the pathfinder-第114章

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know　where　the　island　is　to　be　found；　it　would　be　like
thrusting　the　hand　into　a　wolf…trap　with　our　eyes　wide
open。　　This　part　of　the　work　the　Sarpent　and　I　will　see
to；　for　we　are　as　practysed　in　retreats　as　in　advances。〃

〃All　that　is　very　well；　my　good　friend。　　And　now　for
my　poor　brother…in…law：　though　he　is　a　soldier；　we　cannot
let　him　slip　without　a　word　of　consolation　and　a　leave…
taking；　in　my　judgment。　　This　has　been　an　unlucky　affair
on　every　tack；　though　I　suppose　it　is　what　one　had　a　right
to　expect；　considering　the　state　of　the　times　and　the　na…
ture　of　the　navigation。　　We　must　make　the　best　of　it；　and
try　to　help　the　worthy　man　to　unmoor；　without　straining
his　messengers。　　Death　is　a　circumstance；　after　all；　Master
Pathfinder；　and　one　of　a　very　general　character　too；　seeing
that　we　must　all　submit　to　it；　sooner　or　later。〃

〃You　say　truth；　you　say　truth；　and　for　that　reason　I
hold　it　to　be　wise　to　be　always　ready。　　I've　often　thought；
Saltwater；　that　he　is　the　happiest　who　has　the　least　to　leave
behind　him　when　the　summons　comes。　　Now；　here　am　I；
a　hunter　and　a　scout　and　a　guide；　although　I　do　not　own　a
foot　of　land　on　'arth；　yet　do　I　enjoy　and　possess　more　than
the　great　Albany　Patroon。　　With　the　heavens　over　my　head
to　keep　me　in　mind　of　the　last　great　hunt；　and　the　dried
leaves　beneath　my　feet；　I　tramp　over　the　ground　as　freely
as　if　I　was　its　lord　and　owner；　and　what　more　need　heart
desire？　　I　do　not　say　that　I　love　nothing　that　belongs　to
'arth；　for　I　do；　though　not　much；　unless　it　might　be　Mabel
Dunham；　that　I　can't　carry　with　me。　　I　have　some　pups
at　the　higher　fort　that　I　vally　considerable；　though　they
are　too　noisy　for　warfare；　and　so　we　are　compelled　to　live
separate　for　awhile；　and　then　I　think　it　would　grieve　me
to　part　with　Killdeer；　but　I　see　no　reason　why　we　should
not　be　buried　in　the　same　grave；　for　we　are　as　near　as　can
be　of　the　same　length　　six　feet　to　a　hair's　breadth；　but；
bating　these；　and　a　pipe　that　the　Sarpent　gave　me；　and　a
few　tokens　received　from　travellers；　all　of　which　might　be
put　in　a　pouch　and　laid　under　my　head；　when　the　order
comes　to　march　I　shall　be　ready　at　a　minute's　warning；
and；　let　me　tell　you；　Master　Cap；　that's　what　I　call　a　cir…
cumstance　too。〃

〃'Tis　just　so　with　me；〃　answered　the　sailor；　as　the　two
walked　towards　the　block；　too　much　occupied　with　their
respective　morality　to　remember　at　the　moment　the　mel…
ancholy　errand　they　were　on；　〃that's　just　my　way　of　feel…
ing　and　reasoning。　　How　often　have　I　felt；　when　near
shipwreck；　the　relief　of　not　owning　the　craft！　　'If　she
goes；'　I　have　said　to　myself；　'why；　my　life　goes　with　her；
but　not　my　property；　and　there's　great　comfort　in　that。'
I've　discovered；　in　the　course　of　boxing　about　the　world
from　the　Horn　to　Cape　North；　not　to　speak　of　this　run　on
a　bit　of　fresh　water；　that　if　a　man　has　a　few　dollars；　and
puts　them　in　a　chest　under　lock　and　key；　he　is　pretty　cer…
tain　to　fasten　up　his　heart　in　the　same　till；　and　so　I　carry
pretty　much　all　I　own　in　a　belt　round　my　body；　in　order；
as　I　say；　to　keep　the　vitals　in　the　right　place。　　D…　me；
Pathfinder；　if　I　think　a　man　without　a　heart　any　better
than　a　fish　with　a　hole　in　his　air…bag。〃

〃I　don't　know　how　that　may　be；　Master　Cap；　but　a　man
without　a　conscience　is　but　a　poor　creatur'；　take　my　word
for　it；　as　any　one　will　discover　who　has　to　do　with　a　Mingo。
I　trouble　myself　but　little　with　dollars　or　half…joes；　for
these　are　the　favoryte　coin　in　this　part　of　the　world；　but
I　can　easily　believe；　by　what　I've　seen　of　mankind；　that　if
a　man　_has_　a　chest　filled　with　either；　he　may　be　said　to　lock
up　his　heart　in　the　same　box。　　I　once　hunted　for　two　sum…
mers；　during　the　last　peace；　and　I　collected　so　much　peltry
that　I　found　my　right　feelings　giving　way　to　a　craving
after　property；　and　if　I　have　consarn　in　marrying　Mabel；
it　is　that　I　may　get　to　love　such　things　too　well；　in　order
to　make　her　comfortable。〃

〃You're　a　philosopher；　that's　clear；　Pathfinder；　and　I
don't　know　but　you're　a　Christian。〃

〃I　should　be　out　of　humor　with　the　man　that　gainsayed
the　last；　Master　Cap。　　I　have　not　been　Christianized　by
the　Moravians；　like　so　many　of　the　Delawares；　it　is　true；
but　I　hold　to　Christianity　and　white　gifts。　　With　me；　it　is
as　on…creditable　for　a　white　man　not　to　be　a　Christian　as
it　is　for　a　red…skin　not　to　believe　in　his　happy　hunting…
grounds；　indeed；　after　allowing　for　difference　in　traditions；
and　in　some　variations　about　the　manner　in　which　the
spirit　will　be　occupied　after　death；　I　hold　that　a　good　Dela…
ware　is　a　good　Christian；　though　he　never　saw　a　Moravian；
and　a　good　Christian　a　good　Delaware；　so　far　as　natur　'is
consarned。　　The　Sarpent　and　I　talk　these　matters　over
often；　for　he　has　a　hankerin'　after　Christianity　　〃

〃The　d…l　he　has！〃　interrupted　Cap。　　〃And　what　does
he　intend　to　do　in　a　church　with　all　the　scalps　he　takes？〃

〃Don't　run　away　with　a　false　idee；　friend　Cap；　don't　run
away　with　a　false　idee。　　These　things　are　only　skin…deep；
and　all　depend　on　edication　and　nat'ral　gifts。　　Look
around　you　at　mankind；　and　tell　me　why　you　see　a　red
warrior　here；　a　black　one　there；　and　white　armies　in　an…
other　place？　　All　this；　and　a　great　deal　more　of　the　same
kind　that　I　could　point　out；　has　been　ordered　for　some
special　purpose；　and　it　is　not　for　us　to　fly　in　the　face　of
facts　and　deny　their　truth。　　No；　no；　each　color　has　its
gifts；　and　its　laws；　and　its　traditions；　and　one　is　not　to
condemn　another　because　he　does　not　exactly　comprehend
it。〃

〃You　must　have　read　a　great　deal；　Pathfinder；　to　see
things　so　clear　as　this；〃　returned　Cap；　not　a　little　mystified
by　his　companion's　simple　creed。　　〃It's　all　as　plain　as　day
to　me　now；　though　I　must　say　I　never　fell　in　with　these
opinions　before。　　What　denomination　do　you　belong　to；
my　friend？〃

〃Anan？〃

〃What　sect　do　you　hold　out　for？　　What　particular
church　do　you　fetch　up　in？〃

〃Look　about　you；　and　judge　for　yourself。　　I'm　in　church
now；　I　eat　in　church；　drink　in　church；　sleep　in　church。
The　'arth　is　the　temple　of　the　Lord；　and　I　wait　on　Him
hourly；　daily；　without　ceasing；　I　humbly　hope。　　No；　no；
I'll　not　deny　my　blood　and　color；　but　am　Christian　born；
and　shall　die　in　the　same　faith。　　The　Moravians　tried　me
hard；　and　one　of　the　King's　chaplains　has　had　his　say　too；
though　that's　a　class　no　ways　strenuous　on　such　matters；
and　a　missionary　sent　from　Rome　talked　much　with　me；
as　I　guided　him　through　the　forest；　during　the　last　peace；
but　I've　had　one　answer　for　them　all　　I'm　a　Christian　al…
ready；　and　want　to　be　neither　Moravian；　nor　Churchman；
nor　Papist。　　No；　no；　I'll　not　deny　my　birth　and　blood。〃

〃I　think　a　word　from　you　might　lighten　the　Sergeant
over　the　shoals　of　death；　Master　Pathfinder。　　He　has　no
one　with　him　but　poor　Mabel；　and　she；　you　know；　besides
being　his　daughter；　is　but　a　girl　and　a　child　after　all。〃

〃Mabel　is　feeble　in　body；　friend　Cap；　but　in　matters　of
this　natur'　I　dou　bt　if　she　may　not　be　stronger　than　most
men。　　But　Sergeant　Dunham　is　my　friend；　and　he　is　your
brother…in…law；　so；　now　the　press　of　fighting　and　main…
taining　our　rights　is　over；　it　is　fitting　we　should　both　go
and　witness　his　departure。　　I've　stood　by　many　a　dying
man；　Master　Cap；〃　continued　Pathfinder；　who　had　a　be…
setting　propensity　to　enlarge　on　his　experience；　stopping
and　holding　his　companion　by　a　button；　　〃I've　stood　by
many　a　dying　man's　side；　and　seen　his　last　gasp；　and　heard
his　last　breath；　for；　when　the　hurry　and　tumult　of　the
battle　is　over；　it　is　good　to　bethink　us　of　the　misfortunate；
and　it　is　remarkable　to　witness　how　differently　human
natur'　feels　at　such　solemn　moments。　　Some　go　their　way
as　stupid　and　ignorant　as　if　God　had　never　given　them
reason　and　an　accountable　state；　while　others　quit　us　re…
joicing；　like　men　who　leave　heavy　burthens　behind　them。
I　think　that　the　mind　sees　clearly　at　such　moments；　my
friend；　and　that　past　deeds　stand　thick　before　the　recollec…
tion。〃

〃I'll　engage　they　do；　Pathfinder。　　I　have　witnessed
something　of　this　myself；　and　hope　I'm　the　better　man
for　it。　　I　remember　once　that　I　thought　my　own　time　had
come；　and　the　log　was　overhauled　wit