has　gone　round　the　Horn。　　No；　no；　this　earth　is
pretty　much　an　island；　and　all　that　can　be　truly　said　not
to　be　so　is　water。〃

Young　Western　had　a　profound　deference　for　a　mariner
of　the　ocean；　oh　which　he　had　often　pined　to　sail；　but　he
had　also　a　natural　regard　for　the　broad　sheet　on　which　he
had　passed　his　life；　and　which　was　not　without　its　beauties
in　his　eyes。

〃What　you　say；　sir；〃　he　answered　modestly；　〃may　be
true　as　to　the　Atlantic；　but　we　have　a　respect　for　the　land
up　here　on　Ontario。〃

〃That　is　because　you　are　always　land…locked；〃　returned
Cap；　laughing　heartily；　〃but　yonder　is　the　the　Pathfinder；　as
they　call　him；　with　some　smoking　platters；　inviting　us　to
share　in　his　mess；　and　I　will　confess　that　one　gets　no
venison　at　sea。　　Master　Western；　civility　to　girls；　at　your
time　of　life；　comes　as　easy　as　taking　in　the　slack　of　the
ensign　halyards；　and　if　you　will　just　keep　an　eye　to　her
kid　and　can；　while　I　join　the　mess　of　the　Pathfinder　and
our　Indian　friends；　I　make　no　doubt　she　will　remember　it。〃

Master　Cap　uttered　more　than　he　was　aware　of　at　the
time。　　Jasper　Western　did　attend　to　the　wants　of　Mabel；
and　she　long　remembered　the　kind；　manly　attention　of　the
young　sailor　at　this　their　first　interview。　　He　placed　the
end　of　a　log　for　a　seat；　obtained　for　her　a　delicious　morsel
of　the　venison；　gave　her　a　draught　of　pure　water　from　the
spring；　and　as　he　sat　near　her；　fast　won　his　way　to　her
esteem　by　his　gentle　but　frank　manner　of　manifesting　his
care；　homage　that　woman　always　wishes　to　receive；　but
which　is　never　so　flattering　or　so　agreeable　as　when　it
comes　from　the　young　to　those　of　their　own　age　　from　the
manly　to　the　gentle。　　Like　most　of　those　who　pass　their
time　excluded　from　the　society　of　the　softer　sex；　young
Western　was　earnest；　sincere；　and　kind　in　his　attentions；
which；　though　they　wanted　a　conventional　refinement；
which；　perhaps；　Mabel　never　missed；　had　those　winning
qualities　that　prove　very　sufficient　as　substitutes。　　Leav…
ing　these　two　unsophisticated　young　people　to　become　ac…
quainted　through　their　feelings；　rather　than　their　expressed
thoughts；　we　will　turn　to　the　group　in　which　the　uncle
had　already　become　a　principal　actor。

The　party　had　taken　their　places　around　a　platter　of
venison　steaks；　which　served　for　the　common　use；　and　the
discourse　naturally　partook　of　the　characters　of　the　differ…
ent　individuals　which　composed　it。　　The　Indians　were
silent　and　industrious　the　appetite　of　the　aboriginal
American　for　venison　being　seemingly　inappeasable；　while
the　two　white　men　were　communicative；　each　of　the　latter
being　garrulous　and　opinionated　in　his　way。　　But；　as　the
dialogue　will　put　the　reader　in　possession　of　certain　facts
that　may　render　the　succeeding　narrative　more　clear；　it
will　be　well　to　record　it。

〃There　must　be　satisfaction　in　this　life　of　yours；　no
doubt　Mr。　Pathfinder；〃　continued　Cap；　when　the　hunger
of　the　travellers　was　so　far　appeased　that　they　began　to
pick　and　choose　among　the　savory　morsels；　〃it　has　some
of　the　chances　and　luck　that　we　seamen　like；　and　if　ours
is　all　water；　yours　is　all　land。〃

〃Nay；　we　have　water　too；　in　our　journeyings　and
marches；〃　returned　his　white　companion；　〃we　border…
men　handle　the　paddle　and　the　spear　almost　as　much　as
the　rifle　and　the　hunting…knife。〃

〃Ay；　but　do　you　handle　the　brace　and　the　bow…line；　the
wheel　and　the　lead…line；　the　reef…point　and　the　top…rope？
The　paddle　is　a　good　thing；　out　of　doubt；　in　a　canoe；　but
of　what　use　is　it　in　the　ship？〃

〃Nay；　I　respect　all　men　in　their　callings；　and　I　can　be…
lieve　the　things　you　mention　have　their　uses。　　One　who
has　lived；　like　myself；　in　company　with　many　tribes；　un…
derstands　differences　in　usages。　　The　paint　of　a　Mingo　is
not　the　paint　of　a　Delaware；　and　he　who　should　expect　to
see　a　warrior　in　the　dress　of　a　squaw　might　be　disappointed。
I　am　not　yet　very　old；　but　I　have　lived　in　the　woods；　and
have　some　acquaintance　with　human　natur'。　　I　never　be…
lieve　much　in　the　learning　of　them　that　dwell　in　towns；
for　I　never　yet　met　with　one　that　had　an　eye　for　a　rifle　or
a　trail。〃

〃That's　my　manner　of　reasoning；　Master　Pathfinder；　to
a　yarn。　　Walking　about　streets；　going　to　church　of　Sun…
days；　and　hearing　sermons；　never　yet　made　a　man　of　a
human　being。　　Send　the　boy　out　upon　the　broad　ocean；　if
you　wish　to　open　his　eyes；　and　let　him　look　upon　foreign
nations；　or　what　I　call　the　face　of　nature；　if　you　wish　him
to　understand　his　own　character。　　Now；　there　is　my
brother…in…law；　the　Sergeant：　he　is　as　good　a　fellow　as
ever　broke　a　biscuit；　in　his　way；　but　what　is　he；　after　all？
Why；　nothing　but　a　soldier。　　A　sergeant；　to　be　sure；　but
that　is　a　sort　of　a　soldier；　you　know。　　When　he　wished　to
marry　poor　Bridget；　my　sister；　I　told　the　girl　what　he　was；
as　in　duty　bound；　and　what　she　might　expect　from　such　a
husband；　but　you　know　how　it　is　with　girls　when　their
minds　are　jammed　by　an　inclination。　　It　is　true；　the　Ser…
geant　has　risen　in　his　calling；　and　they　say　he　is　an　im…
portant　man　at　the　fort；　but　his　poor　wife　has　not　lived
to　see　it　all；　for　she　has　now　been　dead　these　fourteen
years。〃

〃A　soldier's　calling　is　honorable；　provided　he　has　fi't
only　on　the　side　of　right；〃　returned　the　Pathfinder；　〃and
as　the　Frenchers　are　always　wrong；　and　his　sacred　Majesty
and　these　colonies　are　always　right；　I　take　it　the　Sergeant
has　a　quiet　conscience　as　well　as　a　good　character。　　I　have
never　slept　more　sweetly　than　when　I　have　fi't　the　Mingos；
though　it　is　the　law　with　me　to　fight　always　like　a　white
man　and　never　like　an　Indian。　　The　Sarpent；　here；　has
his　fashions；　and　I　have　mine；　and　yet　have　we　fi't　side
by　side　these　many　years；　without　either　thinking　a　hard
thought　consarning　the　other's　ways。　I　tell　him　there　is
but　one　heaven　and　one　hell；　notwithstanding　his　tradi…
tions；　though　there　are　many　paths　to　both。〃

〃That　is　rational；　and　he　is　bound　to　believe　you；
though；　I　fancy；　most　of　the　roads　to　the　last　are　on　dry
land。　　The　sea　is　what　my　poor　sister　Bridget　used　to　call
a　'purifying　place；'　and　one　is　out　of　the　way　of　tempta…
tion　when　out　of　sight　of　land。　　I　doubt　if　as　much　can
be　said　in　favor　of　your　lakes　up　hereaway。〃

〃That　towns　and　settlements　lead　to　sin；　I　will　allow；
but　our　lakes　are　bordered　by　the　forests；　and　one　is　every
day　called　upon　to　worship　God　in　such　a　temple。　　That
men　are　not　always　the　same；　even　in　the　wilderness；　I
must　admit　for　the　difference　between　a　Mingo　and　a
Delaware　is　as　plain　to　be　seen　as　the　difference　between
the　sun　and　the　moon。　　I　am　glad；　friend　Cap；　that　we
have　met；　however；　if　it　be　only　that　you　may　tell　the　Big
Sarpent　here　that　there　are　lakes　in　which　the　water　is
salt。　　We　have　been　pretty　much　of　one　mind　since　our
acquaintance　began；　and　if　the　Mohican　has　only　half　the
faith　in　me　that　I　have　in　him；　he　believes　all　that　I　have
told　him　touching　the　white　men's　ways　and　natur's　laws；
but　it　has　always　seemed　to　me　that　none　of　the　red…skins
have　given　as　free　a　belief　as　an　honest　man　likes　to　the
accounts　of　the　Big　Salt　Lakes；　and　to　that　of　their　being
rivers　that　flow　up　stream。〃

〃This　comes　of　getting　things　wrong　end　foremost；〃
answered　Cap；　with　a　condescending　nod。　　〃You　have
thought　of　your　lakes　and　rifts　as　the　ship；　and　of　the
ocean　and　the　tides　as　the　boat。　　Neither　Arrowhoad　nor
the　Serpent　need　doubt　what　you　have　said　concerning
both；　though　I　confess　myself　to　some　difficulty　in　swal…
lowing　the　tale　about　there　being　inland　seas　at　all；　and
still　more　that　there　is　any　sea　of　fresh　water。　　I　have
come　this　long　journey　as　much　to　satisfy　my　own　eyes
concerning　these　facts；　as　to　oblige　the　Sergeant　and　Mag…
net；　though　the　first　was　my　sister's　husband；　and　I　love
the　last　like　a　child。〃

〃You　are　wrong；　friend　Cap；　very　wrong；　to　distrust；
the　power　of　God　in　any　thing；〃　returned　Pathfinder
earnestly。　　〃They　that　live　in　the　settlements　and　the
towns　have　confined　and　unjust　opinions　consarning　the
might　of　His　hand；　but　we；　who　pass　our　time　in　His　very
presence；　as　it　might　be；　see　things　differently　　I　mean；
such　of　us　as　have　white　natur's。　　A　red…skin　has　his
notions；　and　it　is　right　that　it　should　be　so；　and　if　they
are　not　exactly　the　same　as　a　Christian　white　man's；　there
is　no　harm　in　it。　　Still；　there　are　matters　which　belong
altogether　to　the　ordering　of　God's　providence；　and　these
salt　and　fresh…water　lakes　are　some　of　them。　　I　do　not
pretend　to　account　for　these　things；　but　I　think　it　the
duty　of　all　to　believe　in　them。〃

〃Hold　on　there；　Master　Pathfinder；〃　interrupted　Cap；
not　without　some　heat；　〃in　the　way　of　a　proper　and　manly
faith；　I　will　turn　my　back　on　no　one；　when　afloat。　　Al…
though　more　accustomed　to　make　all　snug　aloft；　and　to
show　the　proper　canvas；　than　to　pray　when　the　hurricane
comes；　I　know　that　we　are　but　helpless　mortals　at　times；
and　I　hope　I　pay　reverence　where　reverence　is　due。　　All　I
mean　to　say　is　this：　that；　being　accustomed　to　see　water
in　large　bodies　salt；　I　should　like　to　taste　it　before　I　can
believe　it　to　be　fresh。〃

〃God　has　given　the　salt　lick　to　the　deer；　and　He　has
given　to　man；　red…skin　and　white；　the　delicious　spring　at
which　to　slake　his　thirst。　　It　is　unreasonable　to　think　that
He　may　not　have　given　lakes　of　pure　water　to　the　west；
and　lakes　of　impure　water　to　the　east。〃

Cap　was　awed；　in　spite　of　his　overweening　dogmatism；
by　the　earnest　simplicity　of　the　Pathfinder；　though　he　did
not　relish　the　idea　of　believing　a　fact　which；　for　many
years；　he　had　pertinaci