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