the pathfinder-第40章

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they　are　the　driest　boats　of　which　we　have　any　knowl…
edge。〃

Cap　now　led　his　brother…in…law　and　Pathfinder　aside；
when　he　assured　him　that　the　admission　of　Jasper　con…
cerning　the　spies　was　〃a　circumstance；〃　and　〃a　strong　cir…
cumstance；〃　and　as　such　it　deserved　his　deliberate　investiga…
tion；　while　his　account　of　the　canoes　was　so　improbable
as　to　wear　the　appearance　of　brow…beating　the　listeners。
Jasper　spoke　confidently　of　the　character　of　the　two　indi…
viduals　who　had　landed；　and　this　Cap　deemed　pretty　strong
proof　that　he　knew　more　about　them　than　was　to　be　gath…
ered　from　a　mere　trail。　　As　for　mocassins；　he　said　that
they　were　worn　in　that　part　of　the　world　by　white　men　as
well　as　by　Indians；　he　had　purchased　a　pair　himself；　and
boots；　it　was　notorious；　did　not　particularly　make　a　soldier。
Although　much　of　this　logic　was　thrown　away　on　the　Ser…
geant；　still　it　produced　some　effect。　　He　thought　it　a　little
singular　himself；　that　there　should　have　been　spies　detected
so　near　the　fort　and　he　know　nothing　of　it；　nor　did　he
believe　that　this　was　a　branch　of　knowledge　that　fell　par…
ticularly　within　the　sphere　of　Jasper。　　It　was　true　that
the　_Scud_　had；　once　or　twice；　been　sent　across　the　lake　to
land　men　of　this　character；　or　to　bring　them　off；　but　then
the　part　played　by　Jasper；　to　his　own　certain　knowledge；
was　very　secondary；　the　master　of　the　cutter　remaining　as
ignorant　as　any　one　else　of　the　purport　of　the　visits　of
those　whom　he　had　carried　to　and　fro；　nor　did　he　see　why
he　alone；　of　all　present；　should　know　anything　of　the　late
visit。　　Pathfinder　viewed　the　matter　differently。　　With　his
habitual　diffidence；　he　reproached　himself　with　a　neglect
of　duty；　and　that　knowledge；　of　which　the　want　struck
him　as　a　fault　in　one　whose　business　it　was　to　possess　it；
appeared　a　merit　in　the　young　man。　　He　saw　nothing　ex…
traordinary　in　Jasper's　knowing　the　facts　he　had　related；
while　he　did　feel　it　was　unusual；　not　to　say　disgraceful；
that　he　himself　now　heard　of　them　for　the　first　time。

〃As　for　mocassins；　Master　Cap；〃　said　he；　when　a　short
pause　invited　him　to　speak；　〃they　may　be　worn　by　pale…
faces　as　well　as　by　red…skins；　it　is　true；　though　they　never
leave　the　same　trail　on　the　foot　of　one　as　on　the　foot　of
the　other。　　Any　one　who　is　used　to　the　woods　can　tell　the
footstep　of　an　Indian　from　the　footstep　of　a　white　man；
whether　it　be　made　by　a　boot　or　a　moccassin。　　It　will　need
better　evidence　than　this　to　persuade　me　into　the　belief
that　Jasper　is　false。〃

〃You　will　allow；　Pathfinder；　that　there　are　such　things
in　the　world　as　traitors？〃　put　in　Cap　logically。

〃I　never　knew　an　honest…minded　Mingo；　　one　that　you
could　put　faith　in；　if　he　had　a　temptation　to　deceive　you。
Cheating　seems　to　be　their　gift；　and　I　sometimes　think
they　ought　to　be　pitied　for　it；　rather　than　persecuted。〃

〃Then　why　not　believe　that　this　Jasper　may　have　the
same　weakness？　　A　man　is　a　man；　and　human　nature　is
sometimes　but　a　poor　concern；　as　I　know　by　experience。〃

This　was　the　opening　of　another　long　and　desultory
conversation；　in　which　the　probability　of　Jasper's　guilt　or
innocence　was　argued　_pro_　and　_con。_；　until　both　the　Sergeant
and　his　brother…in…law　had　nearly　reasoned　themselves　into
settled　convictions　in　favor　of　the　first；　while　their　corn…
panion　grew　sturdier　and　sturdier　in　his　defence　of　the
accused；　and　still　more　fixed　in　his　opinion　of　his　being
unjustly　charged　with　treachery。　　In　this　there　was　nothing
out　of　the　common　course　of　things；　for　there　is　no　more
certain　way　of　arriving　at　any　particular　notion；　than　by
undertaking　to　defend　it；　and　among　the　most　obstinate
of　our　opinions　may　be　classed　those　which　are　derived
from　discussions　in　which　we　affect　to　search　for　truth；
while　in　reality　we　are　only　fortifying　prejudice。

By　this　time　the　Sergeant　had　reached　a　state　of　mind
that　disposed　him　to　view　every　act　of　the　young　sailor
with　distrust；　and　he　soon　got　to　coincide　with　his　relative
in　deeming　the　peculiar　knowledge　of　Jasper；　in　reference
to　the　spies；　a　branch　of　information　that　certainly　did
not　come　within　the　circle　of　his　regular　duties；　as　〃a　cir…
cumstance。〃

While　this　matter　was　thus　discussed　near　the　taffrail；
Mabel　sat　silently　by　the　companion…way；　Mr。　Muir　having
gone　below　to　look　after　his　personal　comforts；　and　Jasper
standing　a　little　aloof；　with　his　arms　crossed；　and　his　eyes
wandering　from　the　sails　to　the　clouds；　from　the　clouds　to
the　dusky　outline　of　the　shore；　from　the　shore　to　the　lake；
and　from　the　lake　back　again　to　the　sails。　　Our　heroine；
too；　began　to　commune　with　her　own　thoughts。　　The　ex…
citement　of　the　late　journey；　the　incidents　which　marked
the　day　of　her　arrival　at　the　fort；　the　meeting　with　a　father
who　was　virtually　a　stranger　to　her；　the　novelty　of　her　late
situation　in　the　garrison；　and　her　present　voyage；　formed
a　vista　for　the　mind's　eye　to　look　back　through；　which
seemed　lengthened　into　months。　　She　could　with　difficulty
believe　that　she　had　so　recently　left　the　town；　with　all　the
usages　of　civilized　life；　and　she　wondered　in　particular　that
the　incidents　which　had　occurred　during　the　descent　of
the　Oswego　had　made　so　little　impression　on　her　mind。
Too　inexperienced　to　know　that　events；　when　crowded；
have　the　effect　of　time；　or　that　the　quick　succession　of
novelties　that　pass　before　us　in　travelling　elevates　objects；
in　a　measure；　to　the　dignity　of　events；　she　drew　upon　her
memory　for　days　and　dates；　in　order　to　make　certain　that
she　had　known　Jasper；　and　the　Pathfinder；　and　her　own
father；　but　little　more　than　a　fortnight。　　Mabel　was　a　girl
of　heart　rather　than　of　imagination；　though　by　no　means
deficient　in　the　last；　and　she　could　not　easily　account　for
the　strength　of　her　feelings　in　connection　with　those　who
were　so　lately　strangers　to　her；　for　she　was　not　sufficiently
accustomed　to　analyze　her　sensations　to　understand　the
nature　of　the　influences　that　have　just　been　mentioned。
As　yet；　however；　her　pure　mind　was　free　from　the　blight
of　distrust；　and　she　had　no　suspicion　of　the　views　of　either
of　her　suitors；　and　one　of　the　last　thoughts　that　could
have　voluntarily　disturbed　her　confidence　would　have　been
to　suppose　it　possible　either　of　her　companions　was　a
traitor　to　his　king　and　country。

America；　at　the　time　of　which　we　are　writing；　was　re…
markable　for　its　attachment　to　the　German　family　that
then　sat　on　the　British　throne；　for；　as　is　the　fact　with　all
provinces；　the　virtues　and　qualities　that　are　proclaimed
near　the　centre　of　power；　as　incense　and　policy；　get　to　be
a　part　of　political　faith　with　the　credulous　and　ignorant　at
a　distance。　　This　truth　is　just　as　apparent　to…day；　in　con…
nection　with　the　prodigies　of　the　republic；　as　it　then　was
in　connection　with　those　distant　rulers；　whose　merits　it
was　always　safe　to　applaud；　and　whose　demerits　it　was
treason　to　reveal。　　It　is　a　consequence　of　this　mental　de…
pendence；　that　public　opinion　is　so　much　placed　at　the
mercy　of　the　designing；　and　the　world；　in　the　midst　of　its
idle　boasts　of　knowledge　and　improvement；　is　left　to　re…
ceive　its　truths；　on　all　such　points　as　touch　the　interests　of
the　powerful　and　managing；　through　such　a　medium；　and
such　a　medium　only；　as　may　serve　the　particular　views
of　those　who　pull　the　wires。　　Pressed　upon　by　the　subjects
of　France；　who　were　then　encircling　the　British　colonies
with　a　belt　of　forts　ind　settlements　that　completely　secured
the　savages　for　allies；　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　say
whether　the　Americans　loved　the　English　more　than
they　hated　the　French；　and　those　who　then　lived　probably
would　have　considered　the　alliance　which　took　place　be…
tween　the　cis…Atlantic　subjects　and　the　ancient　rivals　of
the　British　crown；　some　twenty　years　later；　as　an　event
entirely　without　the　circle　of　probabilities。　　Disaffection
was　a　rare　offence；　and；　most　of　all；　would　treason；　that
should　favor　France　or　Frenchmen；　have　been　odious　in
the　eyes　of　the　provincials。　　The　last　thing　that　Mabel
would　suspect　of　Jasper　was　the　very　crime　with　which　he
now　stood　secretly　charged；　and　if　others　near　her　en…
dured　the　pains　of　distrust；　she；　at　least；　was　filled　with
the　generous　confidence　of　a　woman。　　As　yet　no　whisper
had　reached　her　ear　to　disturb　the　feeling　of　reliance　with
which　she　had　early　regarded　the　young　sailor；　and　her
own　mind　would　have　been　the　last　to　suggest　such　a
thought　of　itself。　　The　pictures　of　the　past　and　of　the
present；　therefore；　that　exhibited　themselves　so　rapidly　to
her　active　imagination；　were　unclouded　with　a　shade　that
might　affect　any　in　whom　she　felt　an　interest；　and　ere
she　had　mused；　in　the　manner　related；　a　quarter　of　an　hour；
the　whole　scene　around　her　was　filled　with　unalloyed　satis…
faction。

The　season　and　the　night；　to　represent　them　truly；
were　of　a　nature　to　stimulate　the　sensations　which　youth；
health；　and　happiness　are　wont　to　associate　with　novelty。
The　weather　was　warm；　as　is　not　always　the　case　in　that
region　even　in　summer；　while　the　air　that　came　off　the
land；　in　breathing　currents；　brought　with　it　the　coolness
and　fragrance　of　the　forest。　　The　wind　was　far　from　being
fresh；　though　there　was　enough　of　it　to　drive　the　_Scud_
merrily　ahead；　and；　perhaps；　to　keep　attention　alive；　in
the　uncertainty　that　more　or　less　accompanies　darkness。
Jasper；　however；　appeared　to　regard　it　with　complacency；
as　was　apparent　by　what　he　said　in　a　short　dialogue　that
now　occurred　between　him　and　Mabel。

〃At　this　rate；　Eau…douce；〃　　for　so　Mabel　had　already
learned　to　style　the　young　sailor；　　said　our　heroine；　〃we
cannot　be　long　in　reaching　our　place　of　destination。〃

〃Has　your　father　then　told　you　what　that　is；　Mabel？〃

〃He　has　told　me　nothing；　my　father　is　too　much　of　a
soldier；　and　too　little　used　to　have　a　family　around　him；　to
talk　of　such　matters。　　Is　it　forbidden　to　say　whither　we
are　bound？〃

〃It　cannot　be　far；　while　we　steer　in　this　direction；　for
sixty　or　seventy　miles　will　take　us　into　the　St。　Lawrence；
which　the　French　might　make　too　hot　for　us；　and　no
voyage　on　this　lake　can　be　very　long。〃

〃So　says　my　uncle　Cap；　but　to　me；　Jasper；　Ontario　and
the　ocean　appear　very　much　the　same。〃

〃You　have　then　been　on　the　ocean；　while　I；　who　pre…
tend　to　be　a　sailor；　have　never　yet　seen　salt　water。　　You
must　have　a　great　contempt　for　such　a　mariner　as　myself；
in　your　heart；　Mabel　Dunham？〃

〃Then　I　have　no　such　thing　in　my　heart；　Jasper　Eau…
douce。　　What　right　have　I；　a　girl　without　experience　or
knowledge；　to　despise　any；　much　less　one　like　you；　who
are　trusted　by　the　Major；　and　who　command　a　vessel　like
this？　　I　have　never　been　on　the　ocean；　though　I　have　seen
it；　and；　I　repeat；　I　see　no　difference　between　this　lake　and
the　Atlantic。〃

〃Nor　in　them　that　sail　on　both？　　I　was　afraid；　Mabel；
your　uncle　had　said　so　much　against　us　fresh…water　sailors；
that　you　had　begun　to　look　upon　us　as　little　better　than
pretenders？〃

〃Give　yourself　no　uneasiness　on　that　account；　Jasper；
for　I　know　my　uncle；　and　he　says　as　many　things　against
those　who　live　ashore；　when　at　York；　as　he　now　says　against
those　who　sail　on　fresh　water。　　No；　no；　neither　my　father
nor　myself　think　an