the pathfinder-第38章

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The　woman　took　advantage　of　a　slight　amorous　propensity
that　may　be　a　weakness　in　my　disposition；　perhaps；　and
inveigled　me　into　a　contract　which　was　found　to　be　illegal。〃

〃If　I　remember　right；　Muir；　there　were　thought　to　be
two　sides　to　that　question；　in　the　time　of　it？〃

〃It　would　be　but　an　indifferent　question；　my　dear
Major；　that　hadn't　two　sides　to　it；　and　I've　known　many
that　had　three。　　But　the　poor　woman's　dead；　and　there
was　no　issue；　so　nothing　came　of　it　after　all。　　Then；　I　was
particularly　unfortunate　with　my　second　wife；　I　say　sec…
ond；　Major；　out　of　deference　to　you；　and　on　the　mere　sup…
position　that　the　first　was　a　marriage　at　all；　but　first　or
second；　I　was　particularly　unfortunate　with　Jeannie
Graham；　who　died　in　the　first　lustrum；　leaving　neither
chick　nor　chiel　behind　her。　　I　do　think；　if　Jeannie　had
survived；　I　never　should　have　turned　my　thoughts　towards
another　wife。〃

〃But　as　she　did　not；　you　married　twice　after　her　death；
and　are　desirous　of　doing　so　a　third　time。〃

〃The　truth　can　never　justly　be　gainsaid；　Major　Duncan；
and　I　am　always　ready　to　avow　it。　　I'm　thinking；　Lundie；
you　are　melancholar　this　fine　evening？〃

〃No；　Muir；　not　melancholy　absolutely；　but　a　little
thoughtful；　I　confess。　　I　was　looking　back　to　my　boyish
days；　when　I；　the　laird's　son；　and　you；　the　parson's；　roamed
about　our　native　hills；　happy　and　careless　boys；　taking　lit…
tle　heed　to　the　future；　and　then　have　followed　some
thoughts；　that　may　be　a　little　painful；　concerning　that
future　as　it　has　turned　out　to　be。〃

〃Surely；　Lundie；　ye　do　not　complain　of　yer　portion　of
it。　　You've　risen　to　be　a　major；　and　will　soon　be　a　lieute…
nant…colonel；　if　letters　tell　the　truth；　while　I　am　just　one
step　higher　than　when　your　honored　father　gave　me　my
first　commission；　and　a　poor　deevil　of　a　quartermaster。〃

〃And　the　four　wives？〃

〃Three；　Lundie；　three　only　that　were　legal；　even　under
our　own　liberal　and　sanctified　laws。〃

〃Well；　then；　let　it　be　three。　　Ye　know；　Davy；〃　said
Major　Duncan；　insensibly　dropping　into　the　pronunciation
and　dialect　of　his　youth；　as　is　much　the　practice　with
educated　Scotchmen　as　they　warm　with　a　subject　that
comes　near　the　heart；　　〃ye　know；　Davy；　that　my　own
choice　has　long　been　made；　and　in　how　anxious　and　hope…
wearied　a　manner　I've　waited　for　that　happy　hour　when　I
can　call　the　woman　I've　so　long　loved　a　wife；　and　here
have　you；　without　fortune；　name；　birth；　or　merit　　I　mean
particular　merit　　〃

〃Na；　na；　dinna　say　that；　Lundie。　　The　Muirs　are　of
gude　bluid。〃

〃Well；　then；　without　aught　but　bluid；　ye've　wived　four
times　　〃

〃I　tall　ye　but　thrice；　Lundie。　　Ye'll　weaken　auld
friendship　if　ye　call　it　four。〃

〃Put　it　at　yer　own　number；　Davy；　and　it's　far　more
than　yer　share。　　Our　lives　have　been　very　different；　on
the　score　of　matrimony；　at　least；　you　must　allow　that；　my
old　friend。〃

〃And　which　do　you　think　has　been　the　gainer；　Major；
speaking　as　frankly　thegither　as　we　did　when　lads？〃

〃Nay；　I've　nothing　to　conceal。　　My　days　have　passed　in
hope　deferred；　while　yours　have　passed　in　　〃

〃Not　in　hope　realized；　I　give　you　mine　honor；　Major
Duncan；〃　interrupted　the　Quartermaster。　　〃Each　new　ex…
periment　I　have　thought　might　prove　an　advantage；　but
disappointment　seems　the　lot　of　man。　　Ah！　this　is　a　vain
world　of　ours；　Lundie；　it　must　be　owned；　and　in　nothing
vainer　than　in　matrimony。〃

〃And　yet　you　are　ready　to　put　your　neck　into　the　noose
for　the　fifth　time？〃

〃I　desire　to　say；　it　will　be　but　the　fourth；　Major　Dun…
can；〃　said　the　Quartermaster　positively；　then；　instantly
changing　the　expression　of　his　face　to　one　of　boyish　rap…
ture；　he　added；　〃But　this　Mabel　Dunham　is　a　_rara　avis！_
Our　Scotch　lassies　are　fair　and　pleasant；　but　it　must　be
owned　these　colonials　are　of　surpassing　comeliness。〃

〃You　will　do　well　to　recollect　your　commission　and
blood；　Davy。　　I　believe　all　four　of　your　wives　　〃

〃I　wish　my　dear　Lundie；　ye'd　be　more　accurate　in　yer
arithmetic。　　Three　times　one　make　three。〃

〃All　three；　then；　were　what　might　be　termed　gentle…
women？〃

〃That's　just　it；　Major。　　Three　were　gentlewomen；　as　you
say；　and　the　connections　were　suitable。〃

〃And　the　fourth　being　the　daughter　of　my　father's　gar…
dener；　the　connection　was　unsuitable。　　But　have　you　no
fear　that　marrying　the　child　of　a　non…commissioned　offi…
cer；　who　is　in　the　same　corps　with　yourself；　will　have　the
effect　to　lessen　your　consequence　in　the　regiment？〃

〃That's　just　been　my　weakness　through　life；　Major
Duncan；　for　I've　always　married　without　regard　to　conse…
quences。　　Every　man　has　his　besetting　sin；　and　matri…
mony；　I　fear；　is　mine。　　And　now　that　we　have　discussed
what　may　be　called　the　principles　of　the　connection；　I　will
just　ask　if　you　did　me　the　favor　to　speak　to　the　Sergeant
on　the　trifling　affair？〃

〃I　did；　David；　and　am　sorry　to　say；　for　your　hopes；　that
I　see　no　great　chance　of　your　succeeding。〃

〃Not　succeeding！　　An　officer；　and　a　quartermaster　in
the　bargain；　and　not　succeed　with　a　sergeant's　daugh…
ter！〃

〃It's　just　that；　Davy。〃

〃And　why　not；　Lundie？　　Will　ye　have　the　goodness　to
answer　just　that？〃

〃The　girl　is　betrothed。　　Hand　plighted；　word　passed；
love　pledged；　　no；　hang　me　if　I　believe　that　either；　but
she　is　betrothed。〃

〃Well；　that's　an　obstacle；　it　must　be　avowed；　Major；
though　it　counts　for　little　if　the　heart　is　free。〃

〃Quite　true；　and　I　think　it　probable　the　heart　is　free
in　this　case；　for　the　intended　husband　appears　to　be　the
choice　of　the　father　rather　than　of　the　daughter。〃

〃And　who　may　it　be；　Major？〃　asked　the　Quartermas…
ter；　who　viewed　the　whole　matter　with　the　philosophy　and
coolness　acquired　by　use。　　〃I　do　not　recollect　any　plausi…
ble　suitor　that　is　likely　to　stand　in　my　way。〃

〃No；　you　are　the　only　_plausible_　suitor　on　the　frontier；
Davy。　　The　happy　man　is　Pathfinder。〃

〃Pathfinder；　Major　Duncan！〃

〃No　more；　nor　any　less；　David　Muir。　　Pathfinder　is　the
man；　but　it　may　relieve　your　jealousy　a　little　to　know
that；　in　my　judgment　at　least；　it　is　a　match　of　the　father's
rather　than　of　the　daughter's　seeking。〃

〃I　thought　as　much！〃　exclaimed　the　Quartermaster；
drawing　a　long　breath；　like　one　who　felt　relieved；　〃it's
quite　impossible　that　with　my　experience　in　human　nature
…　〃

〃Particularly　hu…woman's　nature；　David。〃

〃Ye　will　have　yer　joke；　Lundie；　let　who　will　suffer。
But　I　did　not　think　it　possible　I　could　be　deceived　as　to
the　young　woman's　inclinations；　which　I　think　I　may
boldly　pronounce　to　be　altogether　above　the　condition　of
Pathfinder。　　As　for　the　individual　himself　　why；　time　will
show。〃

〃Now；　tell　me　frankly；　Davy　Muir；〃　said　Lundie；　step…
ping　short　in　his　walk；　and　looking　the　other　earnestly　in
the　face　with　a　comical　expression　of　surprise；　that　ren…
dered　the　veteran's　countenance　ridiculously　earnest；　
〃do　you　really　suppose　a　girl　like　the　daughter　of　Ser…
geant　Dunham　can　take　a　serious　fancy　to　a　man　of　your
years　and　appearance；　and　experience；　I　might　add？〃

〃Hout；　awa'；　Lundie！　ye　dinna　know　the　sax；　and　that's
the　reason　yer　unmarried　in　yer　forty…fifth　year。　　It's　a
fearfu'　time　ye've　been　a　bachelor；　Major！〃

〃And　what　may　be　your　age；　Lieutenant　Muir；　if　I　may
presume　to　ask　so　delicate　a　question？〃

〃Forty…seven；　I'll　no'　deny　it；　Lundie；　and　if　I　get
Mabel；　there'll　be　just　a　wife　for　every　twa　lustrums。　　But
I　didna　think　Sergeant　Dunham　would　be　so　humble
minded　as　to　dream　of　giving　that　sweet　lass　of　his　to　one
like　the　Pathfinder。〃

〃There's　no　dream　about　it；　Davy；　the　man　is　as　seri…
ous　as　a　soldier　about　to　be　flogged。〃

〃Well；　well；　Major；　we　are　auld　friends；〃　　both　ran
into　the　Scotch　or　avoided　it；　as　they　approached　or　drew
away　from　their　younger　days；　in　the　dialogue；　　〃and
ought　to　know　how　to　take　and　give　a　joke；　off　duty。　　It
is　possible　the　worthy　man　has　not　understood　my　hints；
or　he　never　would　have　thought　of　such　a　thing。　　The
difference　between　an　officer's　consort　and　a　guide's　woman
is　as　vast　as　that　between　the　antiquity　of　Scotland　and
the　antiquity　of　America。　　I'm　auld　blood；　too；　Lundie。〃

〃Take　my　word　for　it　Davy；　your　antiquity　will　do　you
no　good　in　this　affair；　an