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29 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper · Thrilling Adventures - Daily

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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty nine, quote the assembly seated rising o'er the
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Speaker 1: rest Achilles. Thus the king of men addressed unquote from
0:13
Speaker 1: Pope's Iliad. Cora stood foremost among the prisoners, entwining her
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Speaker 1: arms in those of Alice, in the tenderness of sisterly love.
0:24
Speaker 1: Notwithstanding the fearful and menacing array of savages on every
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Speaker 1: side of her. No apprehension on her own account could
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Speaker 1: prevent the nobler minded maiden from keeping her eyes fastened
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Speaker 1: on the pale and anxious features of the trembling Alice.
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Speaker 1: Close at their side, stood Heyward with an interest in
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Speaker 1: both that at such a moment of intense uncertainty, scarcely
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Speaker 1: knew a preponderance in favor of her, whom he most loved.
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Speaker 1: Hawkeye had placed himself a little in the rear, with
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Speaker 1: the deference to the superior rank of his companions, that
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Speaker 1: no similarity in the state of their present fortunes could
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Speaker 1: induce him to forget Uncas was not there. When perfect
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Speaker 1: silence was again restored, and after the usual long impressive pause,
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Speaker 1: one of the two aged chiefs who sat at the
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Speaker 1: side of the patriarch arose and demanded aloud in very
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Speaker 1: intelligible English, Which of my prisoners is lay long caribine?
1:30
Speaker 1: Neither Duncan nor the scout answered. The former, however, glanced
1:36
Speaker 1: his eyes around the dark and silent assembly, and recoiled
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Speaker 1: a pace. When they fell on the malignant visage of Magua.
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Speaker 1: He saw at once that this wily savage had some
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Speaker 1: secret agency in their present arraignment before the nation, and
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Speaker 1: determined to throw every possible impediment in the way of
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Speaker 1: execution of his sinister plans. He had witnessed one in
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Speaker 1: distance of the summary punishments of the Indians, and now
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Speaker 1: dreaded that his companion was to be selected for a
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Speaker 1: second in this dilemma. With little or no time for reflection,
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Speaker 1: he suddenly determined to cloak his invaluable friend at every
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Speaker 1: and every hazard to himself. Before he had time, however,
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Speaker 1: to speak, the question was repeated in a louder voice,
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Speaker 1: and with a clearer utterance. Give us arms, the young
2:31
Speaker 1: man haughtily replied, and place us in yonder woods. Our
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Speaker 1: deeds shall speak for us. This as the warrior whose
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Speaker 1: name has filled our ears, returned the chief, regarding Heyward
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Speaker 1: with that sort of curious interest which seems inseparable from
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Speaker 1: man when first beholding one of his fellows, to whom
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Speaker 1: merit or accident, virtue or crime has given notoriety. What
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Speaker 1: has brought the white man into the camp of the
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Speaker 1: dell my necessities? I come for food, shelter and friends.
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Speaker 1: It cannot be. The woods are full of game. The
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Speaker 1: head of a warrior needs no other shelter than a
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Speaker 1: sky without clouds. And the Delawares are the enemies, and
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Speaker 1: not the friends of the Yankeeese.
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Speaker 2: Go.
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Speaker 1: The mouth has spoken, while the heart said nothing. Duncan
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Speaker 1: a little at a loss in whatever manner to proceed,
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Speaker 1: remained silent. But the scout, who had listened attentively to
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Speaker 1: all that passed, now advanced steadily to the front. That
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Speaker 1: I did not answer to the call for la longue.
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Speaker 1: Carabine was not owning either to shame or fear. He said,
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Speaker 1: for neither one nor the other is the gift of
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Speaker 1: an honest man. But I do not admit to the
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Speaker 1: right of the Mingoes to bestow a name on one
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Speaker 1: whose friends have been mindful of his gifts. In this
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Speaker 1: particular especially, is their idol is a lie kill deer
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Speaker 1: being a grooved barrel, and no Caribbeine. I am the man, however,
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Speaker 1: that got the name of Nathaniel from my kin, the
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Speaker 1: complement of hawkeye, from the Delawares, who live on their
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Speaker 1: own river, and whom the Iroquois have presumed to style
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Speaker 1: the long rifle without any warranty from him who is
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Speaker 1: most concerned in the matter. The eyes of all present,
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Speaker 1: which had hitherto been gravely scanning the person of Duncan,
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Speaker 1: were now turned on the instant toward the upright iron
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Speaker 1: frame of this new pretender to the distinguished appellation. It
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Speaker 1: was in no degree remarkable that there should be found
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Speaker 1: two who were willing to claim so great an honor
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Speaker 1: for impostors, though rare, were not unknown among the natives.
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Speaker 1: But it was altogether material to the just and severe
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Speaker 1: intentions of the Delaware that there should be no mistake
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Speaker 1: in the matter. Some of their old men consulted together
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Speaker 1: in private, and then, as it would seem, they determined
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Speaker 1: to interrogate their visitor on the subject. My brother has
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Speaker 1: said that a snake crept into my camp, said the
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Speaker 1: chief to Maqua, which is he the huron pointed to
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Speaker 1: the scout. Will old wise Delaware believe the barking of
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Speaker 1: a wolf, exclaimed, Duncan still more confirmed than the evil
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Speaker 1: intentions of his ancient enemy. A dog never lies that
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Speaker 1: when was a wolf known to speak the truth? The
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Speaker 1: eyes of Magua flashed fire, but suddenly, recollecting the necessity
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Speaker 1: of maintaining his presence of mind, he turned away in
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Speaker 1: silent disdain. Well assured that the sagacity of the Indians
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Speaker 1: would not fail to extract the real merits of the
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Speaker 1: point in controversy. He was not deceived, for after another
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Speaker 1: short consultation, the wary Delaware turned to him again and
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Speaker 1: expressed the determination of the chiefs. Though in the most
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Speaker 1: considerate language. My brother has been called a liar, he said,
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Speaker 1: and his friends are angry. They will show that he
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Speaker 1: has spoken the truth. Give my prisoner's guns and let
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Speaker 1: them prove which is the man. Marqua affected to consider
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Speaker 1: the expedient, which he well knew proceeded from distrust of
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Speaker 1: himself as a compliment, and made a gesture of acquiescence.
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Speaker 1: Well content that his veracity should be supported by so
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Speaker 1: skillful a marksman as the scout. The weapons were instantly
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Speaker 1: placed in the hands of the friendly opponents, and they
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Speaker 1: were bid to fire over the heads of the seated
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Speaker 1: multitude at an earthen vessel, which lay by accident on
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Speaker 1: a stump some fifty yards from the place where they stood.
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Speaker 1: Heyward smiled to himself at the eye of a competition
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Speaker 1: with the scout, though he determined to persevere in the
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Speaker 1: deception until apprized of the real designs of Maqua. Raising
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Speaker 1: his rifle with the utmost care and renewing his aim
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Speaker 1: three several times, he fired the bullet, cut the wood
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Speaker 1: within a few inches of the vessel, and a general
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Speaker 1: exclamation of satisfaction announced that the shot was considered a
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Speaker 1: proof of great skill in the use of a weapon.
7:30
Speaker 1: Even Hawkeye nodded his head as if he would say
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Speaker 1: it was better than he expected, But instead of manifesting
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Speaker 1: an intention to contend with this successful marksman, he stood
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Speaker 1: leaning on his rifle for more than a minute, like
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Speaker 1: a man who was completely buried in thought from his reverie.
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Speaker 1: He was, however, awakened by one of the young Indians
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Speaker 1: who had furnished the arms, and who now touched his shoulder, saying,
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Speaker 1: in exceedingly broken English, can the pale face beat it? Yes? Huron,
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Speaker 1: exclaimed the scalp, raising the short rifle in his right
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Speaker 1: hand and shaking it at Magua with as much apparent
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Speaker 1: ease as if it were a reed. Yes, Huron, I
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Speaker 1: could strike you now, and no power on earth could
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Speaker 1: prevent the deed. The soaring hawk is no more certain
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Speaker 1: of the dove than I am this moment of you.
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Speaker 1: Did I choose to send a bullet to your heart?
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Speaker 1: Why should I not? Why? Because the gifts of my
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Speaker 1: color forbid it, and I might draw down evil on
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Speaker 1: tender and innocent heads. If you know such a being
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Speaker 1: as God, thank him therefore in your inward soul, for
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Speaker 1: you have reason. The flush countenance, angry eye, and swelling
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Speaker 1: figure of the Scalp produced a sensation of secret awe
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Speaker 1: in all that heard him. The Delawares held their breath
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Speaker 1: in expectation, But Makua himself, even while he distrusted the
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Speaker 1: forbearance of his enemy, remained immovable and calm where he stood,
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Speaker 1: wedged in by the crowd as one who grew to
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Speaker 1: the spot, Beat it, repeated the young Delaware at the
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Speaker 1: elbow of the scout. Beat what fool? What? Exclaimed Hawkeye,
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Speaker 1: still flourishing the weapon angrily above his head, though his
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Speaker 1: eye no longer sought the person of Maqua. If the
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Speaker 1: white man is the lawyer he pretends, said the aged chief,
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Speaker 1: let him strike Meyer do the mark. The scout laughed aloud,
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Speaker 1: a noise that produced the startling effect of an unnatural
9:53
Speaker 1: sound on Heyward, then dropping the piece heavily into the
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Speaker 1: extended left hand. It was discharged, apparently by the shock,
10:01
Speaker 1: driving the fragments of the vessel into the air and
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Speaker 1: scattering them on every side. Almost at the same instant,
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Speaker 1: the rattling sound of the rifle was heard as he
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Speaker 1: suffered it to fall contemptuously to the earth. The first
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Speaker 1: impression of so strange a scene was engrossing admiration. Then
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Speaker 1: a low but increasing murmur ran through the multitude, and
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Speaker 1: finally swelled into sounds that denoted a lively opposition in
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Speaker 1: the sentiments of the spectators. While some openly testified their
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Speaker 1: satisfaction at so unexampled dexterity, by far the larger portion
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Speaker 1: of the tribe were inclined to believe the success of
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Speaker 1: the shot was the result of accident. Heyward was not
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Speaker 1: slow to confirm an opinion that was so favorable to
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Speaker 1: his own pretensions. It was chance, he exclaimed, None can
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Speaker 1: shoot without an aim, chance, echoed the excited woodsman, who
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Speaker 1: is now stubbornly bent on maintaining his identity at every hazard,
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Speaker 1: and on whom the secret hints of Heyward to acquiesce
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Speaker 1: in the deception were entirely lost. Does yonder lying Huron
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Speaker 1: too think it chance? Give him another gun and place
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Speaker 1: us face to face without cover or dodge, and let
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Speaker 1: providence and our own eyes decide the matter between us.
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Speaker 1: I do not make the offer to you major, for
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Speaker 1: our blood is of a color, and we serve the
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Speaker 1: same master. That the Huron is a liar is very evident,
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Speaker 1: returned Heyward, coolly, You have yourself heard him assert you
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Speaker 1: to be la longue carabine. It were impossible to say
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Speaker 1: what violent assertion the stubborn Hawkeye would have next made
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Speaker 1: in his headlong wish to vindicate his identity, had not
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Speaker 1: the aged delaware once more interposed.
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Speaker 3: The hawk which comes from the clouds can return when
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Speaker 3: he will, He said, give them the guns. This time
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Speaker 3: the scout seized the rifle with avidity. Nor had Makwe,
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Speaker 3: though he watched the movements of the marksmen with jealous eyes,
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Speaker 3: any further cause for apprehension. Now let it be proved
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Speaker 3: in the face of this tribe of Delawares, which is
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Speaker 3: the better man, cried the scout, tapping the butt of
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Speaker 3: his piece with that finger which had pulled so many
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Speaker 3: fatal triggers. You see that gourd hanging against yonder tree, major,
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Speaker 3: If you are a marksman fit for the borders, let
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Speaker 3: me see you break its shell. Duncan noted the object,
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Speaker 3: and prepared himself to renew the trial. The gourd was
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Speaker 3: one of the usual little vessels used by the Indians,
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Speaker 3: and it was suspended from a dead branch of a
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Speaker 3: small pine by a thong of deerskin, at the full
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Speaker 3: distance of a hundred yards. So strangely compounded is the
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Speaker 3: feeling of self love that the young soldier, while he
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Speaker 3: knew the utter worthlessness of the suffrages of his savage umpires,
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Speaker 3: forgot the sudden motives of the contest in which to excel.
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Speaker 3: It had been seen already that his skill was far
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Speaker 3: from being contemptible, and he now resolved to put forth
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Speaker 3: its nicest qualities. Had his life depended on the issue,
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Speaker 3: the aim of Duncan could not have been more deliberate
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Speaker 3: or guarded. He fired, and three or four young Indians,
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Speaker 3: who sprang forward at the report, announced with a shout
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Speaker 3: that the ball.
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Speaker 1: Was in the tree, a very little on one side
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Speaker 1: of the proper object. The warriors uttered a common ejaculation
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Speaker 1: of pleasure, and then turned their eyes inquiringly on the
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Speaker 1: movements of his rival. It may do for the royal Americans,
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Speaker 1: said Hawkeye, laughing once more in his own silent, heartfelt manner.
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Speaker 1: But had my gun often turned so much from the
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Speaker 1: true line, many a martin whose skin is now in
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Speaker 1: a lady's muff would still be in the woods. Ay,
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Speaker 1: and many a bloody mingo who has departed to his
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Speaker 1: final account would be acting his deviltries at this very
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Speaker 1: day between the provinces. I hope the squaw who owns
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Speaker 1: the gourd has more of them in her wigwam, for
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Speaker 1: this will never hold water again. The scout had shook
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Speaker 1: his priming and cocked his piece while speaking, and as
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Speaker 1: he ended, he threw back a foot and slowly raised
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Speaker 1: the muzzle from the earth. The motion was steady, uniform,
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Speaker 1: and in one direction. When on a perfect level, it
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Speaker 1: remained for a single moment without tremor or variation, as
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Speaker 1: though both man and the rifle were carved in stone
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Speaker 1: during that station, instant it poured forth its contents in
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Speaker 1: a bright, glancing sheet of flame. Again, the young Indians
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Speaker 1: bounded forward, but their hurried search and disappointed looks announced
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Speaker 1: that no traces of the bullet were to be seen. Go,
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Speaker 1: said the old chief to the scout, in a tone
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Speaker 1: of strong distrust, thou art a wolf in the skin
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Speaker 1: of a dog. I will talk to the long rifle
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Speaker 1: of the Yengeese. Ah, had I that peace which furnished
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Speaker 1: the name you use, I would obligate myself to cut
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Speaker 1: the thong and drop the gourd without breaking it, returned Hawkeye,
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Speaker 1: perfectly undisturbed by the other's manner. Fools, if you would
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Speaker 1: find the bullet of a sharpshooter in these woods, you
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Speaker 1: must look in the object and not around it. The
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Speaker 1: Indian youths instantly comprehended his meaning. For this time he
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Speaker 1: spoke in the delaware tongue, and tearing the gourd from
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Speaker 1: the tree, they held it on high with an exalting shelt,
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Speaker 1: displaying a hole in its bottom, which had been cut
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Speaker 1: by the bullet after passing through the usual orifice in
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Speaker 1: the center of its upper side. At this unexpected exhibition.
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Speaker 1: A loud and vehement expression of pleasure burst from the
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Speaker 1: mouth of every warrior present. It decided the question and
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Speaker 1: effectually established Hawkeye in the possession of his dangerous reputation.
16:45
Speaker 1: Those curious and admiring eyes which had been turned again
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Speaker 1: on Heyward, were finally directed to the weather beaten form
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Speaker 1: of the scout, who immediately became the principal object of
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Speaker 1: attention to the simple and unsuffie whisticated beings by whom
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Speaker 1: he was surrounded. When the sudden and noisy commotion had
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Speaker 1: a little subsided, the aged chief resumed his examination. Why
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Speaker 1: did you wish to stop my ears? He said, addressing Duncan.
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Speaker 3: Are the Delawares fools that they could not know the
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Speaker 3: young panther from the cat?
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Speaker 1: They will yet find the Huron a singing bird, said Duncan,
17:29
Speaker 1: endeavoring to adopt the figurative language of the natives. It
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Speaker 1: is good, we will know who can shut the ears
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Speaker 1: of men, brother, added the chief, turning his eyes on Makua.
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Speaker 1: The Delawares listen, thus singled and directly called on to
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Speaker 1: declare his object. The Huron arose and advancing with great
17:53
Speaker 1: deliberation and dignity into the very center of the circle,
17:57
Speaker 1: where he stood confronted by the prisoners. He placed himself
18:01
Speaker 1: in an attitude to speak. Before opening his mouth, however,
18:06
Speaker 1: he bent his eyes slowly among the whole living boundary
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Speaker 1: of earnest faces, as if to temper his expressions to
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Speaker 1: the capabilities of his audience. On Hawkeye, he cast a
18:19
Speaker 1: glance of respectful enmity. On Duncan, a look of inextinguishable hatred.
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Speaker 1: The shrinking figure of Alice he scarcely deigned to notice.
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Speaker 1: But when his glance met the firm, commanding and yet
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Speaker 1: lovely form of Cora, his eye lingered a moment with
18:38
Speaker 1: an expression that might have been difficult to define. Then,
18:44
Speaker 1: filled with his own dark detentions, he spoke in the
18:48
Speaker 1: language of the Canadas, a tongue that he knew well
18:52
Speaker 1: was comprehended by most of his auditors. The spirit that
18:58
Speaker 1: made men colored them differently commenced the subtle huron. Some
19:03
Speaker 1: are blacker than the sluggish bear. These he said, should
19:07
Speaker 1: be slaves, and he ordered them to work forever like
19:11
Speaker 1: the beaver. You may hear them grow when the south
19:15
Speaker 1: wind blows louder than the lowing buffaloes along the shores
19:19
Speaker 1: of the Great Lake, where the big canoes come and
19:24
Speaker 1: go with them in droves. Some he made with faces
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Speaker 1: paler than the ermine of the forest, and these he
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Speaker 1: ordered to be traders, dogs to their women, and wolves
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Speaker 1: to their slaves. He gave this people the nature of
19:40
Speaker 1: the pigeon, wings that never tire, young, more plentiful than
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Speaker 1: the leaves of the trees, and appetites to devire the earth.
19:50
Speaker 1: He gave them tongues like the false call of the wildcat.
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Speaker 1: Hearts like rabbits, the cunning of the hog, but none
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Speaker 1: of the fox, arms longer than the legs of the moose.
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Speaker 1: With his tongue he stops the ears of the Indians.
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Speaker 1: His heart teaches him to pay warriors to fight his battles.
20:12
Speaker 1: His cunning tells him how to get together the goods
20:15
Speaker 1: of the earth. And his arms enclosed the land from
20:18
Speaker 1: the shores of the salt Water to the islands of
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Speaker 1: the Great Lake. His gluttony makes him sick. God gave
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Speaker 1: him enough, and yet he wants all. Such are the
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Speaker 1: pale faces. Some the Great Spirit made with skins brighter
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Speaker 1: and redder than yonder sun, continued Maqua, pointing impressively upward
20:41
Speaker 1: to the lurid luminary which was struggling through the misty
20:45
Speaker 1: atmosphere of the horizon. And these did he fashion to
20:49
Speaker 1: his own mind. He gave them his island as he
20:53
Speaker 1: had made it, covered with trees and filled with game.
20:58
Speaker 1: The wind made their clearings, the sun and rain ripened
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Speaker 1: their fruits, and the snows came to tell them to
21:04
Speaker 1: be thankful. What need had they of roads to journey by?
21:09
Speaker 1: They saw through the hills. When the beavers worked, they
21:13
Speaker 1: lay in shade and looked on. The winds cooled them
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Speaker 1: in summer. In winter, skins kept them warm. If they
21:20
Speaker 1: fought among themselves, it was to prove that they were men.
21:24
Speaker 1: They were brave, they were just. They were happy Here.
21:31
Speaker 1: The speaker paused and again looked around him to discover
21:34
Speaker 1: if his legend had touched the sympathy of his listeners.
21:38
Speaker 1: He met everywhere with eyes riveted on his own, heads
21:42
Speaker 1: erect and nostrils expanded, as if each individual present felt
21:47
Speaker 1: himself able and willing singly to redress the wrongs of
21:51
Speaker 1: his race. If the Great Spirit gave different tongues to
21:56
Speaker 1: his red children. He continued in a low still melancholy voice.
22:01
Speaker 1: It was that all animals might understand them. Some he
22:06
Speaker 1: placed among the snows with their cousin the bear. Some
22:10
Speaker 1: he placed near the setting sun, on the road to
22:13
Speaker 1: the happy hunting grounds. Some on the lands around the
22:17
Speaker 1: great fresh waters. But to his greatest and most beloved
22:22
Speaker 1: he gave the sands of the salt Lake. Do my
22:25
Speaker 1: brothers know the name of this favored people? It was
22:28
Speaker 1: the Lenapee, exclaimed twenty eager voices in a breath. It
22:34
Speaker 1: was the Lenni Lenapee returned Maqua, affecting to bend his
22:39
Speaker 1: head in reverence to their former greatness. It was the
22:43
Speaker 1: tribes of the Lenapee. The sun rose from water that
22:47
Speaker 1: was salt, and set in water that was sweet, and
22:51
Speaker 1: never hid himself from their eyes. But why should I,
22:56
Speaker 1: a huron of the woods, tell a wise people their
22:59
Speaker 1: own tradition? Why remind them of their injuries, their ancient greatness,
23:06
Speaker 1: their deeds, their glory, their happiness, their losses, their defeats,
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Speaker 1: their misery. Is there not one among them who has
23:14
Speaker 1: seen it all and knows it to be true? I
23:20
Speaker 1: have done. My tongue is still, for my heart is
23:25
Speaker 1: of lead. I listen as the voice of the speaker
23:29
Speaker 1: suddenly ceased. Every face and all eyes turned by a
23:34
Speaker 1: common movement toward the venerable tenement. From the moment that
23:38
Speaker 1: he took his seat until the present instant, the lips
23:42
Speaker 1: of the patriarch had not severed, and scarcely a sign
23:47
Speaker 1: of life had escaped him. He sat bent in feebleness
23:53
Speaker 1: and apparently unconscious of the presence he was in during
23:57
Speaker 1: the whole of that opening scene in which the skill
24:00
Speaker 1: of the scout had been so clearly established. At the
24:04
Speaker 1: nicely graduated sound of Maka's voice, however, he betrayed some
24:09
Speaker 1: evidence of consciousness, and once or twice he even raised
24:13
Speaker 1: his head as if to listen. But when the crafty
24:17
Speaker 1: Huron spoke of his nation by name, the eyelids of
24:21
Speaker 1: the old man raised themselves, and he looked out upon
24:24
Speaker 1: the multitude with that sort of dull, unmeaning expression which
24:28
Speaker 1: might be supposed to belong to the countenance of a specter.
24:32
Speaker 1: Then he made an effort to rise, and, being upheld
24:36
Speaker 1: by his supporters, he gained his feet in a posture
24:38
Speaker 1: commanding by its dignity, while he tottered with weakness. Who
24:44
Speaker 1: call upon the children of the lenape, he said, in
24:49
Speaker 1: a deep, guttural voice that was rendered awfully audible by
24:54
Speaker 1: the breathless silence of the multitude. Who speaks of things,
25:01
Speaker 1: does not the egg become a worm, the worm a fly,
25:06
Speaker 1: and perish? Why the delawares of good that is past? Better?
25:13
Speaker 1: Thank the Maniteau for that which remains. It is a
25:19
Speaker 1: liondot said Maqua, stepping nigher to the rude platform on
25:23
Speaker 1: which the other stood. A friend of tomanund a friend
25:30
Speaker 1: repeated the sage on whose brow a dark frown settled,
25:34
Speaker 1: imparting a portion of that severity which had rendered his
25:38
Speaker 1: eye so terrible. In middle age? Are the mingoes rollers
25:43
Speaker 1: of the earth? What brings a Huron here? Justice? His
25:52
Speaker 1: prisoners are with his brothers, and he comes for his own.
25:56
Speaker 1: Tomonon turned his head toward one of his supporters and
25:59
Speaker 1: listens to the short explanation the man gave. Then, facing
26:04
Speaker 1: the applicant, he regarded him for a moment with deep attention,
26:08
Speaker 1: after which he said, in a low and reluctant voice,
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Speaker 1: justice is the law of the great Manitau. My children
26:20
Speaker 1: give the stranger food, then Huron take thine own and
26:26
Speaker 1: depart on the delivery of this solemn judgment. The patriarch
26:31
Speaker 1: seated himself and closed his eyes again, as if better
26:35
Speaker 1: pleased with the images of his own ripened experience than
26:38
Speaker 1: with the visible objects of the world. Against such a decree,
26:42
Speaker 1: there was no Delaware sufficiently hearty to murmur, much less
26:47
Speaker 1: oppose himself. The words were barely uttered when four or
26:51
Speaker 1: five of the younger warriors, stepping behind Heyward and the Scout,
26:56
Speaker 1: passed throng so dexterously and rapidly around their arms as
27:01
Speaker 1: to hold them both in instant bondage. The former was
27:06
Speaker 1: too much engrossed with his precious and nearly insensible burden
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Speaker 1: to be aware of their intentions before they were executed,
27:15
Speaker 1: and the latter, who considered even the hostile tribes of
27:18
Speaker 1: the Delaware a superior race of beings, submitted without resistance. Perhaps, however,
27:26
Speaker 1: the manner of the Scout would not have been so
27:28
Speaker 1: passive had he fully comprehended the language in which the
27:32
Speaker 1: preceding dialog had been conducted. Makwa cast a look of
27:37
Speaker 1: triumph round the whole assembly before he proceeded to the
27:40
Speaker 1: execution of his purpose, perceiving that the men were unable
27:45
Speaker 1: to offer any resistance, he turned his look on her
27:48
Speaker 1: he valued most. Corah met his gaze with an eye
27:52
Speaker 1: so calm and firm that his resolution wavered. Then, recollecting
27:58
Speaker 1: his former artifice, he raised alice from the arms of
28:01
Speaker 1: the warrior, against whom she leaned, and beckoning Hayward to follow,
28:06
Speaker 1: he motioned for the encircling crowd to open, but Cora,
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Speaker 1: instead of obeying the impulse he had expected, rushed to
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Speaker 1: the feet of the patriarch, and, raising her voice, exclaimed
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Speaker 1: out loud.
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Speaker 4: Just and venerable, delaware on thy wisdom and power, we
28:27
Speaker 4: lean for mercy. Be deaf to yonder artful and remorseless
28:32
Speaker 4: monster who poisons thy ears with falsehoods to feed his
28:37
Speaker 4: thirst for blood. Thou, that hast lived long and that
28:42
Speaker 4: has seen the evil of the world, should know how
28:45
Speaker 4: to temper its calamities.
28:47
Speaker 2: To the miserable.
28:49
Speaker 1: The eyes of the old man opened heavily, and he
28:52
Speaker 1: once more looked upward at the multitude. As the piercing
28:56
Speaker 1: tones of the suppliant swelled on his ears. They moved
29:00
Speaker 1: slowly in the direction of her person, and finally settled
29:03
Speaker 1: there on a steady gaze. Cora had cast herself to
29:08
Speaker 1: her knees, and with hands clenched in each other and
29:12
Speaker 1: pressed upon her bosom, she remained like a beauteous and
29:16
Speaker 1: breathing model of her sex, looking up in his faded
29:20
Speaker 1: but majestic countenance with a species of holy reverence. Gradually
29:27
Speaker 1: the expression of Tumenum's features changed, and, losing their vacancy
29:32
Speaker 1: and admiration, they lighted with a portion of that intelligence
29:36
Speaker 1: which a century before had been wont to communicate his
29:40
Speaker 1: youthful fire to the extensive bands of the Delawares. Rising
29:44
Speaker 1: without assistance and seemingly without an effort, he demanded, in
29:49
Speaker 1: a voice that startled its auditors by its firmness, What
29:55
Speaker 1: art thou.
29:59
Speaker 4: A woman one of a hated race, if thou wilt
30:03
Speaker 4: a yeng Ye, but one who has never harmed thee,
30:08
Speaker 4: and who cannot harm thy people? If she would who
30:12
Speaker 4: asked for succor.
30:15
Speaker 1: Tell me my children, continued the patriarch, hoarsely, motioning to
30:20
Speaker 1: those around him, though his eyes still dwelt upon the
30:24
Speaker 1: kneeling form of Cora. Where have the Delawares camped in
30:31
Speaker 1: the mountains of the Iroquois, beyond the clear springs of
30:37
Speaker 1: the Horican many parching summers are coming gone, continued the sage,
30:44
Speaker 1: since I drank the water of my own rivers. The
30:48
Speaker 1: children of Minkwan are the justest white men, but they
30:54
Speaker 1: are thirsty and took it to themselves. Do they follow
31:00
Speaker 1: us so far? Footnote? William Penn was termed Minkwon by
31:07
Speaker 1: the Delawares, and as he never used violence or injustice
31:12
Speaker 1: in his dealings with them, his reputation for probity passed
31:17
Speaker 1: into a proverb. The American is justly proud of the
31:22
Speaker 1: origin of his nation, which is perhaps unequaled in the
31:26
Speaker 1: history of the world. But the Pennsylvanian and jerseymen have
31:31
Speaker 1: more reason to value themselves in their ancestors than the
31:35
Speaker 1: natives of any other state, since no wrong was done
31:40
Speaker 1: the original owners of the soil. And footnote we follow none,
31:48
Speaker 1: We covet nothing answered Cora captives against our wills. We
31:54
Speaker 1: have been brought amongst you, and we ask but permission
31:58
Speaker 1: to be part to our own in peace? Art thou
32:04
Speaker 1: not Tominund the father the judge, I had almost said
32:08
Speaker 1: the prophet of his people, I am Tominund of many days.
32:17
Speaker 4: Tis now some seven years that one of thy people
32:21
Speaker 4: was at the mercy of a white chief on the
32:23
Speaker 4: borders of this province. He claimed to be of the
32:27
Speaker 4: blood of the good and just Toomanund. Go said the
32:31
Speaker 4: white Man, for thy parents sake, thou art free. Dost
32:37
Speaker 4: thou remember the name of that English warrior.
32:41
Speaker 1: I remember that when a laughing boy returned the patriarch
32:46
Speaker 1: with the peculiar recollection of vast age, I stood upon
32:50
Speaker 1: the sands of the seashore and saw a big canoe
32:54
Speaker 1: with wings whiter than the swans and wider than the eagles,
33:01
Speaker 1: come from the rising sun.
33:05
Speaker 4: Nay, nay, I speak not of a time so very distance,
33:10
Speaker 4: but a favor shown to thy kindred by one of mine,
33:14
Speaker 4: within the memory of thy youngest warrior.
33:18
Speaker 1: Was it when the Yankees and the dutch Men fought
33:22
Speaker 1: for the hunting grounds of the Delawares. Then Tamanund was
33:26
Speaker 1: chief and first laid aside the bow for the lightning
33:31
Speaker 1: of the pale faces.
33:33
Speaker 4: Not yet then interrupted Cora by many ages. I speak
33:38
Speaker 4: of a thing of yesterday. Surely surely you forgot it?
33:44
Speaker 1: Not it was but yesterday, rejoined the aged man with
33:49
Speaker 1: touching pathos, that the children of the Lennape were masters
33:54
Speaker 1: of the world. The fishes of the Salt Lake the birds,
33:58
Speaker 1: the beast, and the Mangi of the woods owned them
34:03
Speaker 1: for Sagamores. Cora A bowed her head in disappointment, and
34:08
Speaker 1: for a bitter moment, struggled with her chagrin. Then, elevating
34:13
Speaker 1: her rich features and beaming eyes, she continued in tones
34:17
Speaker 1: scarcely less penetrating than the unearthly voice of the patriarch himself.
34:22
Speaker 4: Tell me, is tomanun a father?
34:27
Speaker 1: The old man looked down upon her from his elevated stand,
34:31
Speaker 1: with a benign smile on his wasted countenance, and then
34:35
Speaker 1: casting his eyes slowly over the whole assemblage, he answered,
34:40
Speaker 1: all the nation.
34:42
Speaker 4: For myself, I ask nothing like thee and thine venerable chief.
34:48
Speaker 1: She continued, pressing her hands convulsively on her heart and
34:52
Speaker 1: suffering her head to droop until her burning cheeks were
34:56
Speaker 1: nearly concealed in the maze of dark, glossy tresses that fell.
35:00
Speaker 2: In disorder on her shoulders. The curse of my ancestors
35:05
Speaker 2: has fallen heavily on their child. But Yonder is one
35:09
Speaker 2: who has never known the weight of Heaven's displeasure until now.
35:13
Speaker 2: She is the daughter of an old and failing man
35:17
Speaker 2: whose days are near their clothes. She has many, very
35:21
Speaker 2: many to love her and delight in her, And she is.
35:25
Speaker 4: Too good, much too precious to become the victim of
35:29
Speaker 4: that villain.
35:32
Speaker 1: I know that the pale faces are a proud and
35:35
Speaker 1: hungry race. I know that they claim not only to
35:38
Speaker 1: have the earth, but that the meanness of their color
35:41
Speaker 1: is better than the sachems of the red men. The
35:45
Speaker 1: dogs and crows of their tribes, continued the earnest old chieftain,
35:50
Speaker 1: without heeding the wounded spirit of his listener, whose head
35:53
Speaker 1: was nearly crushed to the earth in shame, as he proceeded,
35:57
Speaker 1: would bark and call before they would take a woman
36:01
Speaker 1: to their wigwams whose blood was not the color of snow.
36:06
Speaker 1: But let them not boast before the face of the
36:08
Speaker 1: mounted totou loud. They entered the land of the rising,
36:12
Speaker 1: and may yet go off at the setting sun. I
36:16
Speaker 1: have often seen the locust strip the leaves from the trees,
36:20
Speaker 1: but the season of blossoms has always come again. It
36:25
Speaker 1: is so, said Cora, drawing a long breath, as if
36:29
Speaker 1: reviving from a trance, raising her face and shaking back
36:33
Speaker 1: her shining veil with a kindling eye that contradicted the
36:38
Speaker 1: deathlike paleness of her countenance. But why is it not
36:43
Speaker 1: permitted us to inquire? There is yet one of thine
36:47
Speaker 1: own people who has not been brought before thee. Before
36:51
Speaker 1: thou lettest the uron depart in triumph, hear him speak,
36:58
Speaker 1: observing tamenund to look about him doubtfully, one of his
37:02
Speaker 1: companions said, it is a snake, a red skin, in
37:07
Speaker 1: the pay of the Yankees. We keep him for the torture.
37:13
Speaker 1: Let him come, returned the sage. Then Tommonon once more
37:20
Speaker 1: sank into his seat, and a silence so deep prevailed,
37:24
Speaker 1: while the young man prepared to obey his simple mandate,
37:28
Speaker 1: that the leaves which fluttered in the draft of the
37:31
Speaker 1: light morning air were distinctly heard rustling in the surrounding forest.
37:38
Speaker 1: End of Chapter twenty nine