第175章

"No one will blame you, Pathfinder, for marrying Mabel Dunham, any more than they will blame you for wearing a precious jewel in your bosom that a friend had freely given you.""Do you think they'll blame Mabel, lad? I've had my misgivings about that, too; for all persons may not be so disposed to look at me with the same eyes as you and the Sergeant's daughter."Jasper Eau-douce started as a man flinches at sudden bodily pain; but he otherwise maintained his self-com-mand."And mankind is envious and ill-natured, more particularly in and about the garrisons.I sometimes wish, Jasper, that Mabel could have taken a fancy to you, -- Ido; and that you had taken a fancy to her; for it often seems to me that one like you, after all, might make her happier than I ever can.""We will not talk about this, Pathfinder," interrupted Jasper hoarsely and impatiently; "you will be Mabel's husband, and it is not right to speak of any one else in that character.As for me, I shall take Master Cap's advice, and try and make a man of myself by seeing what is to be done on the salt water.""You, Jasper Western! -- you quit the lakes, the forests, and the lines; and this, too, for the towns and wasty ways of the settlements, and a little difference in the taste of the water.Haven't we the salt-licks, if salt is necessary to you? and oughtn't man to be satisfied with what con-tents the other creaturs of God? I counted on you, Jas-per, I counted on you, I did; and thought, now that Mabel and I intend to dwell in a cabin of our own, that some day you might be tempted to choose a companion too, and come and settle in our neighborhood.There is a beauti-ful spot, about fifty miles west of the garrison, that I had chosen in my mind for my own place of abode; and there is an excellent harbor about ten leagues this side of it where you could run in and out with the cutter at any leisure minute; and I'd even fancied you and your wife in possession of the one place, and Mabel and I in possession of t'other.We should be just a healthy hunt apart; and if the Lord ever intends any of His creaturs to be happy on 'arth, none could be happier than we four.""You forget, my friend," answered Jasper, taking the guide's hand and forcing a friendly smile, "that I have no fourth person to love and cherish; and I much doubt if I ever shall love any other as I love you and Mabel.""Thank'e, boy; I thank you with all my heart; but what you call love for Mabel is only friendship like, and a very different thing from what I feel.Now, instead of sleeping as sound as natur' at midnight, as I used to could, I dream nightly of Mabel Dunham.The young does sport before me; and when I raise Killdeer, in order to take a little venison, the animals look back, and it seems as if they all had Mabel's sweet countenance, laughing in my face, and looking as if they said, 'Shoot me if you dare!'

Then I hear her soft voice calling out among the birds as they sing; and no later than the last nap I took, I be-thought me, in fancy, of going over the Niagara, holding Mabel in my arms, rather than part from her.The bit-terest moments I've ever known were them in which the devil, or some Mingo conjuror, perhaps, has just put into my head to fancy in dreams that Mabel is lost to me by some unaccountable calamity -- either by changefulness or by violence.""Oh, Pathfinder! if you think this so bitter in a dream, what must it be to one who feels its reality, and knows it all to be true, true, true? So true as to leave no hope; to leave nothing but despair!"These words burst from Jasper as a fluid pours from the vessel that has been suddenly broken.They were uttered involuntarily, almost unconsciously, but with a truth and feeling that carried with them the instant conviction of their deep sincerity.Pathfinder started, gazed at his friend for full a minute like one bewildered, and then it was that, in despite of all his simplicity, the truth gleamed upon him.All know how corroborating proofs crowd upon the mind as soon as it catches a direct clue to any hitherto unsuspected fact; how rapidly the thoughts flow and pre-mises tend to their just conclusions under such circum-stances.Our hero was so confiding by nature, so just, and so much disposed to imagine that all his friends wished him the same happiness as he wished them, that, until this unfortunate moment, a suspicion of Jasper's attachment for Mabel had never been awakened in his bosom.He was, however, now too experienced in the emotions which characterize the passion; and the burst of feeling in his companion was too violent and too natural to leave any further doubt on the subject.The feeling that first fol-lowed this change of opinion was one of deep humility and exquisite pain.He bethought him of Jasper's youth, his higher claims to personal appearance, and all the general probabilities that such a suitor would be more agreeable to Mabel than he could possibly be himself.Then the noble rectitude of mind, for which the man was so distinguished, asserted its power; it was sustained by his rebuked man-ner of thinking of himself, and all that habitual deference for the rights and feelings of others which appeared to be inbred in his very nature.Taking the arm of Jasper, he led him to a log, where he compelled the young man to seat himself by a sort of irresistible exercise of his iron muscles, and where he placed himself at his side.