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