the pathfinder-第52章

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〃I　should　hope　not　　at　least；　not　until　he　has　satisfied
every　one　of　his　fitness　to　possess　a　wife。〃

〃Jasper　is　a　gallant　boy；　and　one　of　great　gifts　in　his
way；　he　may　claim　a　wife　as　well　as　another。〃

〃To　be　frank　with　you；　Pathfinder；　I　brought　you　here
to　talk　about　this　very　youngster。　　Major　Duncan　has　re…
ceived　some　information　which　has　led　him　to　suspect　that
Eau…douce　is　false；　and　in　the　pay　of　the　enemy；　I　wish　to
hear　your　opinion　on　the　subject。〃

〃Anan？〃

〃I　say；　the　Major　suspects　Jasper　of　being　a　traitor　　a
French　spy　　or；　what　is　worse；　of　being　bought　to　betray
us。　　He　has　received　a　letter　to　this　effect；　and　has　been
charging　me　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　boy's　movements；　for
he　fears　we　shall　meet　with　enemies　when　we　least　suspect
it；　and　by　his　means。〃

〃Duncan　of　Lundie　has　told　you　this；　Sergeant　Dun…
ham？〃

〃He　has　indeed；　Pathfinder；　and；　though　I　have　been
loath　to　believe　anything　to　the　injury　of　Jasper；　I　have　a
feeling　which　tells　me　I　ought　to　distrust　him。　　Do　you
believe　in　presentiments；　my　friend？

〃In　what；　Sergeant？〃

〃Presentiments；　　a　sort　of　secret　foreknowledge　of
events　that　are　about　to　happen。　　The　Scotch　of　our　regi…
ment　are　great　sticklers　for　such　things；　and　my　opinion
of　Jasper　is　changing　so　fast；　that　I　begin　to　fear　there
must　be　some　truth　in　their　doctrines。〃

〃But　you've　been　talking　with　Duncan　of　Lundie　con…
cerning　Jasper；　and　his　words　have　raised　misgivings。〃

〃Not　it；　not　so　in　the　least；　for；　while　conversing　with
the　Major；　my　feelings　were　altogether　the　other　way；　and
I　endeavored　to　convince　him　all　I　could　that　he　did　the
boy　injustice。　　But　there　is　no　use　in　holding　out　against
a　presentiment；　I　find；　and　I　fear　there　is　something　in
the　suspicion　after　all。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　presentiments；　Sergeant；　but　I　have
known　Jasper　Eau…douce　since　he　was　a　boy；　and　I　have
as　much　faith　in　his　honesty　as　I　have　in　my　own；　or　that
of　the　Sarpent　himself。〃

〃But　the　Serpent；　Pathfinder；　has　his　tricks　and　am…
bushes　in　war　as　well　as　another。〃

〃Ay；　them　are　his　nat'ral　gifts；　and　are　such　as　belong
to　his　people。　　Neither　red…skin　nor　pale…face　can　deny
natur'；　but　Chingachgook　is　not　a　man　to　feel　a　pre…
sentiment　against。〃

〃That　I　believe；　nor　should　I　have　thought　ill　of　Jasper
this　very　morning。　　It　seems　to　me；　Pathfinder；　since　I've
taken　up　this　presentiment；　that　the　lad　does　not　bustle
about　his　deck　naturally；　as　he　used　to　do；　but　that　he　is
silent　and　moody　and　thoughtful；　like　a　man　who　has　a
load　on　his　conscience。〃

〃Jasper　is　never　noisy；　and　he　tells　me　noisy　ships　are
generally　ill…worked　ships。　　Master　Cap　agrees　in　this　too。
No；　no；　I　will　believe　naught　against　Jasper　until　I　see　it。
Send　for　your　brother；　Sergeant；　and　let　us　question　him
in　this　matter；　for　to　sleep　with　distrust　of　one's　friend
in　the　heart　is　like　sleeping　with　lead　there。　　I　have　no
faith　in　your　presentiments。〃

The　Sergeant；　although　he　scarcely　knew　himself　with
what　object；　complied；　and　Cap　was　summoned　to　join　in
the　consultation。　　As　Pathfinder　was　more　collected　than
his　companion；　and　felt　so　strong　a　conviction　of　the　good
faith　of　the　party　accused；　he　assumed　the　office　of　spokes…
man。

〃We　have　asked　you　to　come　down；　Master　Cap；〃　he
commenced；　〃in　order　to　inquire　if　you　have　remarked
anything　out　of　the　common　way　in　the　movements　of
Eau…douce　this　evening。〃

〃His　movements　are　common　enough；　I　daresay；　for
fresh　water；　Master　Pathfinder；　though　we　should　think
most　of　his　proceedings　irregular　down　on　the　coast。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　we　know　you　will　never　agree　with　the　lad
about　the　manner　the　cutter　ought　to　be　managed；　but　it
is　on　another　point　we　wish　your　opinion。〃

The　Pathfinder　then　explained　to　Cap　the　nature　of　the
suspicions　which　the　Sergeant　entertained；　and　the　reasons
why　they　had　been　excited；　so　far　as　the　latter　had　been
communicated　by　Major　Duncan。

〃The　youngster　talks　French；　does　he？〃　said　Cap。

〃They　say　he　speaks　it　better　than　common；〃　returned
the　Sergeant　gravely。　　〃Pathfinder　knows　this　to　be　true。〃

〃I'll　not　gainsay　it；〃　answered　the　guide；　〃at　least；　they
tell　me　such　is　the　fact。　　But　this　would　prove　nothing
ag'in　a　Mississagua；　and；　least　of　all；　ag'in　one　like　Jasper。
I　speak　the　Mingo　dialect　myself；　having　learnt　it　while　a
prisoner　among　the　reptyles；　but　who　will　say　I　am　their
friend？　　Not　that　I　am　an　enemy；　either；　according　to　In…
dian　notions；　though　I　am　their　enemy；　I　will　admit；　agree…
able　to　Christianity。〃

〃Ay　Pathfinder；　but　Jasper　did　not　get　his　French　as　a
prisoner：　he　took　it　in　his　boyhood；　when　the　mind　is　easily
impressed；　and　gets　its　permanent　notions；　when　nature
has　a　presentiment；　as　it　were；　which　way　the　character　is
likely　to　incline。〃

〃A　very　just　remark；〃　added　Cap；　〃for　that　is　the　time
of　life　when　we　all　learn　the　catechism；　and　other　moral
improvements。　　The　Sergeant's　observation　shows　that　he
understands　human　nature；　and　I　agree　with　him　per…
fectly；　it　_is_　a　damnable　thing　for　a　youngster；　up　here；　on
this　bit　of　fresh　water；　to　talk　French。　　If　it　were　down
on　the　Atlantic；　now；　where　a　seafaring　man　has　occasion
sometimes　to　converse　with　a　pilot；　or　a　linguister；　in　that
language；　I　should　not　think　so　much　of　it；　　though　we
always　look　with　suspicion；　even　there；　at　a　shipmate　who
knows　too　much　of　the　tongue；　but　up　here；　on　Ontario；
I　hold　it　to　be　a　most　suspicious　circumstance。〃

〃But　Jasper　must　talk　in　French　to　the　people　on　the
other　shore；〃　said　Pathfinder；　〃or　hold　his　tongue；　as　there
are　none　but　French　to　speak　to。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me；　Pathfinder；　that　France
lies　hereaway；　on　the　opposite　coast？〃　cried　Cap；　jerking
a　thumb　over　his　shoulder　in　the　direction　of　the　Canadas；
〃that　one　side　of　this　bit　of　fresh　water　is　York；　and　the
other　France？〃

〃I　mean　to　tell　you　this　is　York；　and　that　is　Upper
Canada；　and　that　English　and　Dutch　and　Indian　are
spoken　in　the　first；　and　French　and　Indian　in　the　last。
Even　the　Mingos　have　got　many　of　the　French　words　in
their　dialect；　and　it　is　no　improvement；　neither。〃

〃Very　true：　and　what　sort　of　people　are　the　Mingos；　my
friend？〃　inquired　the　Sergeant；　touching　the　other　on　his
shoulder；　by　way　of　enforcing　a　remark；　the　inherent　truth
of　which　sensibly　increased　its　value　in　the　eyes　of　the
speaker：　〃no　one　knows　them　better　than　yourself；　and　I
ask　you　what　sort　of　a　tribe　are　they？〃

〃Jasper　is　no　Mingo；　Sergeant。〃

〃He　speaks　French；　and　he　might　as　well　be；　in　that
particular。　　Brother　Cap；　can　you　recollect　no　movement
of　this　unfortunate　young　man；　in　the　way　of　his　calling；
that　would　seem　to　denote　treachery？〃

〃Not　distinctly；　Sergeant；　though　he　has　gone　to　work
wrong…end　foremost　half　his　time。　　It　is　true　that　one　of
his　hands　coiled　a　rope　against　the　sun；　and　he　called　it
_querling_　a　rope；　too；　when　I　asked　him　what　he　was　about；
but　I　am　not　certain　that　anything　was　meant　by　it；
though；　I　daresay；　the　French　coil　half　their　running　rig…
ging　the　wrong　way；　and　may　call　it　'querling　it　down；'
too；　for　that　matter。　　Then　Jasper　himself　belayed　the　end
of　the　jib…halyards　to　a　stretcher　in　the　rigging；　instead　of
bringing　in　to　the　mast；　where　they　belong；　at　least　among
British　sailors。〃

〃I　daresay　Jasper　may　have　got　some　Canada　notions
about　working　his　craft；　from　being　so　much　on　the　other
side；〃　Pathfinder　interposed；　〃but　catching　an　idee；　or　a
word；　isn't　treachery　and　bad　faith。　　I　sometimes　get　an
idee　from　the　Mingos　themselves；　but　my　heart　has　always
been　with　the　Delawares。　　No；　no；　Jasper　is　true；　and　the
king　might　trust　him　with　his　crown；　just　as　he　would
trust　his　eldest　son；　who；　as　he　is　to　wear　it　one　day；　ought
to　be　the　last　man　to　wish　to　steal　it。〃

〃Fine　talking；　fine　talking！〃　said　Cap；　〃all　fine　talk…
ing；　Master　Pathfinder；　but　dd　little　logic。　　In　the　first
place；　the　king's　majesty　cannot　lend　his　crown；　it　being
contrary　to　the　laws　of　the　realm；　which　require　him　to
wear　it　at　all　times；　in　order　that　his　sacred　person　may
be　known；　just　as　the　silver　oar　is　necessary　to　a　sheriff's
offic