the pathfinder-第50章

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bounding　along　the　deck　to　steady　the　helm；　in　order　that
the　cutter　might　ride　still　easier。　　〃Providence　has　placed
us　directly　in　its　current；　and　there　is　no　longer　any　dan…
ger。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　Providence　is　a　good　seaman；〃　growled　Cap；
〃and　often　helps　lubbers　out　of　difficulty。　　Under…tow　or
upper…tow；　the　gale　has　abated；　and；　fortunately　for　us　all；
the　anchors　have　met　with　good　holding…ground。　　Then
this　dd　fresh　water　has　an　unnatural　way　with　it。〃

Men　are　seldom　inclined　to　quarrel　with　good　fortune；
but　it　is　in　distress　that　they　grow　clamorous　and　critical。
Most　on　board　were　disposed　to　believe　that　they　had　been
saved　from　shipwreck　by　the　skill　and　knowledge　of　Jas…
per；　without　regarding　the　opinions　of　Cap；　whose　remarks
were　now　little　heeded。

There　was　half　an　hour　of　uncertainty　and　doubt；　it　is
true；　during　which　period　the　lead　was　anxiously　watched；
and　then　a　feeling　of　security　came　over　all；　and　the　weary
slept　without　dreaming　of　instant　death。



CHAPTER　XVIII。

It　is　to　be　all　made　of　sighs　and　tears；
It　is　to　be　all　made　of　faith　and　service；
It　is　to　be　all　made　of　phantasy；
All　made　of　passion；　and　all　made　of　wishes；
All　adoration；　duty；　and　observance；
All　humbleness；　all　patience；　and　impatience；
All　purity；　all　trial；　all　observance。
SHAKESPEARE。


It　was　near　noon　when　the　gale　broke；　and　then　its　force
abated　as　suddenly　as　its　violence　had　arisen。　　In　less　than
two　hours　after　the　wind　fell；　the　surface　of　the　lake；
though　still　agitated；　was　no　longer　glittering　with　foam；
and　in　double　that　time；　the　entire　sheet　presented　the　or…
dinary　scene　of　disturbed　water；　that　was　unbroken　by　the
violence　of　a　tempest。　　Still　the　waves　came　rolling　inces…
santly　towards　the　shore；　and　the　lines　of　breakers　re…
mained；　though　the　spray　had　ceased　to　fly；　the　combing
of　the　swells　was　more　moderate；　and　all　that　there　was　of
violence　proceeded　from　the　impulsion　of　wind　which　had
abated。

As　it　was　impossible　to　make　head　against　the　sea　that
was　still　up；　with　the　light　opposing　air　that　blew　from
the　eastward；　all　thoughts　of　getting　under　way　that　after
noon　were　abandoned。　　Jasper；　who　had　now　quietly　re…
sumed　the　command　of　the　_Scud_；　busied　himself；　however；
in　heaving…up　the　anchors；　which　were　lifted　in　succession；
the　kedges　that　backed　them　were　weighed；　and　everything
was　got　in　readiness　for　a　prompt　departure；　as　soon　as　the
state　of　the　weather　would　allow。　　In　the　meantime；　they
who　had　no　concern　with　these　duties　sought　such　means
of　amusement　as　their　peculiar　circumstances　allowed。

As　is　common　with　those　who　are　unused　to　the　confine…
ment　of　a　vessel；　Mabel　cast　wistful　eyes　towards　the　shore；
nor　was　it　long　before　she　expressed　a　wish　that　it　were
possible　to　land。　　The　Pathfinder　was　near　her　at　the　time；
and　he　assured　her　that　nothing　would　be　easier；　as　they
had　a　bark　canoe　on　deck；　which　was　the　best　possible　mode
of　conveyance　to　go　through　a　surf。　　After　the　usual
doubts　and　misgivings；　the　Sergeant　was　appealed　to；　his
opinion　proved　to　be　favorable；　and　preparations　to　carry
the　whim　into　effect　were　immediately　made。

The　party　which　was　to　land　consisted　of　Sergeant
Dunham；　his　daughter；　and　the　Pathfinder。　　Accustomed
to　the　canoe；　Mabel　took　her　seat　in　the　centre　with　great
steadiness；　her　father　was　placed　in　the　bows；　while　the
guide　assumed　the　office　of　conductor；　by　steering　in　the
stern。　　There　was　little　need　of　impelling　the　canoe　by
means　of　the　paddle；　for　the　rollers　sent　it　forward　at　mo…
ments　with　a　violence　that　set　every　effort　to　govern　its
movements　at　defiance。　　More　than　once；　before　the　shore
was　reached；　Mabel　repented　of　her　temerity；　but　Path…
finder　encouraged　her；　and　really　manifested　so　much　self…
possession；　coolness；　and　strength　of　arm　himself；　that　even
a　female　might　have　hesitated　about　owning　all　her　ap…
prehensions。　　Our　heroine　was　no　coward；　and　while　she
felt　the　novelty　of　her　situation；　in　landing　through　a　surf；
she　also　experienced　a　fair　proportion　of　its　wild　delight。
At　moments；　indeed；　her　heart　was　in　her　mouth；　as　the
bubble　of　a　boat　floated　on　the　very　crest　of　a　foaming
breaker；　appearing　to　skim　the　water　like　a　swallow；　and
then　she　flushed　and　laughed；　as；　left　by　the　glancing　ele…
ment；　they　appeared　to　linger　behind　as　if　ashamed　of　hav…
ing　been　outdone　in　the　headlong　race。　　A　few　minutes
sufficed　for　this　excitement；　for　though　the　distance　be…
tween　the　cutter　and　the　land　considerably　exceeded　a
quarter　of　a　mile；　the　intermediate　space　was　passed　in　a
very　few　minutes。

On　landing；　the　Sergeant　kissed　his　daughter　kindly；　for
he　was　so　much　of　a　soldier　as　always　to　feel　more　at　home
on　_terra　firma_　than　when　afloat；　and；　taking　his　gun；　he
announced　his　intention　to　pass　an　hour　in　quest　of　game。

〃Pathfinder　will　remain　near　you；　girl；　and　no　doubt　he
will　tell　you　some　of　the　traditions　of　this　part　of　the　world；
or　some　of　his　own　experiences　with　the　Mingos。〃

The　guide　laughed；　promised　to　have　a　care　of　Mabel；
and　in　a　few　minutes　the　father　had　ascended　a　steep　ac…
clivity　and　disappeared　in　the　forest。　　The　others　took　an…
other　direction；　which；　after　a　few　minutes　of　a　sharp　as…
cent　also；　brought　them　to　a　small　naked　point　on　the
promontory；　where　the　eye　overlooked　an　extensive　and
very　peculiar　panorama。　　Here　Mabel　seated　herself　on　a
fragment　of　fallen　rock　to　recover　her　breath　and　strength；
while　her　companion；　on　whose　sinews　no　personal　exertion
seemed　to　make　any　impression；　stood　at　her　side；　leaning
in　his　own　and　not　ungraceful　manner　on　his　long　rifle。
Several　minutes　passed；　and　neither　spoke；　Mabel；　in　par…
ticular；　being　lost　in　admiration　of　the　view。

The　position　the　two　had　obtained　was　sufficiently　ele…
vated　to　command　a　wide　reach　of　the　lake；　which　stretched
away　towards　the　north…east　in　a　boundless　sheet；　glitter…
ing　beneath　the　rays　of　an　afternoon's　sun；　and　yet　betray…
ing　the　remains　of　that　agitation　which　it　had　endured
while　tossed　by　the　late　tempest。　　The　land　set　bounds　to
its　limits　in　a　huge　crescent；　disappearing　in　distance　to…
wards　the　south…east　and　the　north。　　Far　as　the　eye　could
reach；　nothing　but　forest　was　visible；　not　even　a　solitary
sign　of　civilization　breaking　in　upon　the　uniform　and
grand　magnificence　of　nature。　　The　gale　had　driven　the
_Scud_　beyond　the　line　of　those　forts　with　which　the　French
were　then　endeavoring　to　gird　the　English　North　Ameri…
can　possessions；　for；　following　the　channels　of　communi…
cation　between　the　great　lakes；　their　posts　were　on　the
banks　of　the　Niagara；　while　our　adventurers　had　reached
a　point　many　leagues　westward　of　that　celebrated　strait。
The　cutter　rode　at　single　anchor；　without　the　breakers；　re…
sembling　some　well…imagined　and　accurately…executed　toy；
intended　rather　for　a　glass　case　than　for　struggles　with
the　elements　which　she　had　so　lately　gone　through；　while
the　canoe　lay　on　the　narrow　beach；　just　out　of　reach　of
the　waves　that　came　booming　upon　the　land；　a　speck　upon
the　shingles。

〃We　are　very　far　here　from　human　habitations！〃　ex…
claimed　Mabel；　when；　after　a　long　survey　of　the　scene；　its
principal　peculiarities　forced　themselves　on　her　active　and
ever　brilliant　imagination；　〃this　is　indeed　being　on　a
frontier。〃

〃Have　they　more　sightly　scenes　than　this　nearer　the　sea
and　around　their　large　towns？〃　demanded　Pathfinder；　with
an　interest　he　was　apt　to　discover　in　such　a　subject。

〃I　will　not　say　that：　there　is　more　to　remind　one　of　his
fellow…beings　there　than　here；　less；　perhaps；　to　remind　one
of　God。〃

〃Ay；　Mabel；　that　is　what　my　own　feelings　say。　　I　am　but
a　poor　hunter；　I　know；　untaught　and　unlarned；　but　God
is　as　near　me；　in　this　my　home；　as　he　is　near　the　king　in
his　royal　palace。〃

〃Who　can　doubt　it？〃　returned　Mabel；　looking　from　the
view　up　into　the　hard…featured　but　honest　face　of　her　com…
panion；　though　not　without　surprise　at　the　energy　of　his
manner。　　〃One　feels　nearer　to　God　in　such　a　spot；　I　think；
than　when　the　mind　is　distracted　by　the　objects　of　the
towns。〃

〃You　say　all　I　wish　to　say　myself；　Mabel；　but　in　so　much
plainer　speech；　that　you　make　me　ashamed　of　wishing　to
let　others　know　what　I　feel　on　such　matters。　　I　have　coasted
this　lake　in　search　of　skins　afore　the　war；　and　have　been
here　already；　not　at　this　very　spot；　for　we　landed　yonder；
where　you　may　see　the　blasted　oak　that　stands　above　the
cluster　of　hemlocks　　〃

〃How；　Pathfinder；　can　you　remember　all　these　trifles　so
accurately？〃

〃These　are　our　streets　and　houses；　our　churches　and
palaces。　　Remember　them；　indeed！　　I　once　made　an　ap…
pointment　with　the　Big　Sarpent；　to　meet　at　twelve　o'clock
at　noon；　near　the　foot　of　a　certain　pine；　at　the　end　of　six
months；　when　neither　of　us　was　within　three　hundred　miles
of　the　spot。　　The　tree　stood；　and　stands　still；　unless　the
judgment　of　Providence　has　lighted　on　that　too；　in　the
midst　of　the　forest；　fifty　miles　from　any　settlement；　but　in
a　most　extraordinary　neighborhood　for　beaver。〃

〃And　did　you　meet　at　that　very　spot　and　hour？〃

〃Does　the　sun　rise　and　set？　　When　I　reached　the　tree；
I　found　the　Sarpent　leaning　against　its　trunk　with　torn
leggings　and　muddied　moecassins。　　The　Delaware　had　got
into　a　swamp；　and　it　worried　him　not　a　little　to　find　his
way　out　of　it；　but　as　the　sun　which　comes　over　the　eastern
hills　in　the　morning　goes　down　behind　the　western　at
night；　so　was　he　true　to　time　and　place。　　No　fear　of　Chin…
gachgook　when　there　is　either　a　friend　or　an　enemy　in　the
case。　　He　is　equally　sartain　with　each。〃

〃And　where　is　the　Delaware　now？　why　is　he　not　with
us　to…day？〃

〃He　is　scouting　on　the　Mingo　trail；　where　I　ought　to
have　been　too；　but　for　a　great　human　infirmity。〃

〃You　seem　above；　beyond；　superior　to　all　infirmity；　Path…
finder；　I　never　yet　met　with　a　man　who　appeared　to　be　so
little　liable　to　the　weaknesses　of　nature。〃

〃If　you　mean　in　the　way　of　health　and　strength；　Mabel；
Providence　has　been　kind　to　me；　though　I　fancy　the　open
air；　long　hunts；　active　scoutings；　forest　fare；　and　the　sleep
of　a　good　conscience；　may　always　keep　the　doctors　at　a　dis…
tance。　　But　I　am　human　after　all；　yes；　I　find　I'm　very
human　in　some　of　my　feelings。〃

Mabel　looked　surprised；　and　it　would　be　no　more　than
delineating　the　character　of　her　sex；　if　we　added　that　her
sweet　countenance　expressed　a　good　deal　of　curiosity；　too；
though　her　tongue　was　more　discreet。

〃There　is　something　bewitching　in　this　wild　life　of
yours；　Pathfinder；〃　she　exclaimed；　a　tinge　of　enthusiasm
mantling　her　cheeks。　　〃I　find　I'm　fast　getting　to　be　a
frontier　girl；　and　am　coming　to　love　all　this　grand　silence
of　the　woods。　　The　towns　seem　tame　to　me；　and；　as　my
father　will　probably　pass　the　remainder　of　his　days　here；
where　he　has　already　lived　so　long；　I　begin　to　feel　that　I
should　be　happy　to　continue　with　him；　and　not　to　return
to　the　sea…shore。〃

〃The　woods　are　never　silent；　Mabel；　to　such　as　under…
stand　their　meaning。　　Days　at　a　time　have　I　travelled
them　alone；　without　feeling　the　want　of　company；　and；
as　for　conversation；　for　such　as　can　comprehend　their　lan…
guage；　there　is　no　wa