第 109 节
作者:泰达魔王      更新:2021-02-24 23:21      字数:9322
  manent; and none but a man accustomed to put his mus…
  cles to the severest proof could have maintained that pos…
  ture; with its marble…like inflexibility; for so great a length
  of time。  At length he moved away from the spot; the
  motion of the body being preceded by a sigh that seemed
  to heave up from the very depths of his bosom。
  It was a peculiarity of this extraordinary being that his
  senses and his limbs; for all practical purposes; were never
  at fault; let the mind be preoccupied with other interests as
  much as it might。  On the present occasion neither of
  these great auxiliaries failed him; but; though his thoughts
  were exclusively occupied with Mabel; her beauty; her pref…
  erence of Jasper; her tears; and her departure; he moved
  in a direct line to the spot where June still remained;
  which was the grave of her husband。  The conversation
  that followed passed in the language of the Tuscaroras;
  which Pathfinder spoke fluently; but; as that tongue is
  understood only by the extremely learned; we shall trans…
  late it freely into the English; preserving; as far as possi…
  ble; the tone of thought of each interlocutor; as well as the
  peculiarities of manner。  June had suffered her hair to fall
  about her face; had taken a seat on a stone which had been
  dug from the excavation made by the grave; and was hang…
  ing over the spot which contained the body of Arrowhead;
  unconscious of the presence of any other。  She believed;
  indeed; that all had left the island but herself; and the
  tread of the guide's moccassined foot was too noiseless
  rudely to undeceive her。
  Pathfinder stood gazing at the woman for several min…
  utes in mute attention。  The contemplation of her grief;
  the recollection of her irreparable loss; and the view of her
  desolation produced a healthful influence on his own feel…
  ings; his reason telling him how much deeper lay the
  sources of grief in a young wife; who was suddenly and
  violently deprived of her husband; than in himself。
  〃Dew…of…June;〃 he said solemnly; but with an earnest…
  ness which denoted the strength of his sympathy; 〃you
  are not alone in your sorrow。  Turn; and let your eyes look
  upon a friend。〃
  〃June has no longer any friend!〃 the woman answered。
  〃Arrowhead has gone to the happy hunting…grounds; and
  there is no one left to care for June。  The Tuscaroras
  would chase her from their wigwams; the Iroquois are
  hateful in her eyes; and she could not look at them。  No!
  leave June to starve over the grave of her husband。〃
  〃This will never do  this will never do。  'Tis ag'in rea…
  son and right。  You believe in the Manitou; June?〃
  〃He has hid his face from June because he is angry。
  He has left her alone to die。〃
  〃Listen to one who has had a long acquaintance with
  red natur'; though he has a white birth and white gifts。
  When the Manitou of a pale…face wishes to produce good
  in a pale…face heart He strikes it with grief; for it is in
  our sorrows; June; that we look with the truest eyes into
  ourselves; and with the farthest…sighted eyes too; as re…
  spects right。  The Great Spirit wishes you well; and He
  has taken away the chief; lest you should be led astray by
  his wily tongue; and get to be a Mingo in your disposition;
  as you were already in your company。〃
  〃Arrowhead was a great chief;〃 returned the woman
  proudly。
  〃He had his merits; he had; and he had his demerits;
  too。  But June you are not desarted; nor will you be soon。
  Let you; grief out  let it out; accordiug to natur'; and
  when the proper time comes I shall have more to say to
  you。〃
  Pathfinder now went to his own canoe; and he left the
  island。  In the course of the day June heard the crack of
  his rifle once or twice; and as the sun was setting he re…
  appeared; bringing her birds ready cooked; and of a deli…
  cacy and flavor that might have tempted the appitite of
  an epicure。  This species of intercourse lasted a month;
  June obstinately refusing to abandon the grave of her hus…
  band all that time; though she still accepted the friendly
  offerings of her protector。  Occasionally they met and con…
  versed; Pathfinder sounding the state of the woman's feel…
  ings; but the interviews were short; and far from frequent。
  June slept in one of the huts; and she laid down her head
  in security; for she was conscious of the protection of a
  friend; though Pathfinder invariably retired at night to an
  adjacent island; where he had built himself a hut。
  At the end of the month; however; the season was getting
  to be too far advanced to render her situation pleasant to
  June。  The trees had lost their leaves; and the nights were
  becoming cold and wintry。  It was time to depart。
  At this moment Chingachgook reappeared。  He had a
  long and confidential interview on the island with his
  friend。  June witnessed their movements; and she saw that
  her guardian was distressed。  Stealing to his side; she en…
  deavored to soothe his sorrow with a woman's gentleness
  and with a woman's instinct。
  〃Thank you; June; thank you!〃 he said; 〃'tis well
  meant; though it's useless。  But it is time to quit this
  place。  To…morrow we shall depart。  You will go with us;
  for now you've got to feel reason。〃
  June assented in the meek manner of an Indian woman;
  and she withdrew to pass the remainder of her time near
  the grave of Arrowhead。  Regardless of the hour and the
  season; the young widow did not pillow her head during
  the whole of that autumnal night。  She sat near the spot
  that held the remains of her husband; and prayed; in the
  manner of her people; for his success on the endless path
  on which he had so lately gone; and for their reunion in
  the land of the just。  Humble and degraded as she would
  have seemed in the eyes of the sophisticated and unreflect…
  ing; the image of God was on her soul; and it vindicated
  its divine origin by aspirations and feelings that would
  have surprised those who; feigning more; feel less。
  In the morning the three departed; Pathfinder earnest
  and intelligent in all he did; the Great Serpent silent and
  imitative; and June meek; resigned; but sorrowful。  They
  went in two canoes; that of the woman being abandoned:
  Chingachgook led the way; and Pathfinder followed; the
  course being up stream。  Two days they paddled westward;
  and as many nights they encamped on islands。  Fortu…
  nately the weather became mild; and when they reached
  the lake it was found smooth and glassy as a pond。  It was
  the Indian summer; and the calms; and almost the bland…
  ness of June; slept in the hazy atmosphere。
  On the morning of the third day they passed the mouth
  of the Oswego; where the fort and the sleeping ensign in…
  vited them in vain to enter。  Without casting a look aside;
  Chingachgook paddled past the dark waters of the river;
  and Pathfinder still followed in silent industry。  The
  ramparts were crowded with spectators; but Lundie; who
  knew the persons of his old friends; refused to allow them
  to be even hailed。
  It was noon when Chingachgook entered a little bay
  where the _Scud_ lay at anchor; in a sort of roadstead。  A
  small ancient clearing was on the shore; and near the
  margin of the lake was a log dwelling; recently and com…
  pletely; though rudely fitted up。  There was an air of fron…
  tier comfort and of frontier abundance around the place;
  though it was necessarily wild and solitary。  Jasper stood
  on the shore; and when Pathfinder landed; he was the
  first to take him by the hand。  The meeting was simple;
  but very cordial。  No questions were asked; it being ap…
  parent that Chingachgook had made the necessary expla…
  nantions。  Pathfinder never squeezed his friend's hand
  more cordially than in this interview; and he even laughed
  cordially in his face as he told him how happy and well he
  appeared。
  〃Where is she; Jasper? where is she?〃 the guide at
  length whispered; for at first he had seemed to be afraid
  to trust himself with the question。
  〃She is waiting for us in the house; my dear friend;
  where you see that June has already hastened before us。〃
  〃June may use a lighter step to meet Mabel; but she can…
  not carry a lighter heart。  And so; lad; you found the chap…
  lain at the garrison; and all was soon settled?〃
  〃We were married within a week after we left you; and
  Master Cap departed next day。  You have forgotten to in…
  quire about your friend Saltwater。〃
  〃Not I; not I; the Sarpent has told me all that: and
  then I love to hear so much of Mabel and her happiness;
  I do。  Did the child smile or did she weep when the cere…
  mony was over?〃
  〃She did both; my friend; but  〃
  〃Yes; that's their natur'; tearful and cheerful。  Ah's
  me! they are very pleasant to us of the woods; and I do
  believe I should think all right; whatever Mabel might do。
  And do you think; Jasper; that she thought of me at all
  on that joyful occasion?〃
  〃I know she did; Pathfinder; and she thinks of you and
  talks of you daily; almost hourly。  None love you as we
  do。〃
  〃I know few love me better than yourself; Jasper:
  Chingachgook is perhaps; now; the only creatur' of whom
  I can say that。  Well; there's no use in putting it off any
  longer; it must be done; and may as well be done at once;
  so; Jasper; lead the way; and I'll endivor to lo