the pathfinder-第113章

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back　towards　the　fire；　though　slowly；　and　in　the　manner
of　one　who　cared　little　where　he　went；　〃we　will　talk　no
more　of　it。　　You　are　worthy　of　Mabel；　and　Mabel　is　worthy
of　you　　you　like　Mabel；　and　Mabel　likes　you　　her　father
has　chosen　you　for　her　husband；　and　no　one　has　a　right　to
interfere。　　As　for　the　Quartermaster；　his　feigning　love　for
Mabel　is　worse　even　than　his　treason　to　the　king。〃

By　this　time　they　were　so　near　the　fire　that　it　was　neces…
sary　to　change　the　conversation。　　Luckily；　at　that　instant；
Cap；　who　had　been　in　the　block　in　company　with　his　dy…
ing　brother…in…law；　and　who　knew　nothing　of　what　had
passed　since　the　capitulation；　now　appeared；　walking　with
a　meditative　and　melancholy　air　towards　the　group。　　Much
of　that　hearty　dogmatism；　that　imparted　even　to　his　ordi…
nary　air　and　demeanor　an　appearance　of　something　like
contempt　for　all　around　him；　had　disappeared；　and　he
seemed　thoughtful；　if　not　meek。

〃This　death；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　when　ho　had　got　suffi…
ciently　near；　〃is　a　melancholy　business；　make　the　best　of
it。　　Now；　here　is　Sergeant　Dunham；　a　very　good　soldier；　I
make　no　question；　about　to　slip　his　cable；　and　yet　he　holds
on　to　the　better　end　of　it；　as　if　he　was　determined　it　should
never　run　out　of　the　hawse…hole；　and　all　because　he　loves
his　daughter；　it　seems　to　me。　　For　my　part；　when　a　friend
is　really　under　the　necessity　of　making　a　long　journey；　I
always　wish　him　well　and　happily　off。〃

〃You　wouldn't　kill　the　Sergeant　before　his　time？〃　Path…
finder　reproachfully　answered。　　〃Life　is　sweet；　even　to　the
aged；　and；　for　that　matter；　I've　known　some　that　seemed
to　set　much　store　by　it　when　it　got　to　be　of　the　least　value。〃

Nothing　had　been　further　from　Cap's　real　thoughts　than
the　wish　to　hasten　his　brother…in…law's　end。　　He　had　found
himself　embarrassed　with　the　duties　of　smoothing　a　death…
bed；　and　all　he　had　meant　was　to　express　a　sincere　desire
that　the　Sergeant　were　happily　rid　of　doubt　and　suffering。
A　little　shocked；　therefore；　at　the　interpretation　that　had
been　put　on　his　words；　he　rejoined　with　some　of　the　asper…
ity　of　the　man；　though　rebuked　by　a　consciousness　of　not
having　done　his　own　wishes　justice。　　〃You　are　too　old　and
too　sensible　a　person；　Pathfinder；〃　said　be；　〃to　fetch　a　man
up　with　a　surge；　when　he　is　paying　out　his　ideas　in　dis…
tress；　as　it　might　be。　　Sergeant　Dunham　is　both　my
brother…in…law　and　my　friend；　　that　is　to　say；　as　intimate
a　friend　as　a　soldier　well　can　be　with　a　seafaring　man；　　and
I　respect　and　honor　him　accordingly。　　I　make　no　doubt；
moreover；　that　he　has　lived　such　a　life　as　becomes　a　man；
and　there　can　be　no　great　harm；　after　all；　in　wishing　any
one　well　berthed　in　heaven。　　Well！　we　are　mortal；　the　best
of　us；　that　you'll　not　deny；　and　it　ought　to　be　a　lesson
not　to　feel　pride　in　our　strength　and　beauty。　　Where　is
the　Quartermaster；　Pathfinder？　　It　is　proper　he　should
come　and　have　a　parting　word　with　the　poor　Sergeant；　who
is　only　going　a　little　before　us。〃

〃You　have　spoken　more　truth；　Master　Cap；　than　you've
been　knowing　to；　all　this　time。　　You　might　have　gone
further；　notwithstanding；　and　said　that　we　are　mortal；　the
_worst_　of　us；　which　is　quite　as　true；　and　a　good　deal　more
wholesome；　than　saying　that　we　are　mortal；　the　_best_　of　us。
As　for　the　Quartermaster's　coming　to　speak　a　parting
word　to　the　Sergeant；　it　is　quite　out　of　the　question；　seeing
that　he　has　gone　ahead；　and　that　too　with　little　parting
notice　to　himself；　or　to　any　one　else。〃

〃You　are　not　quite　so　clear　as　common　in　your　language；
Pathfinder。　　I　know　that　we　ought　all　to　have　solemn
thoughts　on　these　occasions；　but　I　see　no　use　in　speaking
in　parables。〃

〃If　my　words　are　not　plain；　the　idee　is。　　In　short；　Mas…
ter　Cap；　while　Sergeant　Dunham　has　been　preparing　him…
self　for　a　long　journey；　like　a　conscientious　and　honest
man　as　he　is；　deliberately；　the　Quartermaster　has　started；
in　a　hurry；　before　him；　and；　although　it　is　a　matter　on
which　it　does　not　become　me　to　be　very　positive；　I　give　it
as　my　opinion　that　they　travel　such　different　roads　that
they　will　never　meet。〃

〃Explain　yourself；　my　friend；〃　said　the　bewildered　sea…
man；　looking　around　him　in　search　of　Muir；　whose　absence
began　to　excite　his　distrust。　　〃I　see　nothing　of　the　Quar…
termaster；　but　I　think　him　too　much　of　a　man　to　run
away；　now　that　the　victory　is　gained。　　If　the　fight　were
ahead　instead　of　in　our　wake；　the　case　would　be　altered。〃

〃There　lies　all　that　is　left　of　him；　beneath　that　great…
coat；〃　returned　the　guide；　who　then　briefly　related　the
manner　of　the　Lieutenant's　death。　　〃The　Tuscarora　was
as　venemous　in　his　blow　as　a　rattler；　though　he　failed　to
give　the　warning；〃　continued　Pathfinder。　　〃I've　seen
many　a　desperate　fight；　and　several　of　these　sudden　out…
breaks　of　savage　temper；　but　never　before　did　I　see　a　hu…
man　soul　quit　the　body　more　unexpectedly；　or　at　a　worse
moment　for　the　hopes　of　the　dying　man。　　His　breath　was
stopped　with　the　lie　on　his　lips；　and　the　spirit　might　be
said　to　have　passed　away　in　the　very　ardor　of　wickedness。〃

Cap　listened　with　a　gaping　mouth；　and　he　gave　two　or
three　violent　hems；　as　the　other　concluded；　like　one　who
distrusted　his　own　respiration。

〃This　is　an　uncertain　and　uncomfortable　life　of　yours；
Master　Pathfinder；　what　between　the　fresh　water　and　the
savages；〃　said　he；　〃and　the　sooner　I　get　quit　of　it；　the
higher　will　be　my　opinion　of　myself。　　Now　you　mention
it；　I　will　say　that　the　man　ran　for　that　berth　in　the　rocks；
when　the　enemy　first　bore　down　upon　us；　with　a　sort　of
instinct　that　I　thought　surprising　in　an　officer；　but　I　was
in　too　great　a　hurry　to　follow；　to　log　the　whole　matter　ac…
curately。　　God　bless　me！　　God　bless　me！　　a　traitor；　do　you
say；　and　ready　to　sell　his　country；　and　to　a　rascally　French…
man　too？〃

〃To　sell　anything；　country；　soul；　body；　Mabel；　and　all
our　scalps；　and　no　ways　particular；　I'll　engage；　as　to　the
purchaser。　　The　countrymen　of　Captain　Flinty…heart　here
were　the　paymasters　this　time。〃

〃Just　like　'em；　ever　ready　to　buy　when　they　can't
thrash；　and　to　run　when　they　can　do　neither。〃

Monsieur　Sanglier　lifted　his　cap　with　ironical　gravity；
and　acknowledged　the　compliment　with　an　expression　of
polite　contempt　that　was　altogether　lost　on　its　insensible
subject。　　But　Pathfinder　had　too　much　native　courtesy；
and　was　far　too　just…minded；　to　allow　the　attack　to　go　un…
noticed。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　interposed；　〃to　my　mind　there　is　no
great　difference　'atween　an　Englishman　and　a　Frenchman；
after　all。　　They　talk　different　tongues；　and　live　under
different　kings；　I　will　allow；　but　both　are　human；　and
feel　like　human　beings；　when　there　is　occasion　for　it。〃

Captain　Flinty…heart；　as　Pathfinder　called　him；　made
another　obeisance；　but　this　time　the　smile　was　friendly；
and　not　ironical；　for　he　felt　that　the　intention　was　good；
whatever　might　have　been　the　mode　of　expressing　it。　　Too
philosophical；　however；　to　heed　what　a　man　like　Cap
might　say　or　think；　he　finished　his　breakfast；　without　al…
lowing　his　attention　to　be　again　diverted　from　that　im…
portant　pursuit。

〃My　business　here　was　principally　with　the　Quarter…
master；〃　Cap　continued；　as　soon　as　he　had　done　regarding
the　prisoner's　pantomime。　　〃The　Sergeant　must　be　near
his　end；　and　I　have　thought　he　might　wish　to　say　some…
thing　to　his　successor　in　authority　before　he　finally　de…
parted。　　It　is　too　late；　it　would　seem；　and；　as　you　say；
Pathfinder；　the　Lieutenant　has　truly　gone　before。〃

〃That　he　has；　though　on　a　different　path。　　As　for　au…
thority；　I　suppose　the　Corporal　has　now　a　right　to　com…
mand　what's　left　of　the　55th；　though　a　small　and　worried；
not　to　say　frightened；　party　it　is。　　But；　if　anything　needs
to　be　done；　the　chances　are　greatly　in　favor　of　my　being
called　on　to　do　it。　　I　suppose；　however；　we　have　only　to
bury　our　dead；　set　fire　to　the　block　and　the　huts；　for　they
stand　in　the　inimy's　territory　by　position；　if　not　by　law；
and　must　not　be　left　for　their　convenience。　　Our　using
them　again　is　out　of　the　question；　for；　now　the　Frenchers
know　where　the　island　is　to　be　found；　it　would　be　like
thrusting　the　hand　into　a　wolf…trap　with　our　ey