the pathfinder-第85章

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the　best　of　the　water　and　in　the　plainest　part　of　the　chan…
nel。〃

〃Leave　it　to　Mabel；　leave　it　to　Mabel；　she　knows　better
than　any　of　us；　and　can　do　no　harm。〃

〃I　have　heard　this　before；〃　Dunham　at　length　replied。
〃Ah；　Mabel！　it　is　strange　for　the　parent　to　lean　on　the
child　at　a　moment　like　this！〃

〃Put　your　trust　in　God；　father；　lean　on　His　holy　and
compassionate　Son。　　Pray；　dearest；　dearest　father；　pray
for　His　omnipotent　support。〃

〃I　am　not　used　to　prayer。　　Brother；　Pathfinder　　Jasper；
can　you　help　me　to　words？〃

Cap　scarcely　knew　what　prayer　meant；　and　he　had　no
answer　to　give。　　Pathfinder　prayed　often；　daily；　if　not
hourly；　but　it　was　mentally；　in　his　own　simple　modes　of
thinking；　and　without　the　aid　of　words　at　all。　　In　this
strait；　therefore；　he　was　as　useless　as　the　mariner；　and　had
no　reply　to　make。　　As　for　Jasper　Eau…douce；　though　he
would　gladly　have　endeavored　to　move　a　mountain　to　re…
lieve　Mabel；　this　was　asking　assistance　it　exceeded　his
power　to　give；　and　he　shrank　back　with　the　shame　that　is
only　too　apt　to　overcome　the　young　and　vigorous；　when
called　on　to　perform　an　act　that　tacitly　confesses　their
real　weakness　and　dependence　on　a　superior　power。

〃Father；〃　said　Mabel；　wiping　her　eyes；　and　endeavoring
to　compose　features　that　were　pallid；　and　actually　quiver…
ing　with　emotion；　〃I　will　pray　with　you；　for　you；　for　_my…
self_；　for　us　_all_。　　The　petition　of　the　feeblest　and　humblest
is　never　unheeded。〃

There　was　something　sublime；　as　well　as　much　that　was
supremely　touching；　in　this　act　of　filial　piety。　　The　quiet
but　earnest　manner　in　which　this　young　creature　prepared
herself　to　perform　the　duty；　the　self…abandonment　with
which　she　forgot　her　sex's　timidity　and　sex's　shame；　in
order　to　sustain　her　parent　at　that　trying　moment；　the
loftiness　of　purpose　with　which　she　directed　all　her　powers
to　the　immense　object　before　her；　with　a　woman's　devotion
and　a　woman's　superiority　to　trifles；　when　her　affections
make　the　appeal；　and　the　holy　calm　into　which　her　grief
was　compressed；　rendered　her；　for　the　moment；　an　object
of　something　very　like　awe　and　veneration　to　her　compan…
ions。

Mabel　had　been　religiously　educated；　equally　without
exaggeration　and　without　self…sufficiency。　　Her　reliance　on
God　was　cheerful　and　full　of　hope；　while　it　was　of　the
humblest　and　most　dependent　nature。　　She　had　been　ac…
customed　from　childhood　to　address　herself　to　the　Deity
in　prayer；　taking　example　from　the　Divine　mandate　of
Christ　Himself；　who　commanded　His　followers　to　abstain
from　vain　repetitions；　and　who　has　left　behind　Him　a　pe…
tition　which　is　unequalled　for　sublimity；　as　if　expressly　to
rebuke　the　disposition　of　man　to　set　up　his　own　loose　and
random　thoughts　as　the　most　acceptable　sacrifice。　　The
sect　in　which　she　had　been　reared　has　furnished　to　its　fol…
lowers　some　of　the　most　beautiful　compositions　in　the　lan…
guage；　as　a　suitable　vehicle　for　its　devotion　and　solicitations。
Accustomed　to　this　mode　of　public　and　even　private
prayer；　the　mind　of　our　heroine　had　naturally　fallen　into
its　train　of　lofty　thought；　her　task　had　become　improved
by　its　study；　and　her　language　elevated　and　enriched　by
its　phrases。　　When　she　kneeled　at　the　bedside　of　her
father；　the　very　reverence　of　her　attitude　and　manner　pre…
pared　the　spectators　for　what　was　to　come；　and　as　her
affectionate　heart　prompted　her　tongue；　and　memory　came
in　aid　of　both；　the　petition　and　praises　that　she　offered　up
were　of　a　character　which　might　have　worthily　led　the
spirits　of　angels。　　Although　the　words　were　not　slavishly
borrowed；　the　expressions　partook　of　the　simple　dignity　of
the　liturgy　to　which　she　had　been　accustomed；　and　was
probably　as　worthy　of　the　Being　to　whom　they　were　ad…
dressed　as　they　could　well　be　made　by　human　powers。
They　produced　their　full　impression　on　the　hearers；　for　it
is　worthy　of　remark；　that；　notwithstanding　the　pernicious
effects　of　a　false　taste　when　long　submitted　to；　real　sub…
limity　and　beauty　are　so　closely　allied　to　nature　that　they
generally　find　an　echo　in　every　heart。

But　when　our　heroine　came　to　touch　upon　the　situation
of　the　dying　man；　she　became　the　most　truly　persuasive；
for　then　she　was　the　most　truly　zealous　and　natural。　　The
beauty　of　the　language　was　preserved；　but　it　was　sustained
by　the　simple　power　of　love；　and　her　words　were　warmed
by　a　holy　zeal；　that　approached　to　the　grandeur　of　true　elo…
quence。　　We　might　record　some　of　her　expressions；　but
doubt　the　propriety　of　subjecting　such　sacred　themes　to　a
too　familiar　analysis；　and　refrain。

The　effect　of　this　singular　but　solemn　scene　was　differ…
ent　on　the　different　individuals　present。　　Dunham　himself
was　soon　lost　in　the　subject　of　the　prayer；　and　he　felt
some　such　relief　as　one　who　finds　himself　staggering　on
the　edge　of　a　precipice；　under　a　burthen　difficult　to　be
borne；　might　be　supposed　to　experience　when　he　unex…
pectedly　feels　the　weight　removed；　in　order　to　be　placed　on
the　shoulders　of　another　better　able　to　sustain　it。　　Cap
was　surprised；　as　well　as　awed；　though　the　effects　on　his
mind　were　not　very　deep　or　very　lasting。　　He　wondered　a
little　at　his　own　sensations；　and　had　his　doubts　whether
they　were　so　manly　and　heroic　as　they　ought　to　be；　but　he
was　far　too　sensible　of　the　influence　of　truth；　humility；　re…
ligious　submission；　and　human　dependency；　to　think　of
interposing　with　any　of　his　crude　objections。　　Jasper
knelt　opposite　to　Mabel；　covered　his　face；　and　followed　her
words；　with　an　earnest　wish　to　aid　her　prayers　with　his
own；　though　it　may　be　questioned　if　his　thoughts　did　not
dwell　quite　as　much　on　the　soft；　gentle　accents　of　the　pe…
titioner　as　on　the　subject　of　her　petition。

The　effect　on　Pathfinder　was　striking　and　visible：　visi…
ble；　because　he　stood　erect；　also　opposite　to　Mabel；　and
the　workings　of　his　countenance；　as　usual；　betrayed　the
workings　of　the　spirit　within。　　He　leaned　on　his　rifle；　and
at　moments　the　sinewy　fingers　grasped　the　barrel　with　a
force　that　seemed　to　compress　the　weapon；　while；　once　or
twice；　as　Mabel's　language　rose　in　intimate　association
with　her　thoughts；　he　lifted　his　eyes　to　the　floor　above
him；　as　if　he　expected　to　find　some　visible　evidence　of　the
presence　of　the　dread　Being　to　whom　the　words　were　ad…
dressed。　　Then　again　his　feelings　reverted　to　the　fair　crea…
ture　who　was　thus　pouring　out　her　spirit；　in　fervent　but
calm　petitions；　in　behalf　of　a　dying　parent；　for　Mabel's
cheek　was　no　longer　pallid；　but　was　flushed　with　a　holy
enthusiasm；　while　her　blue　eyes　were　upturned　in　the
light；　in　a　way　to　resemble　a　picture　by　Guido。　　At　these
moments　all　the　honest　and　manly　attachment　of　Path…
finder　glowed　in　his　ingenuous　features；　and　his　gaze　at
our　heroine　was　such　as　the　fondest　parent　might　fasten
on　the　child　of　his　love。

Sergeant　Dunham　laid　his　hand　feebly　on　the　head　of
Mabel　as　she　ceased　praying；　and　buried　her　face　in　his
blanket。

〃Bless　you；　my　beloved　child！　bless　you！〃　he　rather
whispered　than　uttered　aloud；　〃this　is　truly　consolation：
would　that　I　too　could　pray！〃

〃Father；　you　know　the　Lord's　Prayer；　you　taught　it　to
me　yourself　while　I　was　yet　an　infant。〃

The　Sergeant's　face　gleamed　with　a　smile；　for　he　_did_
remember　to　have　discharged　that　portion　at　least　of　the
paternal　duty；　and　the　consciousness　of　it　gave　him　incon…
ceivable　gratification　at　that　solemn　moment。　　He　was
then　silent　for　several　minutes；　and　all　present　believed
that　he　was　communing　with　God。

〃Mabel；　my　child！〃　he　at　length　uttered；　in　a　voice
which　seemed　to　be　reviving；　　〃Mabel；　I'm　quitting　you。〃
The　spirit　at　its　great　and　final　passage　appears　ever　to
consider　the　body　as　nothing。　　〃I'm　quitting　you；　my
child；　where　is　your　hand？〃

〃Here；　dearest　father　　here　are　both　　oh；　take　both！〃

〃Pathfinder；〃　added　the　Sergeant；　feeling　on　the　oppo…
site　side　of　the　bed；　where　Jasper　still　knelt；　and　getting
one　of　the　hands　of　the　young　man　by　mistake；　〃take　it
…　I　leave　you　as　her　father　　as　you　and　she　may　please　
bless　you　　bless　you　both！〃

At　that　awful　instant；　no　one　would　rudely　apprise　the
Sergeant　of　his　mistake；　and　he　died　a　minute　or　two
later；　holding　Jasper's　and　Mabel's　hands　covered　by　both
his　own。　　Our　heroine　was　ignorant　of　the　fact　until　an
exclamation　of　Cap's　announced　the　death　of　her　father；
when；　raising　her　face；　she　saw　the　eyes　of　Jasper　riveted
on　her　own；　and　felt　the　warm　pressure　of　his　hand。　　But
a　single　feeling　was　predominant　at　that　instant；　and
Mabel　withdrew　to　weep；　scarcely　conscious　of　what　had
occurred。　　The　Pathfinder　took　the　arm　of　Eau…douce；　and
he　left　the　block。

The　two　friends　walked　in　silence　past　the　fire；　along
the　glade；　and　nearly　reached　the　opposite　shore　of　the
island　in　profound　silence。　　Here　they　stopped；　and　Path…
finder　spoke。

〃'Tis　all　over；　Jasper；〃　said　he；　　〃'tis　all　over。　　Ah's　me！
Poor　Sergeant　Dunham　has　finished　his　march；　and　that；
too；　by　the　hand　of　a　venomous　Mingo。　　Well；　we　never
know　what　is　to　happen；　and　his　luck　may　be　yourn　or
mine　to…morrow　or　next　day！〃

〃And　Mabel？　　What　is　to　become　of　Mabel；　Pathfinder？〃

〃You　heard　the　Sergeant's　dying　words；　he　has　left　his
child　in　my　care；　Jasper；　and　it　is　a　most　solemn　trust；　it
is；　yes；　　it　is　a　most　solemn　trust。〃

〃It's　a　trust；　Pathfinder；　of　which　any　man　would　be
glad　to　relieve　you；〃　returned　the　youth；　with　a　bitter　smile。

〃I've　often　thought　it　has　fallen　into　wrong　hands。
I'm　not　consaited；　Jasper；　I'm　not　consaited；　I　do　think
I'm　not；　but　if　Mabel　Dunham　is　willing　to　overlook　all
my　imperfections　and　ignorances　like；　I　should　be　wrong
to　gainsay　it；　on　account　of　any　sartainty　I　may　have　my…
self　about　my　own　want　of　merit。〃

〃No　one　will　blame　you；　Pathfinder；　for　marrying　Mabel
Dunham；　any　more　than　they　will　blame　you　for　wearing
a　precious　jewel　in　your　bosom　that　a　friend　had　freely
given　you。〃

〃Do　you　think　they'll　blame　Mabel；　lad？　　I've　had　my
misgivings　about　that；　too；　for　all　persons　may　not　be　so
disposed　to　look　at　me　with　the　same　eyes　as　you　and　the
Sergeant's　daughter。〃

Jasper　Eau…douce　started　as　a　man　flinches　at　sudden
bodily　pain；　but　he　otherwise　maintained　his　self…com…
mand。　　〃And　mankind　is　envious　and　ill…natured；　more
particularly　in　and　about　the　garrisons。　　I　sometimes　wish；
Jasper；　that　Mabel　could　have　taken　a　fancy　to　you；　　I
do；　and　that　you　had　taken　a　fancy　to　her；　for　it　often
seems　to　me　that　one　like　you；　after　all；　might　make　her
happier　than　I　ever　can。〃

〃We　will　not　talk　about　this；　Pathfinder；〃　interrupted
Jasper　hoarsely　and　impatiently；　〃you　will　be　Mabel's
husband；　and　it　is　not　right　to　speak　of　any　one　else　in
that　character。　　As　for　me；　I　shall　take　Master　Cap's　advice；
and　try　and　make　a　man　of　myself　by　seeing　what　is　to　be
done　on　the　salt　water。〃

〃You；　Jasper　Western！　　you　quit　the　lakes；　the　forests；
and　the　lines；　and　this；　too；　for　the　towns　and　wasty　ways
of　the　settlements；　and　a　little　difference　in　the　taste　of
the　water。　　Haven't　we　the　salt…licks；　if　salt　is　necessary
to　you？　and　oughtn't　man　to　be　satisfied　with　what　con…
tents　the　other　creaturs　of　God？　　I　counted　on　you；　Jas…
per；　I　counted　on