the pathfinder-第39章

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〃Take　my　word　for　it　Davy；　your　antiquity　will　do　you
no　good　in　this　affair；　and　as　for　your　blood；　it　is　not
older　than　your　bones。　　Well；　well；　man；　ye　know　the
Sergeant's　answer；　and　so　ye　perceive　that　my　influence；
on　which　ye　counted　so　much；　can　do　nought　for　ye。　　Let
us　take　a　glass　thegither；　Davy；　for　auld　acquaintance
sake；　and　then　ye'll　be　doing　well　to　remember　the　party
that　marches　the　morrow；　and　to　forget　Mabel　Dunham　as
fast　as　ever　you　can。〃

〃Ah；　Major！　I　have　always　found　it　easier　to　forget　a
wife　than　to　forget　a　sweetheart。　　When　a　couple　are
fairly　married；　all　is　settled　but　the　death；　as　one　may　say；
which　must　finally　part　us　all；　and　it　seems　to　me　awfu'
irreverent　to　disturb　the　departed；　whereas　there　is　so
much　anxiety　and　hope　and　felicity　in　expectation　like；
with　the　lassie；　that　it　keeps　thought　alive。〃

〃That　is　just　my　idea　of　your　situation；　Davy；　for　I
never　supposed　you　expected　any　more　felicity　with　either
of　your　wives。　　Now；　I've　heard　of　fellows　who　were　so
stupid　as　to　look　forward　to　happiness　with　their　wives
even　beyond　the　grave。　　I　drink　to　your　success；　or　to
your　speedy　recovery　from　this　attack；　Lieutenant；　and　I
admonish　you　to　be　more　cautious　in　future；　as　some　of
these　violent　cases　may　yet　carry　you　off。〃

〃Many　thanks；　dear　Major；　and　a　speedy　termination
to　an　old　courtship；　of　which　I　know　something。　　This　is
real　mountain　dew；　Lundie；　and　it　warms　the　heart　like　a
gleam　of　bonnie　Scotland。　　As　for　the　men　you've　just
mentioned；　they　could　have　had　but　one　wife　a　piece；　for
where　there　are　several；　the　deeds　of　the　women　them…
selves　may　carry　them　different　ways。　　I　think　a　reasona…
ble　husband　ought　to　be　satisfied　with　passing　his　allotted
time　with　any　particular　wife　in　this　world；　and　not　to　go
about　moping　for　things　unattainable。　　I'm　infinitely
obliged　to　you；　Major　Duncan；　for　this　and　all　your　other
acts　of　friendship；　and　if　you　could　but　add　another；　I
should　think　you　had　not　altogether　forgotten　the　play…
fellow　of　your　boyhood。〃

〃Well；　Davy；　if　the　request　be　reasonable；　and　such　as　a
superior　ought　to　grant；　out　with　it；　man。〃

〃If　ye　could　only　contrive　a　little　service　for　me；　down
among　the　Thousand　Isles；　for　a　fortnight　or　so；　I　think
this　matter　might　be　settled　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　par…
ties。　　Just　remember；　Lundie；　the　lassie　is　the　only　mar…
riageable　white　female　on　this　frontier。〃

〃There　is　always　duty　for　one　in　your　line　at　a　post；
however　small；　but　this　below　can　be　done　by　the　Ser…
geant　as　well　as　by　the　Quartermaster…general；　and　better
too。〃

〃But　not　better　than　by　a　regimental　officer。　　There　is
great　waste；　in　common；　among　the　orderlies。〃

〃I'll　think　of　it；　Muir；〃　said　the　Major；　laughing；　〃and
you　shall　have　my　answer　in　the　morning。　　Here　will　be　a
fine　occasion；　man；　the　morrow；　to　show　yourself　off　be…
fore　the　lady；　you　are　expert　with　the　rifle；　and　prizes　are
to　be　won。　　Make　up　your　mind　to　display　your　skill；　and
who　knows　what　may　yet　happen　before　the　_Scud_　sails。〃

〃I'm　thinking　most　of　the　young　men　will　try　their
hands　in　this　sport；　Major！〃

〃That　will　they；　and　some　of　the　old　ones　too；　if　you
appear。　　To　keep　you　in　countenance；　I'll　try　a　shot　or
two　myself；　Davy；　and　you　know　I　have　some　name　that
way。〃

〃It　might；　indeed；　do　good。　　The　female　heart；　Major
Duncan；　is　susceptible　in　many　different　modes；　and
sometimes　in　a　way　that　the　rules　of　philosophy　might
reject。　　Some　require　a　suitor　to　sit　down　before　them；　as
it　might　be；　in　a　regular　siege；　and　only　capitulate　when
the　place　can　hold　out　no　longer；　others；　again；　like　to　be
carried　by　storm；　while　there　are　hussies　who　can　only　be
caught　by　leading　them　into　an　ambush。　　The　first　is　the
most　creditable　and　officer…like　process；　perhaps；　but　I
must　say　I　think　the　last　the　most　pleasing。〃

〃An　opinion　formed　from　experience；　out　of　all　question。
And　what　of　the　storming　parties？〃

〃They　may　do　for　younger　men；　Lundie；〃　returned　the
Quartermaster；　rising　and　winking；　a　liberty　that　he　often
took　with　his　commanding　officer　on　the　score　of　a　long
intimacy；　〃every　period　of　life　has　its　necessities；　and　at
forty…seven　it's　just　as　well　to　trust　a　little　to　the　head。　　I
wish　you　a　very　good　even；　Major　Duncan；　and　freedom
from　gout；　with　a　sweet　and　refreshing　sleep。〃

〃The　same　to　yourself；　Mr。　Muir；　with　many　thanks。
Remember　the　passage　of　arms　for　the　morrow。〃

The　Quartermaster　withdrew；　leaving　Lundie　in　his
library　to　reflect　on　what　had　just　passed。　　Use　had　so
accustomed　Major　Duncan　to　Lieutenant　Muir　and　all　his
traits　and　humors；　that　the　conduct　of　the　latter　did　not
strike　the　former　with　the　same　force　as　it　will　probably
the　reader。　　In　truth；　while　all　men　act　under　one　com…
mon　law　that　is　termed　nature；　the　varieties　in　their　dis…
positions；　modes　of　judging；　feelings；　and　selfishness　are
infinite。



CHAPTER　XI。

Compel　the　hawke　to　sit　that　is　unmann'd；
Or　make　the　hound；　untaught；　to　draw　the　deere；
Or　bring　the　free　against　his　will　in　band；
Or　move　the　sad　a　pleasant　tale　to　heere；
Your　time　is　lost；　and　you　no　whit　the　neere！
So　love　ne　learnes；　of　force　the　heart　to　knit：
She　serves　but　those　that　feel　sweet　fancies'　fit。
_Mirror　for　Magistrates。_


It　is　not　often　that　hope　is　rewarded　by　fruition　so
completely　as　the　wishes　of　the　young　men　of　the　garrison
were　met　by　the　state　of　the　weather　on　the　succeeding
day。　　The　heats　of　summer　were　little　felt　at　Oswego　at
the　period　of　which　we　are　writing；　for　the　shade　of　the
forest；　added　to　the　refreshing　breezes　from　the　lake；　so
far　reduced　the　influence　of　the　sun　as　to　render　the
nights　always　cool　and　the　days　seldom　oppressive。

It　was　now　September；　a　month　in　which　the　strong
gales　of　the　coast　often　appear　to　force　themselves　across
the　country　as　far　as　the　great　lakes；　where　the　inland
sailor　sometimes　feels　that　genial　influence　which　charac…
terizes　the　winds　of　the　ocean　invigorating　his　frame；
cheering　his　spirits；　and　arousing　his　moral　force。　　Such　a
day　was　that　on　which　the　garrison　of　Oswego　assembled
to　witness　what　its　commander　had　jocularly　called　a
〃passage　of　arms。〃　　Lundie　was　a　scholar　in　military
matters　at　least；　and　it　was　one　of　his　sources　of　honest
pride　to　direct　the　reading　and　thoughts　of　the　young　men
under　his　orders　to　the　more　intellectual　parts　of　their
profession。　　For　one　in　his　situation；　his　library　was　both
good　and　extensive；　and　its　books　were　freely　lent　to　all
who　desired　to　use　them。　　Among　other　whims　that　had
found　their　way　into　the　garrison　through　these　means；
was　a　relish　for　the　sort　of　amusement　in　which　it　was　now
about　to　indulge；　and　around　which　some　chronicles　of
the　days　of　chivalry　had　induced　them　to　throw　a　parade
and　romance　not　unsuited　to　the　characters　and　habits　of
soldiers；　or　to　the　insulated　and　wild　post　occupied　by　this
particular　garrison。　　While　so　earnestly　bent　on　pleasure；
however；　they　on　whom　that　duty　devolved　did　not　neglect
the　safety　of　the　garrison。　　One　standing　on　the　ramparts
of　the　fort；　and　gazing　on　the　waste　of　glittering　water
that　bounded　the　view　all　along　the　northern　horizon；　and
on　the　slumbering　and　seemingly　boundless　forest　which
filled　the　other　half　of　the　panorama；　would　have　fancied　the
spot　the　very　abode　of　peacefulness　and　security；　but
Duncan　of　Lundie　too　well　knew　that　the　woods　might；　at
any　moment；　give　up　their　hundreds；　bent　on　the　destruc…
tion　of　the　fort　and　all　it　contained；　and　that　even　the
treacherous　lake　offered　a　highway　of　easy　approach　by
which　his　more　civilized　and　scarcely　less　wily　foes；　the
French；　could　come　upon　him　at　an　unguarded　moment。
Parties　were　sent　out　under　old　and　vigilant　officers；　men
who　cared　little　for　the　sports　of　the　day；　to　scour　the　for…
est；　and　one　entire　company　held　the　fort；　under　arms；
with　orders　to　maintain　a　vigilance　as　strict　as　if　an
enemy　of　superior　force　was　known　to　be　near。　　With
these　precautions；　the　remainder　of　the　officers　and　men
abandoned　themselves；　without　apprehension；　to　the　busi…
ness　of　the　morning。

The　spot　se