第 107 节
作者:
泰达魔王 更新:2021-02-24 23:21 字数:9322
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 persuading;
Mabel; I do think it's yourself; and yet in our late conver…
sations Jasper has outdone me; even on this point; in a
way to make me ashamed of myself。 He has told me how
simple you were; and how true…hearted; and kind…hearted;
and how you looked down upon vanities; for though you
might be the wife of more than one officer; as he thinks;
that you cling to feeling; and would rather be true to
yourself and natur' than a colonel's lady。 He fairly made
my blood warm; he did; when he spoke of your having
beauty without seeming ever to have looked upon it; and
the manner in which you moved about like a young fa'n;
so nat'ral and graceful like; without knowing it; and the
truth and justice of your idees; and the warmth and gener…
osity of your heart 〃
〃Jasper!〃 interrupted Mabel; giving way to feelings
that had gathered an ungovernable force by being so long
pent; and falling into the young man's willing arms; weep…
ing like a child; and almost as helpless。 〃Jasper! Jasper!
why have you kept this from me?〃
The answer of Eau…douce was not very intelligible; nor
was the murmured dialogue that followed remarkable for
coherency。 But the language of affection is easily under…
stood。 The hour that succeeded passed like a very few
minutes of ordinary life; so far as a computation of time
was concerned; and when Mabel recollected herself; and
bethought her of the existence of others; her uncle was pac…
ing the cutter's deck in great impatience; and wondering
why Jasper should be losing so much of a favorable wind。
Her first thought was of him; who was so likely to feel the
recent betrayal of her real emotions。
〃Oh; Jasper;〃 she exclaimed; like one suddenly self…
convicted; 〃the Pathfinder!〃
Eau…douce fairly trembled; not with unmanly apprehen…
sion; but with the painful conviction of the pang he had
given his friend; and he looked in all directions in the
expectation of seeing his person。 But Pathfinder had
withdrawn; with a tact and a delicacy that might have
done credit to the sensibility and breeding of a courtier。
For several minutes the two lovers sat; silently waiting his
return; uncertain what propriety required of them under
circumstances so marked and so peculiar。 At length they
beheld their friend advancing slowly towards them; with
a thoughtful and even pensive air。
〃I now understand what you meant; Jasper; by speaking
without a tongue and hearing without an ear;〃 he said
when close enough to the tree to be heard。 〃Yes; I un…
derstand it now; I do; and a very pleasant sort of discourse
it is; when one can hold it with Mabel Dunham。 Ah's me!
I told the Sergeant I wasn't fit for her; that I was too
old; too ignorant; and too wild like; but he _would_ have it
otherwise。〃
Jasper and Mabel sat; resembling Milton's picture of
our first parents; when the consciousness of sin first laid
its leaden weight on their souls。 Neither spoke; neither
even moved; though both at that moment fancied they
could part with their new…found happiness in order to re…
store their friend to his peace of mind