the pathfinder-第65章

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COWPER。


As　the　soldier's　wife　was　sick　in　her　berth；　Mabel　Dun…
ham　was　the　only　person　in　the　outer　cabin　when　Jasper
returned　to　it；　for；　by　an　act　of　grace　in　the　Sergeant；　he
had　been　permitted　to　resume　his　proper　place　in　this　part
of　the　vessel。　　We　should　be　ascribing　too　much　simplicity
of　character　to　our　heroine；　if　we　said　that　she　had　felt
no　distrust　of　the　young　man　in　consequence　of　his　arrest；
but　we　should　also　be　doing　injustice　to　her　warmth　of
feeling　and　generosity　of　disposition；　if　we　did　not　add；
that　this　distrust　was　insignificant　and　transient。　　As　he
now　took　his　seat　near　her；　his　whole　countenance　clouded
with　the　uneasiness　he　felt　concerning　the　situation　of　the
cutter；　everything　like　suspicion　was　banished　from　her
mind；　and　she　saw　in　him　only　an　injured　man。

〃You　let　this　affair　weigh　too　heavily　on　your　mind；
Jasper；〃　said　she　eagerly；　or　with　that　forgetfuluess　of　self
with　which　the　youthful　of　her　sex　are　wont　to　betray
their　feelings　when　a　strong　and　generous　interest　has
attained　the　ascendency；　〃no　one　who　knows　you　can；　or
does；　believe　you　guilty。　　Pathfinder　says　he　will　pledge
his　life　for　you。〃

〃Then　you；　Mabel；〃　returned　the　youth；　his　eyes　flashing
fire；　〃do　not　look　upon　me　as　the　traitor　your　father
seems　to　believe　me　to　be？〃

〃My　dear　father　is　a　soldier；　and　is　obliged　to　act　as　one。
My　father's　daughter　is　not；　and　will　think　of　you　as　she
ought　to　think　of　a　man　who　has　done　so　much　to　serve
her　already。〃

〃Mabel；　I'm　not　used　to　talking　with　one　like　you；　or
saying　all　I　think　and　feel　with　any。　　I　never　had　a　sister；
and　my　mother　died　when　I　was　a　child；　so　that　I　know
little　what　your　sex　most　likes　to　hear　　〃

Mabel　would　have　given　the　world　to　know　what　lay　be…
hind　the　teeming　word　at　which　Jasper　hesitated；　but　the
indefinable　and　controlliug　sense　of　womanly　diffidence
made　her　suppress　her　curiosity。　　She　waited　in　silence
for　him　to　explain　his　own　meaning。

〃I　wish　to　say；　Mabel；〃　the　young　man　continued；　after
a　pause　which　he　found　sufficiently　embarrassing；　〃that
I　am　unused　to　the　ways　and　opinions　of　one　like　you；　and
that　you　must　imagine　all　I　would　add。〃

Mabel　had　imagination　enough　to　fancy　anything；　but
there　are　ideas　and　feelings　that　her　sex　prefer　to　have　ex…
pressed　before　they　yield　them　all　their　own　sympathies；
and　she　had　a　vague　consciousness　that　these　of　Jasper
might　properly　be　enumerated　in　the　class。　　With　a　readi…
ness　that　belonged　to　her　sex；　therefore；　she　preferred
changing　the　discourse　to　permitting　it　to　proceed　any
further　in　a　manner　so　awkward　and　so　unsatisfactory。

〃Tell　me　one　thing；　Jasper；　and　I　shall　be　content；〃　said
she；　speaking　now　with　a　firinness　which　denoted　confi…
dence；　not　only　in　herself；　but　in　her　companion：　〃you　do
not　deserve　this　cruel　suspicion　which　rests　upon　you？〃

〃I　do　not；　Mabel！〃　answered　Jasper；　looking　into　her
full　blue　eyes　with　an　openness　and　simplicity　that　might
have　shaken　stronger　distrust。　　〃As　I　hope　for　mercy
hereafter；　I　do　not！〃

〃I　knew　it　　I　could　have　sworn　it！〃　returned　the　girl
warmly。　　〃And　yet　my　father　means　well；　　but　do　not　let
this　matter　disturb　you；　Jasper。〃

〃There　is　so　much　more　to　apprehend　from　another
quarter　just　now；　that　I　scarcely　think　of　it。〃

〃Jasper！〃

〃I　do　not　wish　to　alarm　you；　Mabel；　but　if　your　uncle
could　be　persuaded　to　change　his　notions　about　handling
the　_Scud_：　and　yet　he　is　so　much　more　experienced　than
I　am；　that　he　ought；　perhaps；　to　place　more　reliance　on　his
own　judgment　than　on　mine。〃

〃Do　you　think　the　cutter　in　any　danger？〃　demanded
Mabel；　quick　as　thought。

〃I　fear　so；　at　least　she　would　have　been　thought　in　great
danger　by　us　of　the　lake；　perhaps　an　old　seaman　of　the
ocean　may　have　means　of　his　own　to　take　care　of　her。〃

〃Jasper；　all　agree　in　giving　you　credit　for　skill　in　man…
aging　the　_Scud_。　　You　know　the　lake；　you　know　the　cut…
ter；　you　_must_　be　the　best　judge　of　our　real　situation。〃

〃My　concern　for　you；　Mabel；　may　make　me　more　cow…
ardly　than　common；　but；　to　be　frank；　I　see　but　one　method
of　keeping　the　cutter　from　being　wrecked　in　the　course　of
the　next　two　or　three　hours；　and　that　your　uncle　refuses　to
take。　　After　all；　this　may　be　my　ignorance；　for；　as　he　says；
Ontario　is　merely　fresh　water。〃

〃You　cannot　believe　this　will　make　any　difference。
Think　of　my　dear　father；　Jasper！　　Think　of　yourself；　of
all　the　lives　that　depend　on　a　timely　word　from　you　to　save
them。〃

〃I　think　of　you；　Mabel；　and　that　is　more；　much　more；
than　all　the　rest　put　together！〃　returned　the　young　man；
with　a　strength　of　expression　and　an　earnestness　of　look
that　uttered　infinitely　more　than　the　words　themselves。

Mabel's　heart　beat　quickly；　and　a　gleam　of　grateful　sat…
isfaction　shot　across　her　blushing　features；　but　the　alarm
was　too　vivid　and　too　serious　to　admit　of　much　relief　from
happier　thoughts。　　She　did　not　attempt　to　repress　a　look
of　gratitude；　and　then　she　returned　to　the　feeling　which
was　naturally　uppermost。

〃My　uncle's　obstinacy　must　not　be　permitted　to　occa…
sion　this　disaster。　　Go　once　more　on　deck；　Jasper；　and
ask　my　father　to　come　into　the　cabin。〃

While　the　young　man　was　complying　with　this　request；
Mabel　sat　listening　to　the　howling　of　the　storm　and　the
dashing　of　the　water　against　the　cutter；　in　a　dread　to　which
she　had　hitherto　been　a　stranger。　　Constitutionally　an　ex…
cellent　sailor；　as　the　term　is　used　among　passengers；　she
had　not　hitherto　bethought　her　of　any　danger；　and　had
passed　her　time　since　the　commencemeut　of　the　gale　in
such　womanly　employments　as　her　situation　allowed；　but
now　that　alarm　was　seriously　awakened；　she　did　not　fail　to
perceive　that　never　before　had　she　been　on　the　water　in
such　a　tempest。　　The　minute　or　two　which　elapsed　before
the　Sergeant　came　appeared　an　hour；　and　she　scarcely
breathed　when　she　saw　him　and　Jasper　descending　the
ladder　in　company。　　Quick　as　language　could　express　her
meaning；　she　acquainted　her　father　with　Jasper's　opinion
of　their　situation；　and　entreated　him；　if　he　loved　her；　or
had　any　regard　for　his　own　life；　or　for　those　of　his　men；
to　interfere　with　her　uncle；　and　to　induce　him　to　yield　the
control　of　the　cutter　again　to　its　proper　commander。

〃Jasper　is　true；　father；〃　added　she　earnestly；　〃and　if
false；　he　could　have　no　motive　in　wrecking　us　in　this　dis…
tant　part　of　the　lake　at　the　risk　of　all　our　lives；　his　own
included。　　I　will　pledge　my　own　life　for　his　truth。〃

〃Ay；　this　is　well　enough　for　a　young　woman　who　is
frightened；〃　answered　the　more　phlegmatic　parent；　〃but
it　might　not　be　so　excusable　in　one　in　command　of　an　ex…
pedition。　　Jasper　may　think　the　chance　of　drowning　in
getting　ashore　fully　repaid　by　the　chance　of　escaping　as
soon　as　he　reaches　the　land。〃

〃Sergeant　Dunham！〃

〃Father！〃

These　exclamations　were　made　simultaneously；　but　they
were　uttered　in　tones　expressive　of　different　feelings。　　In
Jasper；　surprise　was　the　emotion　uppermost；　in　Mabel
reproach。　　The　old　soldier；　however；　was　too　much　accus…
tomed　to　deal　frankly　with　subordinates　to　heed　either；
and　after　a　moment's　thought；　he　continued　as　if　neither
had　spoken。　　〃Nor　is　brother　Cap　a　man　likely　to　submit
to　be　taught　his　duty　on　board　a　vessel。〃

〃But；　father；　when　all　our　lives　are　in　the　utmost　jeop…
ardy！〃

〃So　much　the　worse。　　The　fair…weather　commander　is
no　great　matter；　it　is　when　things　go　wrong　that　the　best
officer　shows　himself　in　his　true　colors。　　Charles　Cap　will
not　be　likely　to　quit　the　helm　because　the　ship　is　in　dan…
ger。　　Besides；　Jasper　Eau…douce；　he　says　your　proposal　in
itself　has　a　suspicious　air　about　it；　and　sounds　more　like
treachery　than　reason。〃

〃He　may　think　so；　but　let　him　send　for　the　pilot　and
hear　his　opinion。　　It　is　well　known　that　I　have　not　seen
the　man　since　yesterday　evening。〃

〃This　does　sound　reasonably；　and　the　experiment　shall
be　tried。　　Follow　me　on　deck　then；　that　all　may　be　hon…
est　and　above…aboard。〃

Jasper　obeyed；　and　so　keen　was　the　interest　of　Mabel；
that　she　too　ventured　as　far　as　the　companion…way；　where
her　garments　were　sufficiently　protected　against　the　vio…