the pathfinder-第111章

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tribe　to　my　taste。　　Wherever　you　find　the　Mingo　blood；　in
my　opinion；　Master　Flinty…heart；　you　find　a　knave。　　Well；
I've　seen　you　often；　though　it　was　in　battle；　and　I　must
say　it　was　always　in　the　van。　　You　must　know　most　of　our
bullets　by　sight？〃

〃Nevvair；　sair；　your　own；　_une　balle_　from　your　honorable
hand　be　sairtaine　deat'。　　You　kill　my　best　warrior　on　some
island。〃

〃That　may　be；　that　may　be；　though　I　daresay；　if　the
truth　was　known；　they　would　turn　out　to　be　great　rascals。
No　offence　to　you；　Master　Flinty…heart；　but　you　keep　des…
perate　evil　company。〃

〃Yes；　sair；〃　returned　the　Frenchman；　who；　bent　on　say…
ing　that　which　was　courteous　himself；　and　comprehending
with　difficulty；　was　disposed　to　think　he　received　a　com…
pliment；　〃you　too　good。　　But　_un　brave_　always　_comme　ca_。
What　that　mean？　ha！　what　that　_jeune　homme_　do？〃

The　hand　and　eye　of　Captain　Sanglier　directed　the　look
of　Pathfinder　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　fire；　where　Jasper；
just　at　that　moment；　had　been　rudely　seized　by　two　of　the
soldiers；　who　were　binding　his　arms　under　the　direction　of
Muir。

〃What　does　that　mean；　indeed？〃　cried　the　guide；　step…
ping　forward　and　shoving　the　two　subordinates　away　with
a　power　of　muscle　that　would　not　be　denied。　　〃Who　has
the　heart　to　do　this　to　Jasper　Eau…douce？　and　who　has
the　boldness　to　do　it　before　my　eyes？〃

〃It　is　by　my　orders；　Pathfinder；〃　answered　the　Quarter…
master；　〃and　I　command　it　on　my　own　responsibility。
Ye'll　no'　tak'　on　yourself　to　disrute　the　legality　of　orders
given　by　one　who　bears　the　king's　commission　to　the
king's　soldiers？〃

〃I'd　dispute　the　king's　words；　if　they　came　from　the
king's　own　mouth；　did　he　say　that　Jasper　desarves　this。
Has　not　the　lad　just　saved　all　our　scalps；　taken　us　from
defeat；　and　given　us　victory？　　No；　no；　Lieutenant；　if　this
is　the　first　use　that　you　make　of　your　authority；　I；　for
one；　will　not　respect　it。〃

〃This　savors　a　little　of　insubordination；〃　answered　Muir；
〃but　we　can　bear　much　from　Pathfinder。　　It　is　true　this
Jasper　has　_seemed_　to　serve　us　in　this　affair；　but　we　ought
not　to　overlook　past　transactions。　　Did　not　Major　Duncan
himself　denounce　him　to　Sergeant　Dunham　before　we
left　the　post？　　Have　we　not　seen　sufficient　with　our　own
eyes　to　make　sure　of　having　been　betrayed？　and　is　it　not
natural；　and　almost　necessary；　to　believe　that　this　young
man　has　been　the　traitor？　　Ah；　Pathfinder！　ye'll　no'　be
making　yourself　a　great　statesman　or　a　great　captain　if
you　put　too　much　faith　in　appearances。　　Lord　bless　me！
Lord　bless　me！　if　I　do　not　believe；　could　the　truth　be
come　at；　as　you　often　say　yourself；　Pathfinder；　that　hypoc…
risy　is　a　more　common　vice　than　even　envy；　and　that's
the　bane　of　human　nature。〃

Captain　Sanglier　shrugged　his　shoulders；　then　he　looked
earnestly　from　Jasper　towards　the　Quartermaster；　and
from　the　Quartermaster　towards　Jasper。

〃I　care　not　for　your　envy；　or　your　hypocrisy；　or　even　for
your　human　natur'；〃　returned　Pathfinder。　　〃Jasper　Eau…
douce　is　my　friend；　Jasper　Eau…douce　is　a　brave　lad；　and
an　honest　lad；　and　a　loyal　lad；　and　no　man　of　the　55th
shall　lay　hands　on　him；　short　of　Lundie's　own　orders；
while　I'm　in　the　way　to　prevent　it。　　You　may　have　au…
thority　over　your　soldiers；　but　you　have　none　over　Jasper
and　me；　Master　Muir。〃

〃_Bon！_〃　ejaculated　Sanglier；　the　sound　partaking　equally
of　the　energies　of　the　throat　and　of　the　nose。

〃Will　ye　no'　hearken　to　reason；　Pathfinder？　　Ye'll　no'
be　forgetting　our　suspicions　and　judgments；　and　here　is
another　circumstance　to　augment　and　aggravate　them　all。
Ye　can　see　this　little　bit　of　bunting；　well；　where　should
it　be　found　but　by　Mabel　Dunham；　on　the　branch　of　a　tree
on　this　very　island；　just　an　hour　or　so　before　the　attack
of　the　enemy；　and　if　ye'll　be　at　the　trouble　to　look　at　the
fly　of　the　_Scud's_　ensign；　ye'll　just　say　that　the　cloth　has
been　cut　from　out　it。　　Circumstantial　evidence　was　never
stronger。〃

〃_Ma　foi；　c'est　un　peu　fort；　ceci；_〃　growled　Sanglier　be…
tween　his　teeth。

〃Talk　to　me　of　no　ensigns　and　signals　when　I　know　the
heart；〃　continued　the　Pathfinder。　　〃Jasper　has　the　gift
of　honesty；　and　it　is　too　rare　a　gift　to　be　trifled　with；　like
a　Mingo's　conscience。　　No；　no；　off　hands；　or　we　shall　see
which　can　make　the　stoutest　battle；　you　and　your　men　of
the　55th；　or　the　Sarpent　here；　and　Killdeer；　with　Jasper
and　his　crew。　　You　overrate　your　force；　Lieutenant　Muir；
as　much　as　you　underrate　Eau…douce's　truth。〃

〃_Tres　bon！_〃

〃Well；　if　I　must　speak　plainly；　Pathfinder；　I　e'en　must。
Captain　Sanglier　here　and　Arrowhead；　this　brave　Tusca…
rora；　have　both　informed　me　that　this　unfortunate　boy　is
the　traitor。　　After　such　testimony　you　can　no　longer　op…
pose　my　right　to　correct　him；　as　well　as　the　necessity　of
the　act。〃

〃_Scelerat；_〃　muttered　the　Frenchman。

〃Captain　Sanglier　is　a　brave　soldier；　and　will　not　gain…
say　the　conduct　of　an　honest　sailor；〃　put　in　Jasper。　　〃Is
there　any　traitor　here；　Captain　Flinty…heart？〃

〃Ay；〃　added　Muir；　〃let　him　speak　out　then；　since　ye
wish　it；　unhappy　youth！　that　the　truth　may　be　known。　　I
only　hope　that　ye　may　escape　the　last　punishment　when　a
court　will　be　sitting　on　your　misdeeds。　　How　is　it；　Cap…
tain；　do　ye；　or　do　ye　not；　see　a　traitor　amang　us？〃

〃_Oui_　　yes；　sair　　_bien　sur_。〃

〃Too　much　lie！〃　said　Arrowhead　in　a　voice　of　thunder；
striking　the　breast　of　Muir　with　the　back　of　his　own　hand
in　a　sort　of　ungovernable　gesture；　〃where　my　warriors？
…　where　Yengeese　scalp？　　Too　much　lie！〃

Muir　wanted　not　for　personal　courage；　nor　for　a　certain
sense　of　personal　honor。　　The　violence　which　had　been　in…
tended　only　for　a　gesture　he　mistook　for　a　blow；　for　con…
science　was　suddenly　aroused　within　him；　and　he　stepped
back　a　pace；　extending　his　hand　towards　a　gun。　　His　face
was　livid　with　rage；　and　his　countenance　expressed　the
fell　intention　of　his　heart。　　But　Arrowhead　was　too　quick
for　him；　with　a　wild　glance　of　the　eye　the　Tuscarora　looked
about　him；　then　thrust　a　hand　beneath　his　own　girdle；
drew　forth　a　concealed　knife；　and；　in　the　twinkling　of　an
eye；　buried　it　in　the　body　of　the　Quartermaster　to　the
handle。　　As　the　latter　fell　at　his　feet；　gazing　into　his　face
with　the　vacant　stare　of　one　surprised　by　death；　Sanglier
took　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and　said　in　a　calm　voice；　

〃_Voila　l'affaire　finie；　mais；_〃　shrugging　his　shoulders；
〃_ce　n'est　qu'un　scelerat　de　moins。_〃

The　act　was　too　sudden　to　be　prevented；　and　when　Ar…
rowhead；　uttering　a　yell；　bounded　into　the　bushes；　the
white　men　were　too　confounded　to　follow。　　Chingach…
gook；　however；　was　more　collected；　and　the　bushes　had
scarcely　closed　on　the　passing　body　of　the　Tuscarora　than
they　were　again　opened　by　that　of　the　Delaware　in　full
pursuit。

Jasper　Western　spoke　French　fluently；　and　the　words
and　manner　of　Sanglier　struck　him。

〃Speak；　Monsieur；〃　said　he　in　English；　〃_am_　I　the
traitor？〃

〃_Le　voila_；〃　answered　the　cool　Frenchman；　〃dat　is　our
_espion_　　our　_agent_　　our　friend　　_ma　foi_　　_c'etait　un　grand
scelerat_　　_voici_。〃

While　speaking；　Sanglier　bent　over　the　dead　body；　and
thrust　his　hand　into　a　pocket　of　the　Quartermaster；　out　of
which　he　drew　a　purse。　　Emptying　the　contents　on　the
ground；　several　double…louis　rolled　towards　the　soldiers；
who　were　not　slow　in　picking　them　up。　　Casting　the　purse
from　him　in　contempt；　the　soldier　of　fortune　turned
towards　the　soup　he　had　been　preparing　with　so　much
care；　and；　finding　it　to　his　liking；　he　began　to　break　his
fast　with　an　air　of　indifference　that　the　most　stoical　In…
dian　warrior　might　have　envied。



CHAPTER　XXVII。

The　only　amaranthian　flower　on　earth
Is　virtue；　the　only　lasting　treasure；　truth。
COWPER。


The　reader　must　imagine　some　of　the　occurrences　that
followed　the　sudden　death　of　Muir。　　While　his　body　was
in　the　hands　of　his　soldiers；　who　laid　it　decently　aside；　and
covered　it　with　a　greatcoat；　Chingachgook　silently　resumed
his　place　at　the　fire；　and　both　Sanglier　and　Pathfinder　re…
marked　that　he　carried　a　fresh　and　bleeding　scalp　at　his
girdle。　　No　one　asked　any　questions；　and　the　former；
although　perfectly　satisfied　that　Arrowhead　had　fallen；
manifested　neit