Latest / Thrilling Adventures - Daily / 06 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Chapter six. Quote, though strains that once did sweet enzi
- 0:05Speaker 1: and glide, he wails a portion with judicious care, and
- 0:10Speaker 1: let us worship God, he says, with solemn air. Unquote.
- 0:16Speaker 1: Burns Heyward and his female companions witnessed this mysterious movement
- 0:23Speaker 1: with secret uneasiness. For though the conduct of the white
- 0:26Speaker 1: man had hitherto been above reproach, his rude equipments, blunt address,
- 0:33Speaker 1: and strong antipathies, together with the character of his silent associates,
- 0:38Speaker 1: were all causes for exciting distrust in minds that had
- 0:41Speaker 1: been so recently alarmed by Indian treachery. The stranger alone
- 0:46Speaker 1: disregarded the passing incidents. He seated himself on a projection
- 0:50Speaker 1: of the rocks, whence he gave no other signs of
- 0:53Speaker 1: consciousness than by the struggles of his spirit, as manifested
- 0:58Speaker 1: in the frequent and heavy size. Smothered voices were next heard,
- 1:03Speaker 1: as though men called to each other in the bowels
- 1:05Speaker 1: of the earth, when a sudden light flashed upon those
- 1:08Speaker 1: without and laid bared the much prized secret of the
- 1:10Speaker 1: place at the further extremity of a narrow, deep cavern
- 1:15Speaker 1: in the rock, whose length appeared much extended by the
- 1:18Speaker 1: perspective and the nature of the light by which it
- 1:20Speaker 1: was seen, was seated the scout holding a blazing knot
- 1:24Speaker 1: of pine. The strong glare of the fire fell full
- 1:29Speaker 1: upon his sturdy, weather beaten countenance and forest attire, lending
- 1:33Speaker 1: an air of romantic wildness to the aspect of an
- 1:37Speaker 1: individual who, seen by the sober light of day, would
- 1:41Speaker 1: have exhibited the peculiarities of a man remarkable for the
- 1:44Speaker 1: strangeness of his dress, the iron like inflexibility of his frame,
- 1:50Speaker 1: and the singular compound of quick, vigilant sagacity and of
- 1:54Speaker 1: exquisite simplicity that, by turns usurped the possession of his
- 1:59Speaker 1: muscular features. At a little distance in advance, stood uncas
- 2:04Speaker 1: his whole person thrown powerfully into view. The travelers anxiously
- 2:09Speaker 1: regarded the upright, flexible figure of the young Mohican, graceful
- 2:13Speaker 1: and unrestrained in the attitudes and movements of nature. Though
- 2:16Speaker 1: his person was more than usually screened by a green
- 2:20Speaker 1: infringed hunting shirt like that of the white man, there
- 2:23Speaker 1: was no concealment of his dark, glancing, fearless eye, a
- 2:28Speaker 1: light terrible and calm, The bold outline of his high,
- 2:31Speaker 1: haughty features, pure in their native red, or to the
- 2:35Speaker 1: dignified elevation of his receding forehead, together with all the
- 2:40Speaker 1: finest proportions of a noble head bared to the generous
- 2:43Speaker 1: scalping tuft. It was the first opportunity possessed by Duncan
- 2:48Speaker 1: and his companions to view the marked lineaments of either
- 2:51Speaker 1: of their Indian attendants, and each individual of the party
- 2:55Speaker 1: felt relieved from a burden of doubt as the proud
- 2:59Speaker 1: and determined the wild expression of the features of the
- 3:02Speaker 1: young warrior forced itself on their notice. They felt it
- 3:06Speaker 1: might be a being partially benighted in the veil of ignorance,
- 3:12Speaker 1: but it could not be one who would willingly devote
- 3:15Speaker 1: his rich natural gifts to the purpose of wanton treachery.
- 3:20Speaker 1: The ingenuous Alice gazed at his free air and proud
- 3:23Speaker 1: carriage as she would have looked upon some precious relic
- 3:27Speaker 1: of the Grecian chisel, to which life had been imparted
- 3:30Speaker 1: by the invention of a miracle. While Heyward, though accustomed
- 3:34Speaker 1: to see the perfection of form which abounds among the
- 3:37Speaker 1: uncorrupted natives, openly expressed his admiration at such an unblemished
- 3:42Speaker 1: specimen of the noblest proportions of man, I could sleep
- 3:47Speaker 1: in peace, whispered Alice, in reply, with such a fearless
- 3:51Speaker 1: and generous looking youth. For my sentinel, Shirley Duncan, those
- 3:57Speaker 1: cruel martyrs, those terrific scenes of torture of which we
- 4:01Speaker 1: read and hear so much, are never acted in the
- 4:04Speaker 1: presence of such as he. This is certainly a rare
- 4:09Speaker 1: and brilliant instance of those natural qualities in which these
- 4:12Speaker 1: peculiar people are said to excel. He answered, I agree
- 4:17Speaker 1: with you, Alice, in thinking that such a front and
- 4:20Speaker 1: eye were formed rather to intimidate than to deceive. But
- 4:24Speaker 1: let us not practice a deception upon ourselves by expecting
- 4:27Speaker 1: any other exhibition of what we esteem virtue than according
- 4:31Speaker 1: to the fashion of the savage. As bright examples of
- 4:35Speaker 1: great qualities are but too uncommon among Christians, so they
- 4:40Speaker 1: are singular and solitary with Indians, though for the honor
- 4:44Speaker 1: of our common nature, neither are incapable of producing them.
- 4:49Speaker 1: Let us then hope that this Mohican may not disappoint
- 4:53Speaker 1: our wishes, but prove what his looks assert him to
- 4:57Speaker 1: be a brave and con friend. Now Major Heyward speaks
- 5:03Speaker 1: as Major Hayward should, said Cora, who that looks at
- 5:08Speaker 1: this creature of nature remembers the shade of his skin.
- 5:12Speaker 1: A short and apparently and embarrassed silence succeeded this remark,
- 5:17Speaker 1: which was interrupted by the scout calling to them aloud
- 5:20Speaker 1: to enter. This fire begins to show to bright a flame,
- 5:24Speaker 1: he continued, as they complied, and might light the mingoes
- 5:27Speaker 1: to our undoing uncas, drop the blanket and show the
- 5:32Speaker 1: knaves its dark side. This is not such a supper
- 5:35Speaker 1: as a major of the Royal Americans has right to expect.
- 5:39Speaker 1: But I've known stout detachment of the corps glad to
- 5:42Speaker 1: eat their venison raw and without a relish too. Footnote.
- 5:48Speaker 1: In vulgar parlance, the condiments of a repast are called
- 5:51Speaker 1: by the American a relish, substituting the thing for its effect.
- 5:58Speaker 1: These provincial terms are frequently put in the mouths of
- 6:00Speaker 1: the speakers according to their several conditions in life. Most
- 6:04Speaker 1: of them are of local use, and others quite peculiar
- 6:08Speaker 1: to the particular class of men to which the character belongs.
- 6:12Speaker 1: In the present instance, the scout uses the word with
- 6:15Speaker 1: immediate reference to the salt with which his own party
- 6:20Speaker 1: was so fortunate as to be provided end footnote. Here
- 6:27Speaker 1: you see we have plenty of salt and can make
- 6:30Speaker 1: a quick broil. There's fresh sassy frast boughs for the
- 6:34Speaker 1: ladies to sit on, which may not be as proud
- 6:37Speaker 1: as they are my hog Guinea chairs, but which sends
- 6:42Speaker 1: up a sweeter flavor than the skin of any hog
- 6:45Speaker 1: can do, be it of Guinea, or be it of
- 6:48Speaker 1: any other land. Come friend, don't be mournful, for the
- 6:53Speaker 1: cult twas an innocent thing and had not seen much hardship.
- 6:58Speaker 1: Its death will save the creature many a sore back
- 7:01Speaker 1: and weary foot. Uncas did as the other had directed,
- 7:06Speaker 1: And when the voice of Hawkeye ceased, the roar of
- 7:09Speaker 1: the cataract sounded like the rumbling of distant thunder. Are
- 7:13Speaker 1: we quite safe in this cavern? Demanded heyward. Is there
- 7:17Speaker 1: no danger of surprise? A single armed man at its
- 7:21Speaker 1: entrance would hold us at his mercy. A spectral looking
- 7:25Speaker 1: figure stalked out of the darkness behind the scout, and,
- 7:29Speaker 1: seizing a blazing brand, held it toward the further extremity
- 7:32Speaker 1: of their place of retreat. Alice uttered a faint shriek,
- 7:36Speaker 1: and even Cora rose to her feet as this appalling
- 7:39Speaker 1: object moved into the light. But a single word from
- 7:42Speaker 1: Heyward calmed them with the assurance it was only their attendant.
- 7:46Speaker 1: Changed Gotchkook, who, lifting another blanket, discovered that the cavern
- 7:52Speaker 1: had two outlets. Then, holding the brand, he crossed a deep,
- 7:56Speaker 1: narrow chasm in the rocks, which ran at right angles
- 8:00Speaker 1: with the passage they were in, but which, unlike that,
- 8:04Speaker 1: was open to the heavens, and entered another cave. Answering
- 8:08Speaker 1: to the description of the first in every essential particular,
- 8:13Speaker 1: such old foxes is Chinjotkook, in myself are not often
- 8:17Speaker 1: caught in a barrel with one hole, said Hawkeye, laughing,
- 8:21Speaker 1: you can easily see the cunning of the place. The
- 8:24Speaker 1: rock is black limestone, which everyone knows is soft. It
- 8:28Speaker 1: makes no uncomfortable pillow where brush and pinewood is scarce. Well,
- 8:33Speaker 1: the foe was once a few hundred yards below us,
- 8:36Speaker 1: and I dare to say was in its time as
- 8:38Speaker 1: regular and as handsome a sheet of water as any
- 8:41Speaker 1: along the Hudson. But old age is a great injury
- 8:45Speaker 1: to good looks, as these sweet young ladies have yet
- 8:48Speaker 1: to learn the place is sadly changed. These rocks are
- 8:52Speaker 1: full of cracks, and in some places they are softer
- 8:56Speaker 1: than it othersome, And the water has worked out deep
- 8:59Speaker 1: hollows for itself until it has fallen back by some
- 9:02Speaker 1: hundred feet, breaking here and wearing there, until the falls
- 9:07Speaker 1: have neither shape nor consistency in What part of them
- 9:11Speaker 1: are we asked, Heyward, why we are nigh the spot
- 9:16Speaker 1: that Providence first placed them at, But where it seems
- 9:19Speaker 1: they were too rebellious to stay. The rock proofs softer
- 9:24Speaker 1: on each side of us, and so they left the
- 9:26Speaker 1: center of the river bear and dry, first, working out
- 9:29Speaker 1: these two little holes for us to hide in. We
- 9:33Speaker 1: are on an island. I there are falls on two
- 9:36Speaker 1: sides of us, and the river above and below. If
- 9:40Speaker 1: you had daylight, it would be worth the trouble to
- 9:42Speaker 1: step on the height of this rock and look at
- 9:45Speaker 1: the perversity of the water. It falls by no rule
- 9:49Speaker 1: at all. Sometimes it leaps, sometimes it tumbles there, It
- 9:54Speaker 1: skips here. It shoots in one place as white as snow,
- 9:59Speaker 1: and in an another tis green as grass. Hereabouts it
- 10:03Speaker 1: pitches into deep hollows that rumb one crush the earth,
- 10:09Speaker 1: and there aways it ripples and sings like a brook,
- 10:12Speaker 1: fashioning whirlpools and gullies in the old stone, as if
- 10:15Speaker 1: twas no harder than trodden clay. The whole design of
- 10:20Speaker 1: the river seems disconcerted. First it runs smoothly, as if
- 10:24Speaker 1: meaning to go down the descent as things were ordered.
- 10:28Speaker 1: Then it angles about and faces the shores. Nor are
- 10:33Speaker 1: there places wanting where it looks backward, as if unwilling
- 10:36Speaker 1: to leave the wilderness to mingle with the salt. Aye, lady,
- 10:41Speaker 1: The fine cobweb looking cloth you wear at your throat
- 10:44Speaker 1: is coarse and like a fish net. To the little spots,
- 10:47Speaker 1: I can show you where the river fabricates all sorts
- 10:50Speaker 1: of images, as if having broke loose from order, it
- 10:54Speaker 1: would try its hand at everything. And yet what does
- 10:58Speaker 1: it amount to. After the water has been suffered so
- 11:01Speaker 1: to have its will for a time, like a headstrong man,
- 11:05Speaker 1: it is gathered together by the hand that made it,
- 11:08Speaker 1: and a few rods below you may see it all
- 11:11Speaker 1: flowing on steadily toward the sea, as was fore ordained
- 11:16Speaker 1: from the first foundation of the earth. While his auditors
- 11:19Speaker 1: received a cheering assurance of the security of their place
- 11:22Speaker 1: of concealment. From this untutored description of Glenn's they were
- 11:28Speaker 1: much inclined to judge differently from Hawkeye of its wild beauties. Footnote.
- 11:33Speaker 1: Glenn's falls are on the Hudson, some forty or fifty
- 11:36Speaker 1: miles above the head of tide, or that place where
- 11:39Speaker 1: the river becomes navigable for sloops. The description of this
- 11:42Speaker 1: picturesque and remarkable little cataract, as given by the scout
- 11:47Speaker 1: is sufficiently correct, though the application of the water to
- 11:51Speaker 1: uses in civilized life has materially injured its beauties. The
- 11:56Speaker 1: rocky island and the two caverns are known to every traveler,
- 12:00Speaker 1: since the former sustains the pier of a bridge which
- 12:03Speaker 1: is now thrown across the river immediately above the fall.
- 12:07Speaker 1: In explanation of the taste of Hawkeye, it should be
- 12:10Speaker 1: remembered that men always prize that most which is least enjoyed. Thus,
- 12:15Speaker 1: in a new country the woods and other objects which
- 12:18Speaker 1: in an old country would be maintained at great cost
- 12:22Speaker 1: or got rid of, simply with a view of improving,
- 12:27Speaker 1: as it is called end footnote, They were not in
- 12:32Speaker 1: a situation to suffer their thoughts to dwell on the
- 12:35Speaker 1: charms of natural objects, and as the scout had not
- 12:39Speaker 1: found it necessary to cease his culinary labors while he spoke,
- 12:43Speaker 1: unless to point out with a broken fork the direction
- 12:46Speaker 1: of some particularly obnoxious point in the rebellious stream, they
- 12:50Speaker 1: now suffered their attention to be drawn to the necessary
- 12:54Speaker 1: the more vulgar consideration of their supper. The repast, which
- 12:58Speaker 1: was greatly aided by the addition of a few delicacies
- 13:01Speaker 1: that Heyward had the precaution to bring with him when
- 13:03Speaker 1: they left their horses, was exceedingly refreshing to the weary party.
- 13:09Speaker 1: Uncas acted as a tendant to the females, performing all
- 13:12Speaker 1: the little offices within his power, with a mixture of
- 13:16Speaker 1: dignity and anxious grace that served to amuse Heyward, who
- 13:21Speaker 1: well knew that it was an utter innovation on the
- 13:23Speaker 1: Indian customs, which forbid their warriors to dissent to any
- 13:27Speaker 1: menial employment, especially in favor of their women. As the
- 13:32Speaker 1: rights of hospitality were, however, considered sacred among them. This
- 13:37Speaker 1: little departure from the dignity of manhood excited no audible comment.
- 13:44Speaker 1: Had there been one sufficiently disengaged to become a close observer,
- 13:48Speaker 1: he might have fancied that the services of the young
- 13:50Speaker 1: chief were not entirely impartial, that while he tendered to
- 13:55Speaker 1: Alice the gorge of sweet water and the venison in
- 13:58Speaker 1: a trencher neatly carved from the nod of a pepperage
- 14:01Speaker 1: with sufficient courtesy, in performing the same offices to her sister,
- 14:06Speaker 1: his dark eye lingered on her rich speaking countenance. Once
- 14:12Speaker 1: or twice he was compelled to speak to command her attention.
- 14:15Speaker 1: Of those he served. In such cases he made use
- 14:19Speaker 1: of English, broken and imperfect, but sufficiently intelligible, and which
- 14:25Speaker 1: he rendered so mild and musical by his deep, gutteral voice,
- 14:29Speaker 1: that it never failed to cause both ladies to look
- 14:32Speaker 1: up in admiration and astonishment. In the course of these civilities,
- 14:37Speaker 1: a few sentences were exchanged that served to establish the
- 14:40Speaker 1: appearance of an amicable intercourse between the parties. In the meanwhile,
- 14:46Speaker 1: the gravity of Chingotchkook remained immovable. He had seated himself
- 14:51Speaker 1: more within the circle of light, where the frequent uneasy
- 14:54Speaker 1: glances of his guest were better enabled to separate the
- 14:58Speaker 1: natural expression of his face from the artificial terrors of
- 15:01Speaker 1: the war paint. They found a strong resemblance between father
- 15:06Speaker 1: and son, with the difference that might be expected from
- 15:09Speaker 1: age and hardships. The fierceness of his countenance now seemed
- 15:13Speaker 1: to slumber, and in its place was to be seen
- 15:17Speaker 1: the quiet, vacant composure which distinguishes an Indian warrior when
- 15:22Speaker 1: his faculties are not required for any of the greater
- 15:25Speaker 1: purposes of his existence. It was, however, easy to be
- 15:31Speaker 1: seen by the occasional gleams that shot across his swarthy visage,
- 15:35Speaker 1: that it was only necessary to arouse his passions in
- 15:39Speaker 1: order to give full effect to the terrific device which
- 15:42Speaker 1: he had adopted to intimidate his enemies. On the other hand,
- 15:48Speaker 1: the quick roving eye of the scout seldom rested. He
- 15:52Speaker 1: ate and drank with an appetite that no sense of
- 15:54Speaker 1: danger could disturb, but his vigilance seemed never to desert him.
- 16:00Speaker 1: Tenty times, the gordon the venison was suspended before his lips,
- 16:03Speaker 1: while his head was turned aside as though he listened
- 16:07Speaker 1: to some distant and distrusted sounds, a movement that never
- 16:12Speaker 1: failed to recall his guest from regarding the novelties of
- 16:16Speaker 1: their situation to a recollection of the alarming reasons that
- 16:20Speaker 1: had driven them to seek it. As these frequent pauses
- 16:24Speaker 1: were never followed by any remark, the momentary uneasiness they
- 16:28Speaker 1: created quickly passed away, and for a time was forgotten.
- 16:35Speaker 1: Come friend, said Hawkeye, drawing out a cake from beneath
- 16:38Speaker 1: a cover of leaves, toward the close of the repast,
- 16:41Speaker 1: and addressing the stranger who sat at his elbow doing
- 16:45Speaker 1: great justice to his culinary skill. Try a little spruce
- 16:49Speaker 1: twill wash away all thoughts of the colt and quicken
- 16:52Speaker 1: the life in your bosom. I drink to our better friendship,
- 16:56Speaker 1: hoping that a little horse flesh may leave no heartburnings
- 17:01Speaker 1: between us. How do you name yourself? Gamut? David Gamut,
- 17:07Speaker 1: returned the singing master, preparing to wash down his sorrows
- 17:10Speaker 1: in a powerful draft of the woodsman's high flavored and
- 17:13Speaker 1: well laced compound. A very good name, and I dare say,
- 17:18Speaker 1: handed down from honest forefathers. I am an admirator of names,
- 17:22Speaker 1: though the Christian fashions fall far below savage customs. In
- 17:25Speaker 1: this particular. The biggest coward I ever knew was called Lion,
- 17:30Speaker 1: and his wife Patience would scold you out of hearing
- 17:33Speaker 1: in less time than a haunted deer would run a
- 17:35Speaker 1: rod with an Indian 'tis a matter of conscience. What
- 17:38Speaker 1: he calls himself. He generally is not the chinotch cook,
- 17:43Speaker 1: which signifies big Sarpent is really a snake, big or little,
- 17:50Speaker 1: but that he understands the windings and turnings of human nature,
- 17:55Speaker 1: and is silent and strikes his enemies when they least
- 17:59Speaker 1: expect him. What may be your calling? I am an
- 18:04Speaker 1: unworthy instructor in the art of psalmody, and and I
- 18:11Speaker 1: teach singing to the youths of the Connecticut Levey. You
- 18:15Speaker 1: might be better employed. The young hounds go laughing and
- 18:18Speaker 1: singing too much already through the woods when they ought
- 18:22Speaker 1: not to breathe louder than the fox in his cover.
- 18:25Speaker 1: Can you use the smooth bore or handle the rifle?
- 18:28Speaker 1: Praise be to God. I have never had occasion to
- 18:32Speaker 1: meddle with murderous implements. Perhaps you understand the compass and
- 18:36Speaker 1: lay down the water courses and mountains of the wilderness
- 18:39Speaker 1: on paper, in order that they who follow may find
- 18:43Speaker 1: places by their given names. I practice no such employment.
- 18:48Speaker 1: You have a pair of legs that might make a
- 18:51Speaker 1: long path seem short you journey. Sometimes I fancy with
- 18:56Speaker 1: tidings for the general. Never I thought follow no other
- 19:01Speaker 1: than my own high vocation, which is instruction in sacred music.
- 19:07Speaker 1: 'tis a strange calling, muttered Hawkeye with an inward laugh,
- 19:12Speaker 1: to go through life like a catbird, mocking all the
- 19:16Speaker 1: ups and downs that may happen to come out of
- 19:18Speaker 1: other men's throats. Well, friend, I suppose it is your
- 19:23Speaker 1: gift and mustn't be denied any more than if twas
- 19:27Speaker 1: shooting or some other better inclination. Let us hear what
- 19:31Speaker 1: you can do in that way. Twill be a friendly
- 19:35Speaker 1: manner of saying good night, for'tis time that these ladies
- 19:38Speaker 1: should be getting strength for a hard and long push
- 19:41Speaker 1: in the pride of the morning. Afore the makuas are
- 19:44Speaker 1: stirring with joyful pleasure. Do I consent? Said David, adjusting
- 19:49Speaker 1: his iron rimmed spectacles and producing his beloved little volume,
- 19:53Speaker 1: which he immediately tendered to Alice. What can be more
- 19:57Speaker 1: fitting and consolatory than to offer up evening praise after
- 20:02Speaker 1: a day of such exceeding jeopardy. Alice smiled, but regarding Heyward,
- 20:08Speaker 1: she blushed and hesitated indulge yourself, he whispered, ought not
- 20:15Speaker 1: the suggestion of the worthy namesake of the Psalmist to
- 20:18Speaker 1: have its weight at such a moment. Encouraged by his opinion,
- 20:22Speaker 1: Alice did what her pious inclinations and her keen relish
- 20:25Speaker 1: for gentle sounds had before so strongly urged. The book
- 20:30Speaker 1: was opened at a hymn not ill adapted to their situation,
- 20:33Speaker 1: and in which the poet, no longer goaded by his
- 20:36Speaker 1: desire to expel the inspired King of Israel, had discovered
- 20:40Speaker 1: some chastened and respectable powers. Cora betrayed this position to
- 20:45Speaker 1: support her sister, and the sacred song proceeded. After the
- 20:49Speaker 1: indispensable preliminaries of the pitch pipe and the tune had
- 20:53Speaker 1: been duly attended by the methodical David. The air was
- 20:57Speaker 1: solemn and slow. At times it rose to the fullest
- 21:00Speaker 1: compass of the rich voices of the females who hung
- 21:04Speaker 1: over their little book in holy excitement. And again it
- 21:08Speaker 1: sank so low that the rushing of the waters ran
- 21:11Speaker 1: through their melody like a hollow accompaniment. The natural taste
- 21:15Speaker 1: and true ear of David governed and modified the sounds
- 21:18Speaker 1: to suit the confined cavern every crevice and cranny of
- 21:22Speaker 1: which was filled with the thrilling notes of their flexible voices.
- 21:27Speaker 1: The Indians riveted their eyes on the rocks and listened
- 21:31Speaker 1: with an attention that seemed to turn them into stone.
- 21:35Speaker 1: But the scout, who had placed his chin in his
- 21:38Speaker 1: hand with an expression of cold indifference, gradually suffered his
- 21:43Speaker 1: rigid features to relax, until, as verses seated verse, he
- 21:49Speaker 1: felt his iron nature subdued, while his recollection was carried
- 21:53Speaker 1: back to boyhood, when his ears had been accustomed to
- 21:57Speaker 1: listen to similar sounds of praise in the sunettlements of
- 22:00Speaker 1: the colony. His roving eyes began to moisten, and before
- 22:05Speaker 1: the hymn was ended, scalding tears rolled out of fountains
- 22:10Speaker 1: that had long seemed dry, and followed each other down
- 22:13Speaker 1: those cheeks that had oftener felt the storms of heaven
- 22:18Speaker 1: than any testimonials of weakness. The singers were dwelling on
- 22:23Speaker 1: one of those low, dying chords, which the ear divarsed
- 22:26Speaker 1: with such greedy rapture, as if conscious that it was
- 22:29Speaker 1: about to lose them, when a cry that seemed neither
- 22:32Speaker 1: human nor earthly rose in the outward air, penetrating not
- 22:37Speaker 1: only the recesses of the cavern, but to the inmost
- 22:40Speaker 1: hearts of all who heard it. It was followed by
- 22:43Speaker 1: a stillness, apparently as deep as if the waters had
- 22:46Speaker 1: been checked in their furious progress. At such a horrid
- 22:49Speaker 1: and unusual interruption, what is it? Murmured Alice, After a
- 22:55Speaker 1: few moments of terrible suspense, what is it? Repeated Heyward alone.
- 23:01Speaker 1: Neither Hawkeye nor the Indians made any reply. They listened,
- 23:05Speaker 1: as if expecting the sound would be repeated, with a
- 23:09Speaker 1: manner that expressed their own astonishment. At length, they spoke
- 23:13Speaker 1: together earnestly in the Delaware language. When Uncas, passing by
- 23:18Speaker 1: the inner and most concealed aperture, cautiously left the cavern.
- 23:22Speaker 1: When he had gone, the scout first spoke in English.
- 23:27Speaker 1: What it is? Or what it is not? None here
- 23:29Speaker 1: can tell, though two of us have ranged the wood
- 23:32Speaker 1: for more than thirty years. I did believe there was
- 23:36Speaker 1: no cry that Indian or beasts could make, that my
- 23:39Speaker 1: ears had not heard. But this has proved that I
- 23:42Speaker 1: was only a vain and conceited mortal. Was it not, then,
- 23:46Speaker 1: the shelted warriors make when they wished to intimidate their
- 23:49Speaker 1: enemies asked Cora, who stood drawing her veil about her
- 23:52Speaker 1: person with a calmness, to which her agitated sister was
- 23:55Speaker 1: a stranger. No, No, this was bad and shocking and
- 24:00Speaker 1: had as short of unhuman sound. But when you once
- 24:03Speaker 1: hear the war whoop, you will never mistake it for
- 24:06Speaker 1: anything else. Well, Uncas, speaking in the delaware to the
- 24:10Speaker 1: young chief as he re entered, what see you do
- 24:13Speaker 1: our light shine through the blankets? The answer was short
- 24:17Speaker 1: and apparently decided, being given in the same tongue. There
- 24:21Speaker 1: is nothing to be seen without, continued Hawkeye, shaking his
- 24:25Speaker 1: head in discontent. And our hiding place is still in darkness.
- 24:31Speaker 1: Pass into the other cave you that need it and
- 24:34Speaker 1: seek for sleep. We must be afoot long before the
- 24:37Speaker 1: sun and make the most of our time to get
- 24:40Speaker 1: to Edward while the Mingoes are still taking their morning nap.
- 24:43Speaker 1: Corus set the example of compliance with a steadiness that
- 24:46Speaker 1: taught the more timid Alice the necessity of obedience. Before
- 24:50Speaker 1: leaving the place, however, she whispered a request to Duncan
- 24:54Speaker 1: that he would follow. Uncas raised the blanket for the passage,
- 24:59Speaker 1: and as the bister's turned to thank him for his act,
- 25:01Speaker 1: of attention. They saw the scouts seated again before the
- 25:05Speaker 1: dying embers, with his face resting on his hands, in
- 25:09Speaker 1: a manner which showed how deeply he brooded on the
- 25:11Speaker 1: unaccountable interruption which had broken their evening devotions. Heyward took
- 25:16Speaker 1: with him a blazing knot, which threw a dim light
- 25:19Speaker 1: through the narrow vista of their new apartment, placing it
- 25:22Speaker 1: in a favorable position. He joined the females, who now
- 25:26Speaker 1: found themselves alone with him for the first time since
- 25:29Speaker 1: they had left the friendly ramparts of Fort Edward. Leave
- 25:33Speaker 1: us not, Duncan, said, Alice, we cannot sleep in such
- 25:36Speaker 1: a place as this, with that horrid cry still ringing
- 25:40Speaker 1: in our ears. First let us examine into the security
- 25:43Speaker 1: of our fortress, he answered, and then we will speak
- 25:47Speaker 1: of rest. He approached the further end of the cavern
- 25:50Speaker 1: to an outlet, which, like the others, was concealed by blankets,
- 25:54Speaker 1: and removing the thick screen, breathe a fresh and reviving
- 25:57Speaker 1: air from the cataract. One arm of the river flowed
- 26:01Speaker 1: through a deep, narrow ravine which its current had worn
- 26:04Speaker 1: in the soft rock directly beneath his feet, forming an
- 26:08Speaker 1: effectual defense as he believed against any danger from that quarter.
- 26:12Speaker 1: The water a few rods above them, plunging, glancing, and
- 26:16Speaker 1: sweeping along in its most violent and broken manner, Nature
- 26:21Speaker 1: has made an impenetrable barrier on this side. He continued,
- 26:24Speaker 1: pointing down the perpendicular declivity into the dark current, before
- 26:28Speaker 1: he dropped the blanket. And as you know that good
- 26:32Speaker 1: men and true are on guard in front, I see
- 26:35Speaker 1: no reason why the advice of our honest host should
- 26:38Speaker 1: be disregarded. I am certain Cora will join me in
- 26:41Speaker 1: saying that sleep is necessary to you both. Cora may
- 26:45Speaker 1: submit to the justice of your opinion, though she cannot
- 26:49Speaker 1: put it in practice, returned the elder sister, who had
- 26:52Speaker 1: placed herself by the side of Alice on a couch
- 26:55Speaker 1: of Sassyfras there would be other causes to chase away sleep.
- 27:00Speaker 1: We had been spared the shock of this mysterious noise.
- 27:03Speaker 1: Ask yourself, Heyward, can daughters forget the anxiety? If father
- 27:08Speaker 1: must endure? Whose children lodge? He knows not where or
- 27:12Speaker 1: how in such a wilderness, and in the midst of
- 27:15Speaker 1: so many perils. He is a soldier and knows how
- 27:19Speaker 1: to estimate the chances of the woods he is a
- 27:22Speaker 1: father and cannot deny his nature. How kind has he
- 27:27Speaker 1: ever been to all my follies, how tender and intuligent
- 27:32Speaker 1: to all my wishes? Sobbed Alice. We have been selfish, sister,
- 27:37Speaker 1: in urging our visit at such hazard. I have been
- 27:41Speaker 1: rash in pressing his consent in a moment of such embarrassment,
- 27:45Speaker 1: that I would have proved to him that, however others
- 27:47Speaker 1: might neglect him in his strait, his children, at least
- 27:52Speaker 1: were faithful. When he heard of your arrival at Edward said, Heyward, kindly,
- 27:57Speaker 1: there was a powerful struggle in his bosom, being between
- 28:00Speaker 1: fear and love, though the latter heightened, if possible, by
- 28:04Speaker 1: so long a separation quickly prevailed. It is the spirit
- 28:09Speaker 1: of my noble minded Cora that leads them. Duncan, he said,
- 28:13Speaker 1: And I would not balk. It would to God that
- 28:16Speaker 1: he who holds the honor of our royal master in
- 28:19Speaker 1: his guardianship would show but half her firmness. And did
- 28:25Speaker 1: he not speak of me, Heyward demanded Alice, with jealous affection.
- 28:29Speaker 1: Surely he forgotten not altogether? Is little Elsie, that were impossible,
- 28:35Speaker 1: returned the young man. He called you by a thousand
- 28:38Speaker 1: endearing epithets that I may not presume to use, but
- 28:42Speaker 1: to the justice of which I can warmly testify. Once Indeed,
- 28:47Speaker 1: he said, Duncan ceased speaking, for while his eyes were
- 28:52Speaker 1: riveted on those of Alice, who had turned toward him
- 28:55Speaker 1: with the eagerness of filial affection to catch his words,
- 28:59Speaker 1: the same strong, horrid cry as before filled the air
- 29:03Speaker 1: and rendered him mute. A long, breathless silence succeeded, during
- 29:08Speaker 1: which each looked at the others in fearful expectation of
- 29:11Speaker 1: hearing the sound repeated. At length. The blanket was slowly raised,
- 29:16Speaker 1: and the scout stood in the aperture with a countenance
- 29:19Speaker 1: whose firmness evidently began to give way before a mystery
- 29:23Speaker 1: that seemed to threaten some danger against which all his
- 29:26Speaker 1: cunning and experience might prove to no avail. End of
- 29:31Speaker 1: Chapter six