the pathfinder-第7章

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〃And　yet　we　sailors；　who　run　about　the　world　so　much；
say　there　is　but　one　nature；　whether　it　be　in　the　China…
man　or　a　Dutchman。　　For　my　own　part；　I　am　much　of
that　way　of　thinking　too；　for　I　have　generally　found　that
all　nations　like　gold　and　silver；　and　most　men　relish　to…
bacco。〃

〃Then　you　seafaring　men　know　little　of　the　red…skins。
Have　you　ever　known　any　of　your　Chinamen　who　could
sing　their　death…songs；　with　their　flesh　torn　with　splinters
and　cut　with　knives；　the　fire　raging　around　their　naked
bodies；　and　death　staring　them　in　the　face？　　Until　you
can　find　me　a　Chinaman；　or　a　Christian　man；　that　can　do
all　this；　you　cannot　find　a　man　with　a　red…skin　natur'；　let
him　look　ever　so　valiant；　or　know　how　to　read　all　the　books
that　were　ever　printed。〃

〃It　is　the　savages　only　that　play　each　other　such　hellish
tricks；〃　said　Master　Cap；　glancing　his　eyes　about　him　un…
easily　at　the　apparently　endless　arches　of　the　forest。　　〃No
white　man　is　ever　condemned　to　undergo　these　trials。〃

〃Nay；　therein　you　are　again　mistaken；〃　returned　the
Pathfinder；　coolly　selecting　a　delicate　morsel　of　the　veni…
son　as　his　_bonne　bouche_；　〃for　thongh　these　torments　belong
only　to　the　red…skin　natur'；　in　the　way　of　bearing　them　like
braves；　white…skin　natur'　may　be；　and　often　has　been；
agonized　by　them。〃

〃Happily；〃　said　Cap；　with　an　effort　to　clear　his　throat；
〃none　of　his　Majesty's　allies　will　be　likely　to　attempt　such
damnable　cruelties　on　any　of　his　Majesty's　loyal　subjects。
I　have　not　served　much　in　the　royal　navy；　it　is　true；　but　I
have　served；　and　that　is　something；　and；　in　the　way　of
privateering　and　worrying　the　enemy　in　his　ships　and
cargoes；　I've　done　my　full　share。　　But　I　trust　there　are　no
French　savages　on　this　side　the　lake；　and　I　think　you　said
that　Ontario　is　a　broad　sheet　of　water？〃

〃Nay；　it　is　broad　in　our　eyes；〃　returned　Pathfinder；　not
caring　to　conceal　the　smile　which　lighted　a　face　which　had
been　burnt　by　exposure　to　a　bright　red；　〃though　I　mis…
trust　that　some　may　think　it　narrow；　and　narrow　it　is；　if
you　wish　it　to　keep　off　the　foe。　　Ontario　has　two　ends；
and　the　enemy　that　is　afraid　to　cross　it　will　be　certain　to
come　round　it。〃

〃Ah！　that　comes　of　your　dd　fresh…water　ponds！〃
growled　Cap；　hemming　so　loudly　as　to　cause　him　instantly
to　repent　the　indiscretion。　　〃No　man；　now；　ever　heard　of
a　pirate　or　a　ship　getting　round　one　end　of　the　Atlantic！〃

〃Mayhap　the　ocean　has　no　ends？〃

〃That　it　hasn't；　nor　sides；　nor　bottom。　　The　nation
which　is　snugly　moored　on　one　of　its　coasts　need　fear
nothing　from　the　one　anchored　abeam；　let　it　be　ever　so
savage；　unless　it　possesses　the　art　of　ship　building。　　No；
no！　the　people　who　live　on　the　shores　of　the　Atlantic　need
fear　but　little　for　their　skins　or　their　scalps。　　A　man　may
lie　down　at　night　in　those　regions；　in　the　hope　of　finding
the　hair　on　his　head　in　the　morning；　unless　he　wears　a
wig。〃

〃It　isn't　so　here。　　I　don't　wish　to　flurry　the　young
woman；　and　therefore　I　will　be　in　no　way　particular；
though　she　seems　pretty　much　listening　to　Eau…douce；　as
we　call　him；　but　without　the　edication　I　have　received；　I
should　think　it　at　this　very　moment；　a　risky　journey　to
go　over　the　very　ground　that　lies　between　us　and　the　gar…
rison；　in　the　present　state　of　this　frontier。　　There　are　about
as　many　Iroquois　on　this　side　of　Ontario　as　there　are　on
the　other。　It　is　for　this　very　reason；　friend　Cap；　that　the
Sergeant　has　engaged　us　to　come　out　and　show　you　the
path。〃

〃What！　do　the　knaves　dare　to　cruise　so　near　the　guns
of　one　of　his　Majesty's　works？〃

〃Do　not　the　ravens　resort　near　the　carcass　of　the　deer；
though　the　fowler　is　at　hand？　　They　come　this…a…way；　as
it　might　be；　naturally。　　There　are　more　or　less　whites
passing　between　the　forts　and　the　settlements；　and　they
are　sure　to　be　on　their　trails。　　The　Sarpent　has　come　up
one　side　of　the　river；　and　I　have　come　up　the　other；　in
order　to　scout　for　the　outlying　rascals；　while　Jasper　brought
up　the　canoe；　like　a　bold…hearted　sailor　as　he　is。　　The
Sergeant　told　him；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　all　about　his　child；
and　how　his　heart　yearned　for　her；　and　how　gentle　and
obedient　she　was；　until　I　think　the　lad　would　have　dashed
into　a　Mingo　camp　single…handed；　rather　than　not　a…come。〃

〃We　thank　him；　and　shall　think　the　better　of　him　for
his　readiness；　though　I　suppose　the　boy　has　run　no　great
risk；　after　all。〃

〃Only　the　risk　of　being　shot　from　a　cover；　as　he　forced
the　canoe　up　a　swift　rift；　or　turned　an　elbow　in　the　stream；
with　his　eyes　fastened　on　the　eddies。　　Of　all　the　risky
journeys；　that　on　an　ambushed　river　is　the　most　risky；　in
my　judgment；　and　that　risk　has　Jasper　run。〃

〃And　why　the　devil　has　the　Sergeant　sent　for　me　to
travel　a　hundred　and　fifty　miles　in　this　outlandish　man…
ner？　　Give　me　an　offing；　and　the　enemy　in　sight；　and　I'll
play　with　him　in　his　own　fashion；　as　long　as　he　pleases；
long　bows　or　close　quarters；　but　to　be　shot　like　a　turtle
asleep　is　not　to　my　humor。　　If　it　were　not　for　little　Mag…
net　there；　I　would　tack　ship　this　instant；　make　the　best　of
my　way　back　to　York；　and　let　Ontario　take　care　of　itself；
salt　water　or　fresh　water。〃

〃That　wouldn't　mend　the　matter　much；　friend　mariner；
as　the　road　to　return　is　much　longer；　and　almost　as　bad　as
the　road　to　go　on。　　Trust　to　us；　and　we　will　carry　you
through　safely；　or　lose　our　scalps。〃

Cap　wore　a　tight　solid　queue；　done　up　in　eelskin；　while
the　top　of　his　head　was　nearly　bald；　and　he　mechanically
passed　his　hand　over　both　as　if　to　make　certain　that　each
was　in　its　right　place。　　He　was　at　the　bottom；　however；　a
brave　man；　and　had　often　faced　death　with　coolness；
though　never　in　the　frightful　forms　in　which　it　presented
itself　under　the　brief　but　graphic　picture　of　his　com…
panion。　　It　was　too　late　to　retreat；　and　he　determined　to
put　the　best　face　on　the　matter；　though　he　could　not　avoid
muttering　inwardly　a　few　curses　on　the　indiscretion　with
which　his　brother…in…law；　the　Sergeant；　had　led　him　into
his　present　dilemma。

〃I　make　no　doubt；　Master　Pathfinder；〃　he　answered；
when　these　thoughts　had　found　time　to　glance　through
his　mind；　〃that　we　shall　reach　port　in　safety。　　What　dis…
tance　may　we　now　be　from　the　fort？〃

〃Little　more　than　fifteen　miles；　and　swift　miles　too；　as
the　river　runs；　if　the　Mingos　let　us　go　clear。〃

〃And　I　suppose　the　woods　wilL　stretch　along　starboard
and　larboard；　as　heretofore？〃

〃Anan？〃

〃I　mean　that　we　shall　have　to　pick　our　way　through
these　damned　trees。〃

〃Nay；　nay；　you　will　go　in　the　canoe；　and　the　Oswego
has　been　cleared　of　its　flood…wood　by　the　troops。　　It　will
be　floating　down　stream；　and　that；　too；　with　a　swift　cur…
rent。〃

〃And　what　the　devil　is　to　prevent　these　minks　of　which
you　speak　from　shooting　us　as　we　double　a　headland；　or
are　busy　in　steering　clear　of　the　rocks？〃

〃The　Lord！　　He　who　has　so　often　helped　others　in
greater　difficulties。　　Many　and　many　is　the　time　that　my
head　would　have　been　stripped　of　hair；　skin；　and　all；　hadn't
the　Lord　fi't　of　my　side。　　I　never　go　into　a　skrimmage；
friend　mariner；　without　thinking　of　this　great　ally；　who
can　do　more　in　battle　than　all　the　battalions　of　the　60th；
were　they　brought　into　a　single　line。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　this　may　do　well　enough　for　a　scouter；　but　we
seamen　like　our　offing；　and　to　go　into　action　with　nothing
in　our　minds　but　the　business　before　us　　plain　broadside
and　broadside　work；　and　no　trees　or　rocks　to　thicken　the
water。〃

〃And　no　Lord　too；　I　dare　to　say；　if　the　truth　were
known。　　Take　my　word　for　it；　Master　Cap；　that　no　battle
is　the　worse　fi't　for　having　the　Lord　on　your　side。　　Look
at　the　head　of　the　Big　Sarpent；　there；　you　can　see　the
mark　of　a　knife　all　along　by　his　left　ear：　now　nothing　but
a　bullet　from　this　log　rifle　of　mine　saved　his　scalp　that
day；　for　it　had　fairly　started；　and　half　a　minute　more
would　have　left　him　without　the　war…lock。　　When　the
Mohican　squeezes　my　hand；　and　intermates　that　I　be…
friended　him　in　that　matter；　I　tell　him　no；　it　was　the　Lord
who　led　me　to　the　only　spot　where　execution　could　be
done；　or　his　necessity　be　made　known；　on　account　of　the
smoke。　　Sartain；　when　I　got　the　right　position