Latest / Thrilling Adventures - Daily / 08 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper
Transcript
- 0:01Speaker 1: Chapter eight quote they linger yet avengers of their native
- 0:08Speaker 1: land quote by Gray. The warning call of the scout
- 0:14Speaker 1: was not muttered without occasion during the occurrence of the
- 0:17Speaker 1: deadly encounter just related, the roar of the falls was
- 0:21Speaker 1: unbroken by any human sound. Whatever. It would seem that
- 0:26Speaker 1: interest in the result had kept the natives on the
- 0:28Speaker 1: opposite shores in breathless suspense, while the quick evolutions and
- 0:33Speaker 1: swift changes in the positions of the combatants effectually prevented
- 0:37Speaker 1: a fire that might prove dangerous alike to friend an enemy.
- 0:42Speaker 1: But the moment the struggle was decided, a yell arose,
- 0:46Speaker 1: as fierce and savage as wild and revengeful passions could
- 0:49Speaker 1: throw into the air. It was followed by the swift
- 0:53Speaker 1: flashes of the rifles, which sent their leaden messenger across
- 0:57Speaker 1: the rock in volleys, as though the assassillance would pour
- 1:01Speaker 1: out their impotent fury on the insensible scene of the
- 1:04Speaker 1: fatal contest. A steady, though deliberate return was made from
- 1:09Speaker 1: the rifle of Chinkotchkok, who had maintained his post throughout
- 1:13Speaker 1: the fray with unmoved resolution. When the triumphant shout of
- 1:18Speaker 1: Uncas was borne to his ears. The gratified father raised
- 1:22Speaker 1: his voice in a single responsive cry, after which his
- 1:27Speaker 1: busy peace alone proved that he still guarded his pass
- 1:31Speaker 1: with unwearied diligence. In this manner, many minutes flew by
- 1:36Speaker 1: with the swiftness of thought, the rifles of the assailants
- 1:39Speaker 1: speaking at times in rattling volleys, and at others in
- 1:43Speaker 1: occasional scattering shots. Though the rock, the trees, and the
- 1:47Speaker 1: shrubs were cut and torn in a hundred places around
- 1:51Speaker 1: the besieged. Their cover was so close and so rigidly maintained,
- 1:56Speaker 1: that as yet David had been the only so in
- 2:01Speaker 1: their little band. Let them burn their powder, said the
- 2:04Speaker 1: deliberate scout, while bullet after bullet whizzed by the place
- 2:08Speaker 1: where he securely lay. There will be a fine gathering
- 2:12Speaker 1: of lead when it is over, and I fancy the
- 2:15Speaker 1: imps will tire of the sport before these old stones
- 2:18Speaker 1: cry out for mercy. Uncas, boy, you waste the kernels
- 2:23Speaker 1: by overcharging. And a kicking rifle never carries a true bullet.
- 2:29Speaker 1: I told you to take that loping miscreant under the
- 2:33Speaker 1: line of white point. Now, if your bullet went a
- 2:37Speaker 1: hair's breadth, it went two inches above it. The life
- 2:41Speaker 1: lies low in a mingo, and humanity teaches us to
- 2:45Speaker 1: make a quick end to the serpents. A quiet smile
- 2:49Speaker 1: lighted the haughty features of the young Mohican, betraying his
- 2:53Speaker 1: knowledge of the English language as well as of the
- 2:56Speaker 1: other's meaning. But he suffered it to pass away without
- 3:00Speaker 1: vindication of reply. I cannot permit you to accuse Uncas
- 3:06Speaker 1: of want, of judgment or of skill, said Duncan. He
- 3:10Speaker 1: saved my life in the coolest and readiest manner, and
- 3:13Speaker 1: he has made a friend who will never require to
- 3:16Speaker 1: be reminded of the debt he owed. Uncas partly raised
- 3:21Speaker 1: his body and offered his hand to the grasp of Heyward.
- 3:25Speaker 1: During this act of friendship, the two young men exchanged
- 3:29Speaker 1: looks of intelligence, which caused Duncan to forget the character
- 3:33Speaker 1: and condition of his wild associate. In the meanwhile, Hawkeye,
- 3:39Speaker 1: who looked on this burst of youthful feeling with a
- 3:41Speaker 1: cool but kind regard, made the following reply. Life is
- 3:46Speaker 1: an obligation which friends often owe each other in the wilderness.
- 3:50Speaker 1: I dare say I may have served Uncas some such
- 3:53Speaker 1: turn myself before now, and I very well remember that
- 3:57Speaker 1: he has stood between me and death five different times,
- 4:01Speaker 1: three times from the mingoes, once in crossing the Horican,
- 4:05Speaker 1: and that bullet was better aimed than common exclaimed Duncan,
- 4:09Speaker 1: involuntary shrinking from a shot which struck the rock at
- 4:12Speaker 1: his side with a smart rebound. Hawkeye laid his hand
- 4:16Speaker 1: on the shapeless metal and shook his head as he
- 4:18Speaker 1: examined it, saying, falling lead is never flattened. Had it
- 4:22Speaker 1: come from the clouds, this might have happened, but the
- 4:26Speaker 1: rifle of Uncas was deliberately raised toward the heavens, directing
- 4:30Speaker 1: the eyes of his companions to a point where the
- 4:33Speaker 1: mystery was immediately explained. A ragged oak grew on the
- 4:38Speaker 1: right bank of the river, nearly opposite to their position, which,
- 4:42Speaker 1: seeking the freedom of open space, hand inclined so far
- 4:46Speaker 1: forward that its upper branches overhung that arm of the
- 4:50Speaker 1: stream which flowed nearest to its shore. Among the topmost leaves,
- 4:55Speaker 1: which scantily concealed the gnarled and stunded limbs, a savage
- 4:59Speaker 1: was partly concealed by the trunk of the tree and
- 5:03Speaker 1: partly exposed, as though looking down upon them to ascertain
- 5:08Speaker 1: the effect produced by his treacherous aim. These devils will
- 5:12Speaker 1: scale heaven to circumvent us to our ruin, said Hawkeye.
- 5:17Speaker 1: Keep him in, playboy, until I can bring kildeer to bear,
- 5:20Speaker 1: when we will try his metal on each side of
- 5:23Speaker 1: the tree at once. Uncas delayed his fire until the
- 5:27Speaker 1: scout uttered the word. The rifles flashed, and the leaves
- 5:30Speaker 1: and bark of the oak flew into the air and
- 5:32Speaker 1: were scattered by the wind. But the Indian answered their
- 5:35Speaker 1: assault by a taunting laugh, sending down upon them another
- 5:39Speaker 1: bullet in return that struck the cap of Hawkeye from
- 5:43Speaker 1: his head. Once more, the savage yells burst out of
- 5:46Speaker 1: the woods, and the leaden hail whistled above the heads
- 5:49Speaker 1: of the besieged, as if to confine them to a
- 5:52Speaker 1: place where they might become easy victims. To the enterprise
- 5:55Speaker 1: of the warrior who had mounted the tree, this must
- 5:58Speaker 1: be looked to, said the skin, glancing about him with
- 6:01Speaker 1: an anxious eye. Uncas, call up, your father, We have
- 6:05Speaker 1: need of all of our weapons to bring the cunning
- 6:07Speaker 1: varment from his roost. The signal was instantly given, and
- 6:11Speaker 1: before Hawkeye had reloaded his rifle, they were joined by Chinotchkok.
- 6:16Speaker 1: When his son pointed out to the experienced warrior the
- 6:19Speaker 1: situation of their dangerous enemy. The usual exclamatory hugh burst
- 6:25Speaker 1: from his lips, after which no further expression of surprise
- 6:28Speaker 1: or alarm was suffered to escape him. Hawkeye and the
- 6:32Speaker 1: Mohicans conversed earnestly together in Delaware for a few moments,
- 6:37Speaker 1: when each quietly took his post in order to execute
- 6:41Speaker 1: the plan they had speedily devised. The warrior in the
- 6:45Speaker 1: oak had maintained a quick, though ineffectual fire from the
- 6:49Speaker 1: moment of his discovery, but his aim was interrupted by
- 6:53Speaker 1: the vigilance of his enemies, whose rifles instantaneously bore on
- 6:57Speaker 1: any part of his person that was left exposed. Still,
- 7:01Speaker 1: his bullets fell in the center of the crouching party.
- 7:04Speaker 1: The clothes of Heyward, which rendered him particularly conspicuous, were
- 7:09Speaker 1: repeatedly cut, and once blood was drawn from a slight
- 7:13Speaker 1: wound in his arm. At length, Emboldened by the long
- 7:17Speaker 1: and patient watchfulness of his enemies, the Huron attempted a
- 7:21Speaker 1: better and more fatal aim. The quick eyes of the
- 7:26Speaker 1: Mohicans caught the dark line of his lower limbs, incautiously
- 7:30Speaker 1: exposed through the thin foliage a few inches from the
- 7:33Speaker 1: trunk of the tree. Their rifles made a common report. When,
- 7:38Speaker 1: sinking on his wounded whim, part of the body of
- 7:41Speaker 1: the savage came into view. Swift as thought, Hawkeye seized
- 7:45Speaker 1: the advantage and discharged his fatal weapon into the top
- 7:49Speaker 1: of the oak. The LEAs were unusually agitated. The dangerous
- 7:54Speaker 1: rifle fell from its commanding elevation, and after a few
- 7:58Speaker 1: moments of vain struggling, the form of the savage was
- 8:01Speaker 1: seen swinging in the wind while he still grasped a
- 8:05Speaker 1: ragged and naked branch of the tree, with hands clenched
- 8:10Speaker 1: in desperation. Give him in pity, give him the contents
- 8:14Speaker 1: of another rifle, cried Duncan, turning away his eyes in
- 8:18Speaker 1: horror from the spectacle of a fellow creature in such
- 8:21Speaker 1: awful jeopardy. Not a carnal, exclaimed the abdured Hawkeye. His
- 8:26Speaker 1: death is certain, and we have no powder to spare.
- 8:29Speaker 1: For Indian fights sometimes lasts for days. Tis, their scalps
- 8:34Speaker 1: are ours, and God who made us, has put into
- 8:37Speaker 1: our nature's the craving tis. Keep the skin on the
- 8:39Speaker 1: head against this stern and unyielding morality, supported as it
- 8:44Speaker 1: was by such visible policy, there was no appeal. From
- 8:48Speaker 1: that moment. The yells in the forest once more ceased,
- 8:52Speaker 1: the fire was suffered to decline, and all eyes, those
- 8:56Speaker 1: of friends as well as enemies, became fixed on the
- 9:00Speaker 1: hopeless condition of the wretch who was dangling between heaven
- 9:04Speaker 1: and earth. The body yielded to the currents of the air,
- 9:08Speaker 1: and though no murmur or groan escaped the victim, there
- 9:12Speaker 1: were instants when he grimly faced his foes, and the
- 9:17Speaker 1: anguish of cold despair might be traced through the intervening distance.
- 9:22Speaker 1: In possession of his swarthy lineaments. Three several times the
- 9:27Speaker 1: scout raised his peace in mercy, and as often prudence
- 9:32Speaker 1: getting the better of his intention, it was again silently lowered.
- 9:36Speaker 2: At length.
- 9:37Speaker 1: One hand of the huron lost its hold and dropped,
- 9:40Speaker 1: exhausted to his side. A desperate and fruitless struggle to
- 9:44Speaker 1: recover the branch succeeded, and then the savage was seen
- 9:50Speaker 1: for a fleeting instant, grasping wildly at the empty air.
- 9:54Speaker 1: The lightning is not quicker than was the flame from
- 9:56Speaker 1: the rifle of Hawkeye. The limbs of the victim trembled
- 10:00Speaker 1: and contracted. The head fell to the bosom, and the
- 10:03Speaker 1: body parted the foaming waters like lead. When the element
- 10:08Speaker 1: closed above it in its ceaseless velocity, and every vistage
- 10:12Speaker 1: of the unhappy huron was lost forever. No shout of
- 10:16Speaker 1: triumph succeeded this important advantage, but even the Mohicans gazed
- 10:21Speaker 1: at each other in silent horror. A single yell burst
- 10:25Speaker 1: from the woods, and all was again still. Hawkeye, who
- 10:31Speaker 1: alone appeared to reason on the occasion, shook his head
- 10:35Speaker 1: at his own momentary weakness, even uttering his self disapprobation aloud.
- 10:43Speaker 1: Twas the last charge in my horn, and the last
- 10:46Speaker 1: bullet in my pouch, and twas the act of a boy.
- 10:50Speaker 1: He said, what mattered whether he struck the rock living
- 10:54Speaker 1: or dead. Filling would soon be over. Uncas lad, coult
- 11:00Speaker 1: down to the canoe and bring up the big horn.
- 11:03Speaker 1: It is all the powder we have left, and we
- 11:06Speaker 1: shall need it to the last grain, Or I am
- 11:09Speaker 1: ignorant of the Mingo nature, the young Mohican complied, leaving
- 11:13Speaker 1: the scalp, turning over the useless contents of his pouch,
- 11:16Speaker 1: and shaking the empty horn with renewed discontent. From this
- 11:22Speaker 1: unsatisfactory examination, however, he was soon called by a loud
- 11:26Speaker 1: and piercing exclamation from Uncas that sounded even to the
- 11:31Speaker 1: unpracticed ears of Duncan as the signal of some new
- 11:34Speaker 1: and unexpected calamity. Every thought filled with apprehension for the
- 11:39Speaker 1: previous treasure he had concealed in the cavern, the young
- 11:43Speaker 1: man started to his feet, totally regardless of the hazard
- 11:47Speaker 1: he incurred by such an exposure, as if actuated by
- 11:50Speaker 1: a common impulse. His movement was imitated by his companions,
- 11:55Speaker 1: and together they rushed down the pass to the friendly
- 11:58Speaker 1: chasm with a rapidity that rendered the scattering fire of
- 12:01Speaker 1: their enemies perfectly harmless. The unwonted cry had brought the
- 12:06Speaker 1: sisters together with the wounded David from their place of refuge,
- 12:10Speaker 1: and the whole party, at a single glance was made
- 12:13Speaker 1: acquainted with the nature of the disaster that had disturbed
- 12:16Speaker 1: even the practiced stoicism of their youthful Indian protector. At
- 12:21Speaker 1: a short distance from the rock, their little bark was
- 12:24Speaker 1: to be seen floating across the eddy toward the swift
- 12:27Speaker 1: current of the river, in a manner which proved that
- 12:31Speaker 1: its course was directed by some hidden agent. The instant
- 12:35Speaker 1: this unwelcome sight caught the eye of the scout. His
- 12:38Speaker 1: rifle was leveled as by instinct, but the barrel gave
- 12:42Speaker 1: no answer to the bright sparks of the flint.
- 12:45Speaker 2: Tis too late, Tis too late.
- 12:48Speaker 1: Hawkeye exclaimed, dropping the useless peace in bitter disappointment. The
- 12:53Speaker 1: miscreant has struck the rapid, and had we powder, it
- 12:57Speaker 1: could hardly send the lead swifter than he now goes use.
- 13:01Speaker 1: The adventuro Churon raised his head above the shelter of
- 13:04Speaker 1: the canoe, and while it glided swiftly down the stream,
- 13:08Speaker 1: he waved his hand and gave forth a shout, which
- 13:11Speaker 1: was the known signal of success. His cry was answered
- 13:15Speaker 1: by a yelling a laugh from the woods, as tawningly exalting,
- 13:18Speaker 1: as if fifty demons were undering their blasphemies at the.
- 13:22Speaker 2: Fall of some Christian soul.
- 13:25Speaker 1: Well may you laugh, ye, children of the devil, said
- 13:28Speaker 1: the scout, seating himself on a projection of the rock,
- 13:31Speaker 1: and suffering his gun to fall neglected at his feet.
- 13:35Speaker 1: For the three quickest and truest rifles in these woods
- 13:38Speaker 1: are no better than so many stalks of mullein, or
- 13:42Speaker 1: the last year's horns of a buck. What is to
- 13:45Speaker 1: be done, demanded Duncan, losing the first feeling of disappointment
- 13:50Speaker 1: in a more manly desire for exertion. What will become
- 13:53Speaker 1: of us? Hawkeye made no other reply than by passing
- 13:58Speaker 1: his finger around the crown his head in a manner
- 14:02Speaker 1: so significant that none who witnessed the action could mistake
- 14:05Speaker 1: its meaning. Surely our case is not so desperate, exclaimed
- 14:10Speaker 1: the youth. The Hurons are not here. We may make
- 14:14Speaker 1: good the caverns. We may oppose their landing with what
- 14:19Speaker 1: coolly demanded the scout, the heirs of uncas, or such
- 14:23Speaker 1: tears as women shed. No, No, you are young and
- 14:27Speaker 1: rich and have friends, and at such an age, I
- 14:31Speaker 1: know it is hard to die. But glancing his eyes
- 14:35Speaker 1: at the Mohicans, let us remember we are men without
- 14:39Speaker 1: a cross, and let us teach these natives of the
- 14:42Speaker 1: forest that white blood can run as freely as red.
- 14:45Speaker 1: When the appointed hour is come, Duncan turned quickly in
- 14:49Speaker 1: the direction indicated by the other's eyes and read a
- 14:53Speaker 1: confirmation of his worst apprehensions in the conduct of the
- 14:56Speaker 1: Indians Chinch Gootchkok, placing himself in a dignified posture on
- 15:02Speaker 1: another fragment of the rock, had already laid aside his
- 15:05Speaker 1: knife and tomahawk, and was in the act of taking
- 15:08Speaker 1: the eagle plume from his head and smoothing the solitary
- 15:12Speaker 1: tuft of hair, in readiness to perform its last and
- 15:16Speaker 1: revolting office. His countenance was composed, though thoughtful, while his dark,
- 15:22Speaker 1: gleaming eyes were gradually losing the fierceness of the combat,
- 15:27Speaker 1: in an expression better suited to the change he expected
- 15:30Speaker 1: momentarily to undergo. Our case. Cannot be so hopeless, said Duncan.
- 15:37Speaker 1: Even at this very moment, succor may be at hand.
- 15:41Speaker 1: I see no enemies. They have sickened of a struggle
- 15:44Speaker 1: in which they risked so much with so little prospect
- 15:47Speaker 1: of gain. It may be a minute, or it may
- 15:50Speaker 1: be an hour. Afore the wily serpents steal upon us,
- 15:54Speaker 1: and it is quite in nature for them to be
- 15:56Speaker 1: lying within hearing at this very moment, said Hawkeye. Come
- 16:00Speaker 1: they will, and in such a fashion as will leave
- 16:03Speaker 1: us nothing to hope. Chingotchkook, he spoke in delaware, my brother,
- 16:09Speaker 1: we have fought our last battle together, and the makers
- 16:12Speaker 1: will triumph in the death of the sage man of
- 16:15Speaker 1: the Mohicans and of the pale face, whose eyes can
- 16:19Speaker 1: make night as day and level the clouds to the
- 16:22Speaker 1: midst of the springs. Let the Mingo women weep over
- 16:27Speaker 1: the slain. Returned the Indian with characteristic pride and unmoved firmness.
- 16:32Speaker 1: The great snake of the Mohicans has coiled himself in
- 16:36Speaker 1: their wigwams, and has poisoned their triumph with the wailings
- 16:39Speaker 1: of children whose fathers have not returned. Eleven warriors lie
- 16:45Speaker 1: hid from the graves of their tribes since the snows
- 16:48Speaker 1: have melted, and none will tell where to find them.
- 16:52Speaker 1: When the tongue of chinotch cook shall be silent, Let
- 16:55Speaker 1: them draw the sharpest knife and whirl the swiftest tomahawk,
- 17:00Speaker 1: for their bitterest enemy is in their hands. Uncas topmost
- 17:06Speaker 1: branch of a noble trunk, call on the cowers to hasten,
- 17:10Speaker 1: or their hearts will soften and they will change to women.
- 17:14Speaker 2: They look among the fishes for their dead.
- 17:17Speaker 1: Returned the low, soft voice of the chieftain. The urons
- 17:21Speaker 1: float with the slimy eels. They drop from the oaks
- 17:26Speaker 1: like fruit that is ready to be eaten, and the
- 17:29Speaker 1: telawares laugh. Aye, Aye, muttered the scout, who had listened
- 17:34Speaker 1: to this peculiar burst of the natives with deep attention.
- 17:38Speaker 1: They have warmed their Indian feelings, and they'll soon provoke
- 17:41Speaker 1: the Maquas to give them a speedy end. As for me,
- 17:45Speaker 1: who am the whole blood of the whites, it is
- 17:47Speaker 1: befitting that I should die as becomes my color, with
- 17:51Speaker 1: no words of scoffing in my mouth, and without bitterness
- 17:55Speaker 1: at the heart.
- 17:57Speaker 2: Why die at all?
- 17:59Speaker 1: Said Cora, advancing from the place where natural horror had
- 18:02Speaker 1: until this moment held her riveted to the rock.
- 18:06Speaker 2: The path is open on every side. Fly then to
- 18:10Speaker 2: the woods and call on God for succor go, brave men,
- 18:15Speaker 2: we owe you too much already, Let us no longer
- 18:18Speaker 2: involve you in our hapless fortunes. You know little of
- 18:22Speaker 2: the craft of the Iroquois, lady, if you judge, they
- 18:26Speaker 2: have left the path open to the woods, returned Hawkeye, who, however,
- 18:31Speaker 2: immediately added in his simplicity, the downstream current, it is certain,
- 18:37Speaker 2: might soon sweep us beyond the reach of their.
- 18:39Speaker 1: Rifles or the sound of their voices.
- 18:43Speaker 2: Then try the river, Why linger to add to the
- 18:47Speaker 2: number of the victims of our merciless enemies.
- 18:51Speaker 1: Why, repeated the scout, looking about him proudly, Because it
- 18:55Speaker 1: is better for a man to die at peace with
- 18:58Speaker 1: himself than to live haunted by an evil conscience. What
- 19:04Speaker 1: answer could we give Monroe when he asked us where
- 19:06Speaker 1: and how we left his children? Go to him and
- 19:11Speaker 1: say that you left them with a message to hasten
- 19:13Speaker 1: their aid, returned Cora, advancing nigher to the Scout in
- 19:18Speaker 1: her generous ardor that the Hurons bear them into the
- 19:23Speaker 1: northern wilds, but that by vigilance and speed they may
- 19:28Speaker 1: be rescued. And if after all it should please Heaven
- 19:32Speaker 1: in his assistance, come too late.
- 19:35Speaker 2: Pair to him.
- 19:37Speaker 1: She continued, her voice, gradually lowering until it seemed nearly
- 19:41Speaker 1: choked the love, the blessings, the final prayers of his tatters,
- 19:50Speaker 1: and bid him not more in their early fate, but
- 19:53Speaker 1: to look forward with humble confidence to the Christians, go
- 19:57Speaker 1: to meet his children. The hard, well beaten features of
- 20:02Speaker 1: the scalp began to work, and when she had ended,
- 20:06Speaker 1: he dropped his chin to his hand, like a man,
- 20:09Speaker 1: musing profoundly on the nature of the proposal.
- 20:13Speaker 2: There is reason, in.
- 20:15Speaker 1: Her words, at length broke from his compressed and trembling lips. Aye,
- 20:21Speaker 1: they bear the spirit of Christianity. What might be right
- 20:25Speaker 1: and proper in a red skin may be sinful in
- 20:29Speaker 1: a man who has not even a cross in blood
- 20:32Speaker 1: to plead for his ignorance. Chinchkotchkok Uncas hear the talk
- 20:39Speaker 1: of the dark eyed woman, he now spoke in delaware
- 20:43Speaker 1: to his companions, and his address, though calm and deliberate,
- 20:48Speaker 1: seemed very decided. The elder Mohican heard with deep gravity
- 20:53Speaker 1: and appeared to ponder on his words, as though he
- 20:57Speaker 1: felt the importance of their import After a moment of hesitation,
- 21:02Speaker 1: he waved his hand in assent and muttered the English
- 21:06Speaker 1: word good with the peculiar emphasis of his people. Then
- 21:12Speaker 1: replacing his knife and tomahawk in his girdle, the warrior
- 21:16Speaker 1: moved silently to the edge of the rock, which was
- 21:18Speaker 1: most concealed from the banks of the river. Here he
- 21:21Speaker 1: paused a moment, pointed significantly to the woods below, and
- 21:27Speaker 1: sang a few words in his own language, as if
- 21:30Speaker 1: indicating his intended route. He dropped into the water and
- 21:35Speaker 1: sank from before the eyes of the witnesses of his movements.
- 21:39Speaker 1: The scout delayed his departure to speak to the generous girl,
- 21:43Speaker 1: whose breathing became lighter as she saw the success of
- 21:46Speaker 1: her remonstrance. Wisdom is sometimes given to the young as
- 21:51Speaker 1: well as the old, he said, and what you have
- 21:54Speaker 1: spoken is wise not to call it by a better word.
- 22:00Speaker 1: You are let into the woods. That is such of
- 22:03Speaker 1: you as may be spared for a while. Break the
- 22:06Speaker 1: twigs on the bushes as you pass, and make the
- 22:09Speaker 1: marks of your trail as broad as you can, when
- 22:13Speaker 1: if mortal eyes can see them, depend on having a
- 22:17Speaker 1: friend who will follow to the ends of the earth
- 22:20Speaker 1: before he desarts you. He gave Cora an affectionate shake
- 22:24Speaker 1: of the hand, lifted his rifle, and, after regarding it
- 22:28Speaker 1: a moment with melancholy solicitude, laid it carefully aside, and
- 22:34Speaker 1: descended to the place where Tchinoschkok had just disappeared. For
- 22:39Speaker 1: an instant he hung suspended by the rock, and, looking
- 22:43Speaker 1: about him with a countenance of peculiar care, he added, bitterly,
- 22:48Speaker 1: have the powder held out. This disgrace could never have befallen.
- 22:54Speaker 1: Then losing his hold, the water closed over his head,
- 22:59Speaker 1: and he also became lost to view. All eyes now
- 23:03Speaker 1: were turned on Uncas, who stood leaning against the ragged
- 23:07Speaker 1: rock in immovable composure. After waiting a short time, Cora
- 23:13Speaker 1: pointed down the river and said.
- 23:15Speaker 2: Your friends have not been seen and are now most
- 23:18Speaker 2: probably in safety. Is it not time for you to follow?
- 23:23Speaker 1: Uncas? Will stay? The young Mohican calmly answered in English,
- 23:28Speaker 1: to increase the horror of our capture and diminish the
- 23:32Speaker 1: chances of our release.
- 23:34Speaker 2: Go generous, young man.
- 23:36Speaker 1: Cora continued, lowering her eyes under the gaze of the Mohican, and,
- 23:40Speaker 1: perhaps with an intuitive consciousness of her power, go to
- 23:45Speaker 1: my father, as I have said, and be the most
- 23:48Speaker 1: confidential of my messengers. Tell him to trust you with
- 23:53Speaker 1: the means to buy the freedom of his daughters. Go
- 23:57Speaker 1: tis my wish, tis my prayer that you will go.
- 24:00Speaker 1: The settled, calm look of the young chief changed to
- 24:03Speaker 1: an expression of gloom, but he no longer hesitated. With
- 24:08Speaker 1: a noiseless step, he crossed the rock and dropped into
- 24:12Speaker 1: the troubled stream. Hardly a breath was drawn by those
- 24:15Speaker 1: left behind, until they caught a glimpse of his head
- 24:19Speaker 1: emerging for air far down the current, when he again
- 24:23Speaker 1: sank and was seen no more. These sudden and apparently
- 24:27Speaker 1: successful experiments had all taken place in a few minutes
- 24:30Speaker 1: of that time which had now become so precious. After
- 24:35Speaker 1: a last look at Uncas, Cora turned and, with a
- 24:38Speaker 1: quivering lip, addressed herself to Hayward. I have heard you
- 24:43Speaker 1: boasted skill in the water too. Duncan she said? Follow? Then?
- 24:47Speaker 2: The wise example set you by the simple and faithful beings.
- 24:53Speaker 1: Is such the faith that Coram and Roe would exchect
- 24:56Speaker 1: from her protector, said the young man, smiling mournfully, but
- 25:00Speaker 1: with bitterness.
- 25:01Speaker 2: This is not a time for idle subtleties and false opinions,
- 25:05Speaker 2: she answered, but a moment when every duty should be
- 25:10Speaker 2: equally considered to us. You can be of no further
- 25:14Speaker 2: service here, but your precious life may be saved for
- 25:18Speaker 2: other and nearer friends. He made no reply, though his
- 25:23Speaker 2: eye fell wistfully on the beautiful form of Alice, who
- 25:27Speaker 2: was clinging to his arm with the dependency of an infant. Consider,
- 25:32Speaker 2: continued Cora, after a pause during which she seemed to
- 25:36Speaker 2: struggle with a pang even more acute than any that
- 25:39Speaker 2: her fears had excited. That the worst to us can
- 25:44Speaker 2: peep at death a tribute that all must pay for
- 25:48Speaker 2: the good time of God's appointment. There are evils worse
- 25:52Speaker 2: than death.
- 25:54Speaker 1: Said Duncan, speaking hoarsely, and as if fretful at her importunity,
- 25:59Speaker 1: but which the presence of one who would die in
- 26:02Speaker 1: your behalf may avert. Cora seized her entreaties, and, veiling
- 26:08Speaker 1: her face in her shawl, drew the nearly insensible alice
- 26:12Speaker 1: after her into the deepest recess of the inner cavern.
- 26:17Speaker 1: End of chapter eight