第 47 节
作者:
泰达魔王 更新:2021-02-24 23:21 字数:9322
their dialect; and it is no improvement; neither。〃
〃Very true: and what sort of people are the Mingos; my
friend?〃 inquired the Sergeant; touching the other on his
shoulder; by way of enforcing a remark; the inherent truth
of which sensibly increased its value in the eyes of the
speaker: 〃no one knows them better than yourself; and I
ask you what sort of a tribe are they?〃
〃Jasper is no Mingo; Sergeant。〃
〃He speaks French; and he might as well be; in that
particular。 Brother Cap; can you recollect no movement
of this unfortunate young man; in the way of his calling;
that would seem to denote treachery?〃
〃Not distinctly; Sergeant; though he has gone to work
wrong…end foremost half his time。 It is true that one of
his hands coiled a rope against the sun; and he called it
_querling_ a rope; too; when I asked him what he was about;
but I am not certain that anything was meant by it;
though; I daresay; the French coil half their running rig…
ging the wrong way; and may call it 'querling it down;'
too; for that matter。 Then Jasper himself belayed the end
of the jib…halyards to a stretcher in the rigging; instead of
bringing in to the mast; where they belong; at least among
British sailors。〃
〃I daresay Jasper may have got some Canada notions
about working his craft; from being so much on the other
side;〃 Pathfinder interposed; 〃but catching an idee; or a
word; isn't treachery and bad faith。 I sometimes get an
idee from the Mingos themselves; but my heart has always
been with the Delawares。 No; no; Jasper is true; and the
king might trust him with his crown; just as he would
trust his eldest son; who; as he is to wear it one day; ought
to be the last man to wish to steal it。〃
〃Fine talking; fine talking!〃 said Cap; 〃all fine talk…
ing; Master Pathfinder; but dd little logic。 In the first
place; the king's majesty cannot lend his crown; it being
contrary to the laws of the realm; which require him to
wear it at all times; in order that his sacred person may
be known; just as the silver oar is necessary to a sheriff's
officer afloat。 In the next place; it's high treason; by law;
for the eldest son of his majesty ever to covet the crown;
or to have a child; except in lawful wedlock; as either
would derange the succession。 Thus you see; friend Path…
finder that in order to reason truly; one must get under
way; as it might be; on the right tack。 Law is reason; and
reason is philosophy; and philosophy is a steady drag;
whence it follows that crowns are regulated by law; reason;
and philosophy。〃
〃I know little of all this; Master Cap; but nothing short
of seeing and feeling will make me think Jasper Western
a traitor。〃
〃There you are wrong again; Pathfinder; for there is a
way of proving a thing much more conclusively than
either seeing or feeling; or by both together; and that is
by a circumstance。〃
〃It may be so in the settlements; but it is not so here
on the lines。〃
〃It is so in nature; which is monarch over all。 There
was a circumstance; just after we came on board this even…
ing; that is extremely suspicious; and which may be set
down at once as a makeweight against this lad。 Jasper
bent on the king's ensign with his own hands; and; while
he pretended to be looking at Mabel and the soldier's wife;
giving directions about showing them below here; and a
that; he got the flag union down!〃
〃That might have been accident;〃 returned the Ser…
geant; 〃for such a thing has happened to myself; besides;
the halyards lead to a pulley; and the flag would have
come right; or not; according to the manner in which the
lad hoisted it。〃
〃A pulley!〃 exclaimed Cap; with strong disgust; 〃I
wish; Sergeant Dunham; I could prevail on you to use
proper terms。 An ensign…halyard…block is no more a pul…
ley than your halbert is a boarding…pike。 It is true that
by hoisting on one part; another part would go uppermost;
but I look upon that affair of the ensign; now you have
mentioned your suspicions; as a circumstance; and shall
bear it in mind。 I trust supper is not to be overlooked;
however; even if we have a hold full of traitors。〃
〃It will be duly attended to; brother Cap; but I shall
count on you for aid in managing the _Scud_; should any…
thing occur to induce me to arrest Jasper。〃
〃I'll not fail you; Sergeant; and in such an event you'll
probably learn what this cutter can really perform; for; as
yet; I fancy it is pretty much matter of guesswork。〃
〃Well; for my part;〃 said Pathfinder; drawing a heavy
sigh; 〃I shall cling to the hope of Jasper's innocence; and
recommend plain dealing; by asking the lad himself; with…
out further delay; whether he is or is not a traitor。 I'll
put Jasper Western against all the presentiments and cir…
cumstances in the colony。〃
〃That will never do;〃 rejoined the Sergeant。 〃The re…
sponsibility of this affair rests with me; and I request and
enjoin that nothing be said to any one without my knowl…
edge。 We will all keep watchful eyes about us; and take
proper note of circumstances。〃
〃Ay; ay! circumstances are the things after all;〃 re…
turned Cap。 〃One circumstance is worth fifty facts。 That
I know to be the law of the realm。 Many a man has been
hanged on circumstances。〃
The conversation now ceased; and; after a short delay;
the whole party returned to the deck; each individual dis…
posed to view the conduct of the suspected Jasper in the
manner most suited to his own habits and character。
CHAPTER XIV。
Even such a man; so faint; so spiritless;
So dull; so dead in look; so woe…begone;
Drew Priam's Curtain in the dead of night;
And would have told him; half his Troy was burned。
SHAKESPEARE。
All this time matters were elsewhere passing in their
usual train。 Jasper; like the weather and his vessel; seemed
to be waiting for the land…breeze; while the soldiers; ac…
customed to early rising; had; to a man; sought their pallets
in the main hold。 None remained on deck but the people
of the cutter; Mr。 Muir; and the two females。 The Quar…
termaster was endeavoring to render himself agreeable to
Mabel; while our heroine herself; little affected by his as…
siduities; which she ascribed partly to the habitual gallantry
of a soldier; and partly; perhaps; to her own pretty face;
was enjoying the peculiarities of a scene and situation
which; to her; were full of the charms of novelty。
The sails had been hoisted; but as yet not a breath of
air was in motion; and so still and placid was the lake;
that not the smallest motion was perceptible in the cutter。
She had drifted in the river…current to a distance a little
exceeding a quarter of a mile from the land; and there she
lay; beautiful in her symmetry and form; but like a fix…
ture。 Young Jasper was on the quarter…deck; near enough
to hear occasionally the conversation which passed; but
too diffident of his own claim; and too intent on his duties;
to attempt to mingle in it。 The fine blue eyes of Mabel
followed his motions in curious expectation; and more than
once the Quartermaster had to repeat his compliments
before she heard them; so intent was she on the little oc…
currences of the vessel; and; we might add; so indifferent
to the eloquence of her companion。 At length; even Mr。
Muir became silent; and there was a deep stillness on the
water。 Presently an oar…blade fell in a boat beneath the
fort; and the sound reached the cutter as distinctly as if it
had been produced on her deck。 Then came a murmur;
like a sigh of the night; a fluttering of the canvas; the
creaking of the boom; and the flap of the jib。 These well…
known sounds were followed by a slight heel in the cutter;
and by the bellying of all the sails。
〃Here's the wind; Anderson;〃 called out Jasper to the
oldest of his sailors; 〃take the helm。〃
This brief order was obeyed; the helm was put up; the
cutter's bows fell off; and in a few minutes the water was
heard murmuring under her head; as the _Scud_ glanced
through the lake at the rate of five miles in the hour。 All
this passed in profound silence; when Jasper again gave
the order to 〃ease off the sheets a little and keep her
along the land。〃
It was at this instant that the party from the after…cabin
reappeared on the quarter…deck。
〃You've no inclination; Jasper lad; to trust yourself too
near our neighbours the French;〃 observed Muir; who took
that occasion to recommence the discourse。 〃Well; well;
your prudence will never be questioned by me; for I like
the Canadas as little as you can possibly like them yourself。〃
〃I hug this shore; Mr。 Muir; on account of the wind。
The land…breeze is always freshest close in; provided you
are not so near as to make a lee of the trees。 We have
Mexico Bay to cross; and that; on the present course; will
give us quite offing enough。〃
〃I'm right glad it's not the Bay of Mexico;〃 put in Cap;
〃which is a part of the world I would rather not visit in
one of your inland craft。 Does your cutter bear a weather
helm; master Eau…douce?〃
〃She is easy on her rudder; master Cap; but likes look…
ing up at the breeze as well as another; when in lively
motion。〃
〃I suppose you have such things as reefs; though