the pathfinder-第102章

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and　empower　you　to　act　as　I　could　act　myself　in　every
particular。　　Mabel；　child；　　hand　me　the　water；　　you　will
never　repent　this　night。　　Bless　you；　my　daughter！　　God
bless；　and　have　you　in　His　holy　keeping！〃

This　tenderness　was　inexpressibly　touching　to　one　of
Mabel's　feelings；　and　she　felt　at　that　moment　as　if　her
feuture　union　with　Pathfinder　had　received　a　solemnization
that　no　ceremony　of　the　Church　could　render　more　holy。
Still；　a　weight；　as　that　of　a　mountain；　lay　upon　her　heart；
and　she　thought　it　would　be　happiness　to　die。　　Then　fol…
lowed　a　short　pause；　when　the　Sergeant；　in　broken　sen…
tences；　briefly　related　what　had　passed　since　he　parted
with　Pathfinder　and　the　Delaware。　　The　wind　had　come
more　favorable；　and；　instead　of　encamping　on　an　island
agreeably　to　the　original　intention；　he　had　determined　to
continue；　and　reach　the　station　that　night。　　Their　approach
would　have　been　unseen；　and　a　portion　of　the　calamity
avoided；　he　thought；　had　they　not　grounded　on　the　point
of　a　neighboring　island；　where；　no　doubt；　the　noise　made
by　the　men　in　getting　off　the　boat　gave　notice　of　their　ap…
proach；　and　enabled　the　enemy　to　be　in　readiness　to　receive
them。　　They　had　landed　without　the　slightest　suspicion　of
danger；　though　surprised　at　not　finding　a　sentinel；　and　had
actually　left　their　arms　in　the　boat；　with　the　intention　of
first　securing　their　knapsacks　and　provisions。　　The　fire
had　been　so　close；　that；　notwithstanding　the　obscurity；　it
was　very　deadly。　　Every　man　had　fallen；　though　two　or
three　subsequently　arose　and　disappeared。　　Four　or　five　of
the　soldiers　had　been　killed；　or　so　nearly　so　as　to　survive
but　a　few　minutes；　though；　for　some　unknown　reason；　the
enemy　did　not　make　the　usual　rush　for　the　scalps。　　Ser…
geant　Dunham　fell　with　the　others；　and　he　had　heard　the
voice　of　Mabel；　as　she　rushed　from　the　blockhouse。　　This
frantic　appeal　aroused　all　his　parental　feelings；　and　had
enabled　him　to　crawl　as　far　as　the　door　of　the　building；
where　he　had　raised　himself　against　the　logs　in　the　manner
already　mentioned。

After　this　simple　explanation　was　made；　the　Sergeant
was　so　weak　as　to　need　repose；　and　his　companions；　while
they　ministered　to　his　wants；　suffered　some　time　to　pass　in
silence。　　Pathfinder　took　the　occasion　to　reconnoitre　from
the　loops　and　the　roof；　and　he　examined　the　condition　of
the　rifles；　of　which　there　were　a　dozen　kept　in　the　build…
ing；　the　soldiers　having　used　their　regimental　muskets　in
the　expedition。　　But　Mabel　never　left　her　father's　side　for
an　instant；　and　when；　by　his　breathing；　she　fancied　he
slept；　she　bent　her　knees　and　prayed。

The　half…hour　that　succeeded　was　awfully　solemn　and
still。　　The　moccasin　of　Pathfinder　was　barely　heard　over…
head；　and　occasionally　the　sound　of　the　breech　of　a　rifle
fell　upon　the　floor；　for　he　was　busied　in　examining　the
pieces；　with　a　view　to　ascertain　the　state　of　their　charges
and　their　primings。　　Beyond　this；　nothing　was　so　loud　as
the　breathing　of　the　wounded　man。　　Mabel's　heart　yearned
to　be　in　communication　with　the　father　she　was　so　soon　to
lose；　and　yet　she　would　not　disturb　his　apparent　repose。
But　Dunham　slept　not；　he　was　in　that　state　when　the
world　suddenly　loses　its　attractious；　its　illusions；　and　its
power；　and　the　unknown　future　fills　the　mind　with　its
conjectures；　its　revelations；　and　its　immensity。　　He　had
been　a　moral　man　for　one　of　his　mode　of　life；　but　he　had
thought　little　of　this　all…important　moment。　　Had　the　din
of　battle　been　ringing　in　his　ears；　his　martial　ardor　might
have　endured　to　the　end；　but　there；　in　the　silence　of　that
nearly　untenanted　blockhouse；　with　no　sound　to　enliven
him；　no　appeal　to　keep　alive　factitious　sentiment；　no　hope
of　victory　to　impel；　things　began　to　appear　in　their　true
colors；　and　this　state　of　being　to　be　estimated　at　its　just
value。　　He　would　have　given　treasures　for　religious　con…
solation；　and　yet　he　knew　not　where　to　turn　to　seek　it。
He　thought　of　Pathfinder；　but　he　distrusted　his　knowl…
edge。　　He　thought　of　Mabel；　but　for　the　parent　to　appeal
to　the　child　for　such　succor　appeared　like　reversing　the
order　of　nature。　　Then　it　was　that　he　felt　the　full　re…
sponsibility　of　the　parental　character；　and　had　some　clear
glimpse　of　the　manner　in　which　he　himself　had　discharged
the　trust　towards　an　orphan　child。　　While　thoughts　like
these　were　rising　in　his　mind；　Mabel；　who　watched　the
slightest　change　in　his　breathing；　heard　a　guarded　knock
at　the　door。　　Supposing　it　might　be　Chingachgook；　she
rose；　undid　two　of　the　bars；　and　held　the　third　in　her　hand；
as　she　asked　who　was　there。　　The　answer　was　in　her　uncle's
voice；　and　he　implored　her　to　give　him　instant　admission。
Without　an　instant　of　hesitation；　she　turned　the　bar；　and
Cap　entered。　　He　had　barely　passed　the　opening；　when
Mabel　closed　the　door　again；　and　secured　it　as　before；　for
practice　had　rendered　her　expert　in　this　portion　of　her
duties。

The　sturdy　seaman；　when　he　had　made　sure　of　the　state
of　his　brother…in…law；　and　that　Mabel；　as　well　as　himself；
was　safe；　was　softened　nearly　to　tears。　　His　own　appear…
ance　he　explained　by　saying　that　he　had　been　carelessly
guarded；　under　the　impression　that　he　and　the　Quarter…
master　were　sleeping　under　the　fumes　of　liquor　with　which
they　had　been　plied　with　a　view　to　keep　them　quiet　in　the
expected　engagement。　　Muir　had　been　left　asleep；　or　seem…
ing　to　sleep；　but　Cap　had　run　into　the　bushes　on　the
alarm　of　the　attack；　and　having　found　Pathfinder's　canoe；
had　only　succeeded；　at　that　moment；　in　getting　to　the
blockhouse；　whither　he　had　come　with　the　kind　intent　of
escaping　with　his　niece　by　water。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary
to　say　that　he　changed　his　plan　when　he　ascertained　the
state　of　the　Sergeant；　and　the　apparent　security　of　his
present　quarters。

〃If　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　Master　Pathfinder；〃
said　he；　〃we　must　strike；　and　that　will　entitle　us　to　re…
ceive　quarter。　　We　owe　it　to　our　manhood　to　hold　out　a
reasonable　time；　and　to　ourselves　to　haul　down　the　ensign
in　season　to　make　saving　conditions。　　I　wished　Master
Muir　to　do　the　same　thing　when　we　were　captured　by　these
chaps　you　call　vagabonds　　and　rightly　are　they　named；　for
viler　vagabonds　do　not　walk　the　earth　　〃

〃You've　found　out　their　characters？〃　interrupted
Pathfinder；　who　was　always　as　ready　to　chime　in　with
abuse　of　the　Mingos　as　with　the　praises　of　his　friends。
〃Now；　had　you　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　Delawares；
you　would　have　learned　the　difference。〃

〃Well；　to　me　they　seem　much　of　a　muchness；　black…
guards　fore　and　aft；　always　excepting　our　friend　the　Ser…
pent；　who　is　a　gentleman　for　an　Indian。　　But；　when　these
savages　made　the　assault　on　us；　killing　Corporal　M'Nab
and　his　men　as　if　they　had　been　so　many　rabbits；　Lieuten…
ant　Muir　and　myself　took　refuge　in　one　of　the　holes　of
this　here　island；　of　which　there　are　so　many　among　the
rocks；　and　there　we　remained　stowed　away　like　two　leaguers
in　a　ship's　hold；　until　we　gave　out　for　want　of　grub。　　A
man　may　say　that　grub　is　the　foundation　of　human　nature。
I　desired　the　Quartermaster　to　make　terms；　for　we　could
have　defended　ourselves　for　an　hour　or　two　in　the　place；
bad　as　it　was；　but　he　declined；　on　the　ground　that　the
knaves　wouldn't　keep　faith　if　any　of　them　were　hurt；　and
so　there　was　no　use　in　asking　them　to。　　I　consented　to
strike；　on　two　principles；　one；　that　we　might　be　said　to
have　struck　already；　for　running　below　is　generally　thought
to　be　giving　up　the　ship；　and　the　other；　that　we　had　an
enemy　in　our　stomachs　that　was　more　formidable　in　his
attacks　than　the　enemy　on　deck。　　Hunger　is　a　dble
circumstance；　as　any　man　who　has　lived　on　it　eight…and…
forty　hours　will　acknowledge。〃

〃Uncle；〃　said　Mabel　in　a　mournful　voice　and　with　an
expostulatory　manner；　〃my　poor　father　is　sadly；　sadly
hurt！〃

〃True；　Magnet；　true；　I　will　sit　by　him；　and　do　my　best
at　consolation。　　Are　the　bars　well　fastened；　girl？　for　on
such　an　occasion　the　mind　should　be　tranquil　and　undis…
turbed。〃

〃We　are　safe；　I　believe；　from　all　but　this　heavy　blow　of
Providence。〃

〃Well；　then；　Magnet；　do　you　go　up　to　the　floor　above
and　try　to　compose　yourself；　while　Pathfinder