the pathfinder-第120章

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married　to　one　as　old　and　as　uncomely　as　I　am。〃

〃Why　this　cruel　trial；　Pathfinder？　　To　what　can　all　this
lead？　　Jasper　Western　thinks　no　such　thing：　he　says
nothing　he　feels　nothing。〃

〃Mabel！〃　burst　from　out　of　the　young　man's　lips；　in　a
way　to　betray　the　uncontrollable　nature　of　his　emotions；
though　he　uttered　not　another　syllable。

Mabel　buried　her　face　in　both　her　hands；　and　the　two
sat　like　a　pair　of　guilty　beings；　suddenly　detected　in　the
commission　of　some　crime　which　involved　the　happiness
of　a　common　patron。　　At　that　instant；　perhaps；　Jasper
himself　was　inclined　to　deny　his　passion；　through　an　ex…
treme　unwillingness　to　grieve　his　friend；　while　Mabel；　on
whom　this　positive　announcement　of　a　fact　that　she　had
rather　unconsciously　hoped　than　believed；　came　so　unex…
pectedly；　felt　her　mind　momentarily　bewildered；　and　she
scarcely　knew　whether　to　weep　or　to　rejoice。　　Still　she　was
the　first　to　speak；　since　Eau…douce　could　utter　naught　that
would　be　disingenuous；　or　that　would　pain　his　friend。

〃Pathfinder；〃　said　she；　〃you　talk　wildly。　　Why　mention
this　at　all？〃

〃Well；　Mabel；　if　I　talk　wildly；　I　_am_　half　wild；　you　know；
by　natur'；　I　fear；　as　well　as　by　habit。〃　　As　he　said　this；　he
endeavored　to　laugh　in　his　usual　noiseless　way；　but　the
effect　produced　a　strange　and　discordant　sound；　and　it
appeared　nearly　to　choke　him。　　〃Yes；　I　_must_　be　wild；　I'll
not　attempt　to　deny　it。〃

〃Dearest　Pathfinder！　my　best；　almost　my　only　friend！
you　_cannot；　do　not_　think　I　intended　to　say　that！〃　inter…
rupted　Mabel；　almost　breathless　in　her　haste　to　relieve　his
mortification。　　〃If　courage；　truth；　nobleness　of　soul　and
conduct；　unyielding　principles；　and　a　hundred　other　excel…
lent　qualities　can　render　any　man　respectable；　esteemed；
or　beloved；　your　claims　are　inferior　to　those　of　no　other
human　being。〃

〃What　tender　and　bewitching　voices　they　have；　Jasper！〃
resumed　the　guide；　now　laughing　freely　and　naturally。
〃Yes；　natur'　seems　to　have　made　them　on　purpose　to　sing
in　our　ears；　when　the　music　of　the　woods　is　silent。　　But
we　must　come　to　a　right　understanding；　we　must。　　I　ask
you　again；　Mabel；　if　you　had　known　that　Jasper　Western
loves　you　as　well　as　I　do；　or　better　perhaps；　though　that　is
scarcely　possible；　that　in　his　dreams　he　sees　your　face　in
the　water　of　the　lake；　that　he　talks　to　you；　and　of　you；　in
his　sleep；　fancies　all　that　is　beautiful　like　Mabel　Dunham；
and　all　that　is　good　and　virtuous；　believes　he　never　knowed
happiness　until　he　knowed　you；　could　kiss　the　ground　on
which　you　have　trod；　and　forgets　all　the　joys　of　his　call…
ing　to　think　of　you　and　the　delight　of　gazing　at　your
beauty　and　in　listening　to　your　voice；　would　you　then　have
consented　to　marry　me？〃

Mabel　could　not　have　answered　this　question　if　she
would；　but；　though　her　face　was　buried　in　her　hands；　the
tint　of　the　rushing　blood　was　visible　between　the　open…
ings；　and　the　suffusion　seemed　to　impart　itself　to　her　very
fingers。　　Still　nature　asserted　her　power；　for　there　was　a
single　instant　when　the　astonished；　almost　terrified　girl
stole　a　glance　at　Jasper；　as　if　distrusting　Pathfinder's　his…
tory　of　his　feelings；　read　the　truth　of　all　he　said　in　that
furtive　look；　and　instantly　concealed　her　face　again；　as　if
she　would　hide　it　from　observation　for　ever。

〃Take　time　to　think；　Mabel；〃　the　guide　continued；　〃for
it　is　a　solemn　thing　to　accept　one　man　for　a　husband　while
the　thoughts　and　wishes　lead　to　another。　　Jasper　and　I
have　talked　this　matter　over；　freely　and　like　old　friends；
and；　though　I　always　knowed　that　we　viewed　most　things
pretty　much　alike；　I　couldn't　have　thought　that　we　re…
garded　any　particular　object　with　the　very　same　eyes；　as
it　might　be；　until　we　opened　our　minds　to　each　other　about
you。　　Now　Jasper　owns　that　the　very　first　time　he　beheld
you；　he　thought　you　the　sweetest　and　winningestest　crea…
tur'　he　had　ever　met；　that　your　voice　sounded　like　mur…
muring　water　in　his　ears；　that　he　fancied　his　sails　were　your
garments　fluttering　in　the　wind；　that　your　laugh　haunted
him　in　his　sleep；　and　that　ag'in　and　ag'in　has　he　started
up　affrighted；　because　he　has　fancied　some　one　wanted　to
force　you　out　of　the　_Scud_；　where　he　imagined　you　had
taken　up　your　abode。　　Nay；　the　lad　has　even　acknowledged
that　he　often　weeps　at　the　thought　that　you　are　likely　to
spend　your　days　with　another；　and　not　with　him。〃

〃Jasper！〃

〃It's　solemn　truth；　Mabel；　and　it's　right　you　should　know
it。　　Now　stand　up；　and　choose　'atween　us。　　I　do　believe
Eau…douce　loves　you　as　well　as　I　do　myself；　he　has　tried
to　persuade　me　that　he　loves　you　better；　but　that　I　will
not　allow；　for　I　do　not　think　it　possible；　but　I　will　own
the　boy　loves　you；　heart　and　soul；　and　he　has　a　good　right
to　be　heard。　　The　Sergeant　left　me　your　protector；　and
not　your　tyrant。　　I　told　him　that　I　would　be　a　father　to
you　as　well　as　a　husband；　and　it　seems　to　me　no　feeling
father　would　deny　his　child　this　small　privilege。　　Stand
up；　Mabel；　therefore；　and　speak　your　thoughts　as　freely　as
if　I　were　the　Sergeant　himself；　seeking　your　good；　and
nothing　else。〃

Mabel　dropped　her　hands；　arose；　and　stood　face　to　face
with　her　two　suitors；　though　the　flush　that　was　on　her
cheeks　was　feverish；　the　evidence　of　excitement　rather
than　of　shame。

〃What　would　you　have；　Pathfinder？〃　she　asked；　〃have
I　not　already　promised　my　poor　father　to　do　all　you　de…
sire？〃

〃Then　I　desire　this。　　Here　I　stand；　a　man　of　the　forest
and　of　little　larning；　though　I　fear　with　an　ambition　be…
yond　my　desarts；　and　I'll　do　my　endivors　to　do　justice　to
both　sides。　　In　the　first　place；　it　is　allowed　that；　so　far　as
feelings　in　your　behalf　are　consarned；　we　love　you　just　the
same；　Jasper　thinks　his　feelings　_must_　be　the　strongest；
but　this　I　cannot　say　in　honesty；　for　it　doesn't　seem　to　me
that　it　_can_　be　true；　else　I　would　frankly　and　freely　confess　it；
I　would。　　So　in　this　particular；　Mabel；　we　are　here　before
you　on　equal　tarms。　　As　for　myself；　being　the　oldest；　I'll
first　say　what　little　can　be　produced　in　my　favor；　as　well
as　ag'in　it。　　As　a　hunter；　I　do　think　there　is　no　man　near
the　lines　that　can　outdo　me。　　If　venison；　or　bear's　meat；
or　even　birds　and　fish；　should　ever　be　scarce　in　our　cabin；
it　would　be　more　likely　to　be　owing　to　natur'　and　Provi…
dence　than　to　any　fault　of　mine。　　In　short；　it　does　seem
to　me　that　the　woman　who　depended　on　me　would　never
be　likely　to　want　for　food。　　But　I'm　fearful　ignorant！　　It's
true　I　speak　several　tongues；　such　as　they　be；　while　I'm
very　far　from　being　expart　at　my　own。　　Then；　my　years
are　greater　than　your　own；　Mabel；　and　the　circumstance　that
I　was　so　long　the　Sergeant's　comrade　can　be　no　great　merit
in　your　eyes。　　I　wish；　too；　I　was　more　comely；　I　do；　but
we　are　all　as　natur'　made　us；　and　the　last　thing　that　a　man
ought　to　lament；　except　on　very　special　occasions；　is　his
looks。　　When　all　is　remembered；　age；　looks；　learning；　and
habits；　Mabel；　conscience　tells　me　I　ought　to　confess　that
I'm　altogether　unfit　for　you；　if　not　downright　unworthy；
and　I　would　give　up　the　hope　this　minute；　I　would；　if　I
didn't　feel　something　pulling　at　my　heart…strings　which
seems　hard　to　undo。〃

〃Pathfinder！　noble；　generous　Pathfinder！〃　cried　our
heroine；　seizing　his　hand　and　kissing　it　with　a　species　of
holy　reverence；　〃you　do　yourself　injustice　　you　forget　my
poor　father　and　your　promise　　you　do　not　know　_me_！〃

〃Now；　here's　Jasper；〃　continued　the　guide；　without　al…
lowing　the　girl's　caresses　to　win　him　from　his　purpose；
〃with　_him_　the　case　is　different。　　In　the　way　of　providing；
as　in　that　of　loving；　there's　not　much　to　choose　'atween
us；　for　the　lad　is　frugal；　industrious；　and　careful。　　Then
he　is　quite　a　scholar；　knows　the　tongue　of　the　Frenchers；
reads　many　books；　and　some；　I　know；　that　you　like　to　read
yourself；　can　understand　you　at　all　times；　which；　perhaps；
is　more　than　I　can　say　for　myself。〃

〃What　of　all　this？〃　interrupted　Mabal　impatiently；
〃why　speak　of　it　now　　why　speak　of　it　at　all？〃

〃Then　the　lad　has　a　manner　of　letting　his　thoughts　be
known；　that　I　fear　I　can　never　equal。　　If　there's　anything
on　'arth　that　would　make　my　tongue　bold　and　persuadin