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

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Speaker 1: Chapter nineteen. Quote Calar, why I am sure if he forfeit,
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Speaker 1: that will not take his flesh? What's that good for
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Speaker 1: shy to bait fish withal? If it will feed nothing else,
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Speaker 1: it will feed my revenge? Unquote from the Merchant of Venice.
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Speaker 1: The shades of evening had come to increase the dreariness
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Speaker 1: of the place. When the party entered the ruins of
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Speaker 1: William Henry, the Scout and his companions immediately made their
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Speaker 1: preparations to pass the night there, but with an earnestness
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Speaker 1: and sobriety of demeanor that betrayed how much the unusual
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Speaker 1: horrors they had just witnessed worked on even their practiced feelings.
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Speaker 1: A few fragments of rafters were reared against the blackened wall,
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Speaker 1: and when Uncas had covered them slightly with brush, the
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Speaker 1: temporary accommodations were deemed sufficient. The young the Indian pointed
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Speaker 1: toward this rude hut when his labor was ended, and Heyward,
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Speaker 1: who understood the meaning of the silent gestures, gently urgement
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Speaker 1: row to enter, leaving the bereaved old man alone with
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Speaker 1: his sorrows. Duncan immediately returned into the open air, too
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Speaker 1: much excited himself to seek the repose he had recommended
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Speaker 1: to his veteran friend. While Hawkeye and the Indians lighted
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Speaker 1: their fire and took their evenings. Repassed a frugal mill
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Speaker 1: of dried bear's meat, the young man paid a visit
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Speaker 1: to that curtain of the dilapidated fort, which looked out
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Speaker 1: on the sheet of the Horican. The wind had fallen,
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Speaker 1: and the waves were already rolling on the sandy beach
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Speaker 1: beneath him. In a more regular and tempered succession, the clouds,
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Speaker 1: as if tired of their furious chase, were breaking asunder,
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Speaker 1: the heavier volumes gathering in black masses about the horizon,
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Speaker 1: while the lighter scud still hurried above the water or
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Speaker 1: eddied among the tops of the mountains. Broken flights of
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Speaker 1: birds hovering around their roost. Here and there, a red
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Speaker 1: and fiery stars struggled through the drifting vapor, furnishing a
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Speaker 1: lurid gleam of brightness to the dull aspect of the heavens.
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Speaker 1: Within the bosom of the encircling hills, an impenetrable darkness
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Speaker 1: had already settled, and the plain lay like a vast
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Speaker 1: and deserted charnel house. Without oment or whisper to disturb
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Speaker 1: the slumbers of its numerous and hapless tenants. On this scene,
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Speaker 1: so chillingly in accordance with the past, Duncan stood for
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Speaker 1: many minutes a rapt observer. His eyes wandered from the
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Speaker 1: bosom of the mound, where the foresters were seated around
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Speaker 1: their glimmering fire, to the fainter light which still lingered
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Speaker 1: in the skies, and then rested long and anxiously on
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Speaker 1: the embodied gloom, which lay like a dreary void on
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Speaker 1: that side of him where the dead reposed. He soon
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Speaker 1: fancied that inexplicable sounds arose from the place, though so
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Speaker 1: indistinct and stolen as to render not only their nature
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Speaker 1: but even their existence uncertain. Ashamed of his apprehensions, the
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Speaker 1: young man turned toward the water and strove to divert
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Speaker 1: his attention to the mimic stars that dimly glimmered on
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Speaker 1: its moving surface. Still, his two conscious ears performed their
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Speaker 1: ungrateful duty, as if to warn him of some lurking danger.
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Speaker 1: At length, a swift trampling seemed quite audibly to rush
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Speaker 1: athwart the darkness. Unable any longer to quiet his uneasiness.
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Speaker 1: Duncan spoke in a low voice to the scout, requesting
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Speaker 1: him to ascend the mound to the place where he stood.
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Speaker 1: Hawkeye threw his rifle, crossed his arm, and complied, but
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Speaker 1: with an air so unmoved and calm as to prove
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Speaker 1: how much he counted on the security of their position. Listen,
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Speaker 1: said Duncan, when the other placed himself deliberately at his elbow.
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Speaker 1: There are suppressed noises on the plain, which may show
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Speaker 1: Montcalm has not yet entirely deserted his conquest. Then ears
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Speaker 1: are better than eyes, said the undisturbed scout, who, having
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Speaker 1: just deposited a portion of bear between his grinders, spoke
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Speaker 1: thick and slow, like one whose mouth was doubly occupied.
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Speaker 1: I myself saw him caged in tie with all his host.
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Speaker 1: For your frenchers, when they have done a clever thing,
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Speaker 1: like to get back and have a dance or a
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Speaker 1: merry making with the women over their success, I know not.
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Speaker 1: An Indian seldom sleeps in war, and Plunder may keep
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Speaker 1: a huron here after his tribe has departed. It would
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Speaker 1: be well to extinguish the fire and have a watch. Listen,
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Speaker 1: you hear the noise, I mean an Indian more rarely
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Speaker 1: lurks about the graves, though ready to slay and not
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Speaker 1: over regardful of the means, he is commonly content with
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Speaker 1: the scalp, unless when blood is hot and temper up.
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Speaker 1: But after spirit is once fairly gone, he forgets his
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Speaker 1: enmity and is willing to let the dead find their
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Speaker 1: natural rest. Speaking of spirit's major, are you of opinion
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Speaker 1: that the heaven of a redskin and us whites will
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Speaker 1: be of one and the same, no doubt, no doubt,
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Speaker 1: I thought I heard it again? Or was it the
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Speaker 1: rustling of the leaves in the top of the beach?
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Speaker 1: For my own part, continued Hawkeye, turning his face for
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Speaker 1: a moment in the direction indicated by Hayward, but with
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Speaker 1: a vacant and careless manner. I believe that paradised is
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Speaker 1: ordained for happiness, and that men will be indulged in
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Speaker 1: it according to their dispositions and gifts. I therefore judge
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Speaker 1: that a red skin is not far from the truth
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Speaker 1: when he believes he is to find them glorious hunting
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Speaker 1: grounds of which his traditions tell. Nor for that matter,
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Speaker 1: do I think it would be any disparagement to a
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Speaker 1: man without a cross to pass his time. You hear
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Speaker 1: it again, interrupted Duncan. Aye. Aye. When food is scarce,
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Speaker 1: and when food is plenty, a wolf grows bold, said
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Speaker 1: the unmoved scout. There would be picking too among the
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Speaker 1: skins of the devils, if there was light and time
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Speaker 1: for the sport. But concerning the life that is to come, major,
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Speaker 1: I have heard preachers say in the settlements that heaven
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Speaker 1: was a place of rest. Now men's minds differ as
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Speaker 1: to their ideas of enjoyment. For myself, and I say
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Speaker 1: it with reverence to the ordering of Providence, it would
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Speaker 1: be no great indulgence to be kept shut up in
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Speaker 1: those mansions of which they preach, having a natural longing
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Speaker 1: for motion and the chase. Duncan, who was now made
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Speaker 1: to understand the nature of the noise he had heard,
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Speaker 1: answered with more attention to the subject which the humor
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Speaker 1: of the scout had chosen for discussion, by saying, it
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Speaker 1: is difficult to account for the feelings that may attend
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Speaker 1: the last great change. It would be a change indeed
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Speaker 1: for a man who has passed his days in the
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Speaker 1: open air, returned the single minded scout, and who has
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Speaker 1: so often broken his fast on the head waters of
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Speaker 1: the Hudson to sleep within sound of the roaring mohawk.
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Speaker 1: But it is a comfort to know we serve a
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Speaker 1: merciful master, though we do it each after his fashion,
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Speaker 1: and with great tracts of wilderness between us. What goes there?
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Speaker 1: Is it? Not the rushing of the wolves you have mentioned?
7:37
Speaker 1: Hawkeye slowly shook his head and beckoned for Duncan to
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Speaker 1: follow him to a spot to which the glare of
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Speaker 1: the fire did not extend. When he had taken this precaution,
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Speaker 1: the scout placed himself in an attitude of intense attention
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Speaker 1: and listened long and keenly for a repetition of the
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Speaker 1: low sound that had so unexpectedly startled him. His vigilance, however,
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Speaker 1: seemed exercised in vain, for after a fruitless pause, he
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Speaker 1: whispered to Duncan, we must give a call to uncas
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Speaker 1: the boy has Indian senses, and he may hear what
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Speaker 1: is hid from us. For being a white skin, I
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Speaker 1: will not deny my nature. The young Mohican, who was
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Speaker 1: conversing in a low voice with his father, started as
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Speaker 1: he heard the moaning of an owl and springing to
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Speaker 1: his feet. He looked toward the black mounds, as if
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Speaker 1: seeking the place. Whence the sounds proceeded. The scout repeated
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Speaker 1: the call, and within a few moments Duncan saw the
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Speaker 1: figure of Uncas stealing cautiously along the rampart to the
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Speaker 1: spot where they stood. Hawkeye explained his wishes in very
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Speaker 1: few words, which were spoken in the Delaware tongue. As
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Speaker 1: soon as Uncas was in possession of the reason why
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Speaker 1: he was summoned, he threw himself flat on the turf, where,
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Speaker 1: to the eyes of Duncan he appeared to lie quiet
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Speaker 1: and motionless. Surprised at the immovable attitude of the young warrior,
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Speaker 1: and curious to observe the manner in which he employed
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Speaker 1: his faculties to obtain the desired information, Heyward advanced a
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Speaker 1: few steps and bent over the dark object on which
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Speaker 1: he had kept his eye riveted. Then it was he
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Speaker 1: discovered that the form of Uncas vanished, and that he
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Speaker 1: beheld only the dark outline of an inequality in the embankment.
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Speaker 1: What has become of the Mohican, he demanded of the scout,
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Speaker 1: stepping back in amazement. It was here that I saw
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Speaker 1: him fall and could have sworn that here he yet
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Speaker 1: remained st speak lower, for we know not what ears
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Speaker 1: are open. And the Mingoes are a quick witted breed.
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Speaker 1: As for Uncas he is out on the plain, and
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Speaker 1: the Maquists, if any cunch are about us, will find
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Speaker 1: him their equal. You think that Montcalm has not called
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Speaker 1: off all his Indians. Let us give the alarm to
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Speaker 1: our companions that we may stand to our own arms.
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Speaker 1: Here are five of us who are not unused to
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Speaker 1: meet an enemy. Not a word to either. As you
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Speaker 1: value your life, Look at the Sagamore, how like a
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Speaker 1: grand Indian chief. He sits by the fire. If there
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Speaker 1: are any skulkers out in the darkness, they will never
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Speaker 1: discover by his countenance that we suspect danger at hand.
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Speaker 1: But they may discover him, and it will prove his death.
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Speaker 1: His person can be too plainly seen by the light
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Speaker 1: of that fire, and he will become the first and
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Speaker 1: most certain victim. It is undeniable that now you speak
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Speaker 1: the truth returned the scout, betraying more anxiety than was usual.
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Speaker 1: Yet what can be done? A single suspicious look might
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Speaker 1: bring on an attack before we are ready to receive it.
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Speaker 1: He knows by the call I gave Uncas that we
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Speaker 1: have struck a scent. I will tell him that we
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Speaker 1: are on the trail of the Mingoes. His Indian nature
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Speaker 1: would tell him how to act. The scout applied his
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Speaker 1: fingers to his mouth and raised a low, hissing sound
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Speaker 1: that caused Duncan at first to start aside, believing that
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Speaker 1: he had heard a serpent. The head of Chinchgotchkook was
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Speaker 1: resting on a hand as he sat musing by himself.
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Speaker 1: But the moment he had heard the warning of the
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Speaker 1: animal whose name he bore, he arose to an upright position,
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Speaker 1: and his dark eyes glanced swiftly and keenly on every
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Speaker 1: side of him. With his sudden and perhaps involuntary movement,
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Speaker 1: every appearance of surprise or alarm ended. His rifle lay
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Speaker 1: untouched and apparently unnoticed, within reach of his hand. The
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Speaker 1: tomahawk that he had loosened in his belt for the
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Speaker 1: sake of ease, was even suffered to fall from its
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Speaker 1: usual situation to the ground, and his form seemed to sink,
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Speaker 1: like that of a man whose nerves and sinews were
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Speaker 1: suffered to relax for the purpose of rest. Cunningly resuming
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Speaker 1: his former position, though with a change of hands, as
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Speaker 1: if the movement had been made merely to relieve the limb.
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Speaker 1: The native awaited the result with a calmness and fortitude
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Speaker 1: that none but an Indian warrior would have known how
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Speaker 1: to exercise. But Heyward saw that while to a less
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Speaker 1: instructed eye, the Mohican chief appeared to slumber, his nostrils
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Speaker 1: were expanded, his head was turned a little to one side,
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Speaker 1: as if to assist the organs of hearing, and that
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Speaker 1: his quick and rapid glances ran incessantly over every object
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Speaker 1: within the power of his vision. See the noble fellow,
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Speaker 1: whispered Hawkeye, pressing the arm of Heyward. He knows that
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Speaker 1: a look of motion might disconcert our schemes and put
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Speaker 1: us at the mercy of them imps. He was interrupted
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Speaker 1: by the flash and report of a rifle. The air
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Speaker 1: was filled with spar afire around that spot, where the
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Speaker 1: eyes of Heyward were still fastened with admiration and wonder.
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Speaker 1: A second look told him that Chinkotchkook had disappeared in
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Speaker 1: the confusion. In the meantime, the scout had thrown forward
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Speaker 1: his rifle like one prepared for service, and awaited impatiently
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Speaker 1: the moment when an enemy might rise to view. But
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Speaker 1: with a solitary and fruitless attempt made on the life
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Speaker 1: of Chinggotchcook, the attack appeared to have terminated. Once or twice,
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Speaker 1: the listeners thought they could distinguish the distant rustling of
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Speaker 1: bushes as bodies of some unknown description rushed through them.
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Speaker 1: Nor was it long before Hawkeye pointed out the scampering
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Speaker 1: of the wolves as they fled precipitately before the passage
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Speaker 1: of some intruder on their proper domains. After an impatient
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Speaker 1: and breathless pause, a plunge was heard in the water,
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Speaker 1: and it was followed by the report of another rifle.
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Speaker 1: There goes uncas said the scout. The boy bears us
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Speaker 1: smart peace. I know its crack as well as the
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Speaker 1: father knows the language of his child, For I carry
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Speaker 1: the gun myself until I better offered. What can this mean?
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Speaker 1: Demanded Duncan. We are watched, and as it would seem
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Speaker 1: marked for destruction, yonder scattered bran can witness that no
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Speaker 1: good was intended, and this Indian will testify that no
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Speaker 1: harm has been done, returned the scout, dropping his rifle
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Speaker 1: across his arm again, and following Chinchgotchcook, who just then
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Speaker 1: reappeared within the circle of light into the bosom of
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Speaker 1: the work. How is it, sagamore, are the mingoes upon
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Speaker 1: us in earnest? Or is it only one of those
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Speaker 1: reptiles who hang upon the skirts of a war party
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Speaker 1: to scalp the dead, go in and make their boast
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Speaker 1: among the squaws of the valiant deeds done on the
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Speaker 1: pale faces. Chinch Gootchcook very quietly resumed his seat, nor
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Speaker 1: did he make any reply until after he had examined
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Speaker 1: the firebrand which had been struck by the bullet that
15:02
Speaker 1: had nearly proved fatal to himself, after which he was
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Speaker 1: content to reply. After which he was content to reply,
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Speaker 1: holding a single finger up to view with the English
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Speaker 1: monosyllable one. I thought as much, returned Hawkeye, seating himself,
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Speaker 1: and as he had got the cover of the lake,
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Speaker 1: afore uncas pulled upon him. I thought as much, returned Hawkeye,
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Speaker 1: seating himself, and as he had got the cover of
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Speaker 1: the lake, afore uncas pulled upon him. It is more
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Speaker 1: than probable the knave will sing his lies about some
15:38
Speaker 1: great ambushment in which he was out lying on the
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Speaker 1: trail of two Mohicans and a white hunter. For the
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Speaker 1: officers can be considered as little better than idlers in
15:47
Speaker 1: such a scrimmage. Well let him, let him. There are
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Speaker 1: always some honest men in every nation, though Heaven knows
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Speaker 1: two that they are scarce among the Makuas to look
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Speaker 1: down an upstart when he brags again the face of reason,
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Speaker 1: the varlet sent his lead within whistle of your ear,
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Speaker 1: Sagamore Chinkotchkook turned a calm and incurious eye toward the
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Speaker 1: place where the ball had struck, and then resumed his
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Speaker 1: former attitude with a composure that could not be disturbed
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Speaker 1: by so trifling an incident. Just then, Uncas glided into
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Speaker 1: the circle and seated himself at the fire, with the
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Speaker 1: same appearance of indifference as was maintained by his father.
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Speaker 1: Of these several moments, Heyward was a deeply interested and
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Speaker 1: wondering observer. It appeared to him as though the foresters
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Speaker 1: had some secret means of intelligence which had escaped the
16:46
Speaker 1: vigilance of his own faculties. In place of that eager
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Speaker 1: and garrulous narration which a white youth would have endeavored
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Speaker 1: to communicate and perhaps exaggerate that which had passed out
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Speaker 1: in the darkness of the plain. The young warrior was
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Speaker 1: seemingly content to let his deeds speak for themselves. It
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Speaker 1: was in fact neither the moment nor the occasion for
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Speaker 1: an Indian to boast of his exploits. And it is
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Speaker 1: probably that had Heyward neglected to inquire, not another syllable
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Speaker 1: just then had been uttered on the subject what has
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Speaker 1: become of our enemy? Uncas demanded, duncan we heard your
17:23
Speaker 1: rifle and hoped that you had not fired in vain.
17:27
Speaker 1: The young chief removed a fold of his hunting skirt
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Speaker 1: and quietly exposed the fatal tuft of hair, which he
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Speaker 1: bore as the symbol of victory. Chinkokschkook laid his hand
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Speaker 1: on the scalp and considered it for a moment with
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Speaker 1: deep attention, then dropping it with disgust. Depicted in his
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Speaker 1: strong features, he ejaculated. Oneida Oneida, repeated the scout, who
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Speaker 1: was fast losing his interest in the scene in an
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Speaker 1: apathy nearly assimilated to that of his red associates, but
17:59
Speaker 1: who now now advance in uncommon earnestness to regard the
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Speaker 1: bloody badge by the lord. If Theonidas are outlying on
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Speaker 1: the trail, we shall by flank by devils on every
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Speaker 1: side of us. Now to white eyes, there is no
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Speaker 1: difference between this bit of skin and that of any
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Speaker 1: other Indian. And yet the Sagamore declares it came from
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Speaker 1: the pole of a Mingo. Nay, he even names the
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Speaker 1: tribe of the poor devil with as much ease as
18:28
Speaker 1: if the scalp was a leaf of a book, and
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Speaker 1: each here a letter. What right have Christian whites to
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Speaker 1: boast of their learning when a savage can read a
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Speaker 1: language that would prove too much for the wisest man
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Speaker 1: of them all? What say you, lad, of what people? Was?
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Speaker 1: The knave Uncas raised his eyes to the face of
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Speaker 1: the scout and answered, in his soft voice, Oneida, Oneida. Again.
18:54
Speaker 1: When one Indian speaks a declaration, it is commonly true,
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Speaker 1: but when he is supported by his people, set it
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Speaker 1: down as gospel. The poor fellow has mistaken us. For French,
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Speaker 1: said Heyward, or he would not have tempted the life
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Speaker 1: of a friend. He mistake a Mohican in his paint
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Speaker 1: for Auron, you would be as likely to mistake the
19:18
Speaker 1: white coated grenadiers of montcalm, for the scarlet jackets of
19:22
Speaker 1: the Royal Americans returned the scout. No, no, the serpent
19:27
Speaker 1: knew his errand nor was there any great mistake in
19:31
Speaker 1: the matter, for there is but little love between a
19:35
Speaker 1: Delaware and a Minko. Let their tribes go out to
19:38
Speaker 1: fight for whom they may in a white quarrel. For
19:42
Speaker 1: that matter, though the Ania is due serve his sacred Majesty,
19:46
Speaker 1: who is my sovereign Lord and Master, I should not
19:49
Speaker 1: have deliberated long about letting off kill Derec to imp myself.
19:54
Speaker 1: Had luck thrown him in my way, that would have
19:57
Speaker 1: been an abuse of our treaties and unworthy of you character.
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Speaker 1: When a man can sort much with a people, continued Hawkeye,
20:05
Speaker 1: if they are honest and he no knave, love will
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Speaker 1: grow up betwixt them. It is true that white cunning
20:13
Speaker 1: has managed to throw the tribes into great confusion as
20:16
Speaker 1: respects friends and enemies, so that the Hurons and the Oneidas,
20:21
Speaker 1: who speak the same tongue or what may be called
20:24
Speaker 1: the same, take each other's scalps, and the Delawares are
20:28
Speaker 1: divided among themselves. A few hanging about their great council
20:32
Speaker 1: fire on their own river and fighting on the same
20:35
Speaker 1: side with the Mingoes, while the greater part are in
20:38
Speaker 1: the Canadas out of natural enmity to the Maquas, thus
20:42
Speaker 1: throwing everything into disorder and destroying all the harmony of warfare.
20:48
Speaker 1: Yet a red nature is not likely to alter with
20:51
Speaker 1: every shift of policy, so that the love of TwixT
20:54
Speaker 1: a Mohican and a Mingo is much like the regard
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Speaker 1: between a white man and a serpent. I regret to
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Speaker 1: hear it, for I had believed that those natives who
21:05
Speaker 1: dwelt within our boundaries found us too just and liberal
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Speaker 1: not to identify themselves fully with our quarrels. Why, I
21:15
Speaker 1: believe it is nature to give a preference to one's
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Speaker 1: own quarrels before those of strangers. Now, for myself, I
21:22
Speaker 1: do love justice, and therefore I will not say I
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Speaker 1: hate a Mingo, for that may be unsuitable to my
21:29
Speaker 1: color and my religion. Though I will just repeat it
21:33
Speaker 1: may have been owing to the Knight that Kildeer had
21:36
Speaker 1: no hand in the death of this sulking Oneida. Then,
21:40
Speaker 1: as if satisfied with the force of his own reasons,
21:43
Speaker 1: whatever may be their effect on the opinions of the
21:46
Speaker 1: other disputant, the honest but implacable Woodsman, turned from the fire,
21:52
Speaker 1: content to let the controversy slumber. Heyward withdrew to the rampart,
21:58
Speaker 1: too uneasy and too little accustomed to the warfare of
22:01
Speaker 1: the woods to remain at ease under the possibility of
22:05
Speaker 1: such insidious attacks. Not so, however, with the Scout and
22:09
Speaker 1: the Mohicans, those acute and practiced senses whose power so
22:14
Speaker 1: often exceeded the limits of all ordinary credulity. After having
22:19
Speaker 1: detected the danger had enabled them to ascertain its magnitude
22:24
Speaker 1: and duration, not one of the three appeared in the
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Speaker 1: least to doubt their perfect security, as was indicated by
22:32
Speaker 1: the preparations that were soon made to sit in council
22:36
Speaker 1: over their future proceedings. The confusion of nations and even
22:40
Speaker 1: of tribes to which Hawkeye alluded existed at that period
22:44
Speaker 1: in the fullest force. The great tie of language and
22:48
Speaker 1: of course, of a common origin was severed in many places,
22:52
Speaker 1: and it was one of its consequences that the Delaware
22:56
Speaker 1: and the Mingo, as the people of the six nations
22:59
Speaker 1: were called, were found fighting in the same ranks, while
23:02
Speaker 1: the latter sought the scalp of the Huron, though believed
23:06
Speaker 1: to be the root of his own stock, the Delawares
23:10
Speaker 1: were even divided among themselves, though love for the soil
23:14
Speaker 1: which had belonged to his ancestors kept the sagamore of
23:16
Speaker 1: the Mohicans with a small band of followers who were
23:20
Speaker 1: serving at Edward under the banners of the English king.
23:23
Speaker 1: By far the largest portion of his nation were known
23:27
Speaker 1: to be in the field as allies of montcalmb The
23:30
Speaker 1: reader probably knows, if enough has not already been gleaned
23:34
Speaker 1: from this narrative, that the Delaware or Lenape claimed to
23:38
Speaker 1: be the progenitors of that numerous people who once were
23:42
Speaker 1: masters of most of the eastern and northern states of America,
23:46
Speaker 1: of whom the community of the Mohicans was an ancient
23:50
Speaker 1: and highly honored member. It was, of course, with a
23:54
Speaker 1: perfect understanding of the minute and the intricate interest which
23:58
Speaker 1: had armed friend against friend and brought natural enemies to
24:01
Speaker 1: combat by each other's side, that the Scout and his
24:05
Speaker 1: companions now disposed themselves to deliberate on the measures that
24:10
Speaker 1: were to govern their future movements. Amid so many jarring
24:13
Speaker 1: in savage races of men, duncan knew enough of Indian
24:19
Speaker 1: customs to understand the reason that the fire was replenished,
24:22
Speaker 1: and why the warriors, not excepting Hawkeye, took their seats
24:27
Speaker 1: within the curl of its smoke with so much gravity
24:30
Speaker 1: and decorum. Placing himself at an angle of the works
24:35
Speaker 1: where he might be a spectator of the scene without
24:39
Speaker 1: he awaited the result with as much patience as he
24:42
Speaker 1: could summon. After a short and impressive pause, Chinskotchkok lighted
24:47
Speaker 1: a pipe, whose bull was curiously carved in one of
24:49
Speaker 1: the soft stones of the country, and whose stem was
24:53
Speaker 1: a tube of wood, commenced smoking. When he had inhaled
24:58
Speaker 1: enough of the fragrance of the soothing weed, he passed
25:01
Speaker 1: the instrument into the hands of the scout. In this manner,
25:05
Speaker 1: the pipe had made its round three several times amid
25:09
Speaker 1: the most profound silence, before either of the party opened
25:13
Speaker 1: his lips. Then the sagamore As, the oldest and highest
25:18
Speaker 1: in rank, in a few calm and dignified words, proposed
25:23
Speaker 1: the subject for deliberation. He was answered by the scout,
25:28
Speaker 1: and Chinskotchkook rejoined when the other objected to his opinions,
25:33
Speaker 1: But the youthful Uncas continued a silent and respectful listener,
25:38
Speaker 1: until Hawkeye, in complaisance, demanded his opinion. Hayward gathered from
25:45
Speaker 1: the manners of the different speakers that the father and
25:48
Speaker 1: son espoused one side of a disputed question, while the
25:52
Speaker 1: white man maintained the other. The contest gradually grew warmer,
25:57
Speaker 1: until it was quite evident the feelings of the speakers
26:00
Speaker 1: began to be somewhat enlisted in the debate. Notwithstanding the
26:05
Speaker 1: increasing warmth of the amicable contest, the most decorous Christian assembly,
26:10
Speaker 1: not even accepting those in which its reverend ministers are collected,
26:14
Speaker 1: might have learned a wholesome lesson of moderation from the
26:17
Speaker 1: forbearance and courtesy of the disputants. The words of Uncas
26:22
Speaker 1: were received with the same deep attention as those which
26:25
Speaker 1: fell from the mature wisdom of his father, and so
26:29
Speaker 1: far from manifesting any impatience, neither spoke in reply until
26:35
Speaker 1: a few moments of silent meditation were seemingly bestowed in
26:39
Speaker 1: deliberating on what had already been said. The language of
26:44
Speaker 1: the Mohicans was accompanied by gestures so direct and natural
26:49
Speaker 1: that Heyward had but little difficulty in following the thread
26:52
Speaker 1: of their argument. On the other hand, the scout was obscure,
26:57
Speaker 1: because from the lingering pride of color, he rather affected
27:01
Speaker 1: the cold and artificial manner which characterizes all classes of
27:05
Speaker 1: Anglo Americans. When unexcited by the frequency with which the
27:10
Speaker 1: Indians described the marks of a forest trail, it was
27:14
Speaker 1: evident they urged pursuit by land. While the repeated sweep
27:19
Speaker 1: of Hawkeye's arm toward the Horican denoted that he was
27:22
Speaker 1: for a passage across its waters. The latter was, to
27:25
Speaker 1: every appearance, fast losing ground, and the point was about
27:29
Speaker 1: to be decided against him when he rose to his feet, and,
27:32
Speaker 1: shaking off his apathy, he suddenly assumed the manner of
27:35
Speaker 1: an Indian and adopted all the arts of native eloquence.
27:39
Speaker 1: Elevating an arm, he pointed out the track of the sun,
27:43
Speaker 1: repeating the gesture for every day that was necessary to
27:46
Speaker 1: accomplish their objects. Then he delineated a long and painful
27:51
Speaker 1: path amid rocks and water courses. The age and weakness
27:56
Speaker 1: of the slumbering and unconscious Moreau were indicated by signs
28:00
Speaker 1: too palpable to be mistaken. Duncan perceived that even his
28:05
Speaker 1: own powers were spoken lightly of, as the scout extended
28:08
Speaker 1: his palm and mentioned him by the appellation of open hand,
28:13
Speaker 1: a name his liberality had purchased of all the friendly tribes.
28:18
Speaker 1: Then came a representation of the light and graceful movements
28:22
Speaker 1: of a canoe set in forcible contrast to the tottering
28:26
Speaker 1: steps of one enfeebled and tired. He concluded by pointing
28:30
Speaker 1: to the scalp of the Oneida, and apparently urging the
28:34
Speaker 1: necessity of their departing speedily and in a manner that
28:37
Speaker 1: should leave no trail. The Mohicans listened gravely and with
28:41
Speaker 1: countenances that reflected the sentiments of the speaker. Conviction gradually
28:46
Speaker 1: wrought its influence, and toward the close of Hawkeye's speech,
28:50
Speaker 1: his sentences were accompanied by the customary exclamation of commendation.
28:55
Speaker 1: In short, Uncas and his father became converts to his
28:59
Speaker 1: way of thinking, abandoning their own previously expressed opinions with
29:04
Speaker 1: the liberality and candor that, had they been the representatives
29:08
Speaker 1: of some great and civilized people, would have infallibly worked
29:13
Speaker 1: their political ruin by destroying forever their reputation for consistency.
29:19
Speaker 1: The instant the matter in discussion was decided the debate
29:23
Speaker 1: and everything connected with it, except the result appeared to
29:26
Speaker 1: be forgotten. Hawkeye, without looking round to read his triumph
29:31
Speaker 1: in applauding eyes, very composedly stretched his tall frame before
29:36
Speaker 1: the dying embers and closed his own organs in sleep.
29:41
Speaker 1: Left now in a measure to themselves. The Mohicans, whose
29:45
Speaker 1: time had been so much devoted to the interest of others,
29:49
Speaker 1: seized the moment to devote some attention to themselves. Casting
29:54
Speaker 1: off at once the grave and austere demeanor of an
29:56
Speaker 1: Indian chief, Chinskotchkok commenced, speaking to his son in the
30:01
Speaker 1: soft and playful tones of affection. Uncas gladly met the
30:06
Speaker 1: familiar air of his father, and before the hard breathing
30:10
Speaker 1: of the scout, announced that he slept. A complete change
30:13
Speaker 1: was effected in the manner of his two associates. It
30:17
Speaker 1: is impossible to describe the music of their language, while
30:21
Speaker 1: thus engaged in laughter and endearments in such a way
30:24
Speaker 1: as to render it intelligible to those whose ears have
30:28
Speaker 1: never listened to its melody. The compass of their voices,
30:33
Speaker 1: particularly that of the youth, was wonderful, extending from the
30:37
Speaker 1: deepest bass to tones that were even feminine in softness,
30:42
Speaker 1: The eyes of the father followed the plastic and ingenious
30:45
Speaker 1: movements of the sun with open delight, and he never
30:49
Speaker 1: failed to smile in reply to the other's contagious but
30:52
Speaker 1: low laughter. While under the influence of these gentle and
30:56
Speaker 1: natural feelings, no trace of ferocity was to be seen
31:00
Speaker 1: in the softened features of the sagamore. His figured panope
31:04
Speaker 1: of death looked more like a disguise assumed in mockery
31:09
Speaker 1: than a fierce nunciation of a desire to carry destruction
31:12
Speaker 1: in his footsteps. After an hour had passed, in the
31:16
Speaker 1: indulgence of their better feelings, chinggotch Cook abruptly announced his
31:21
Speaker 1: desire to sleep, by wrapping his head in his blanket
31:25
Speaker 1: and stretching his form on the naked earth. The merriment
31:29
Speaker 1: of Uncas instantly ceased, and carefully raking the coals in
31:34
Speaker 1: such a manner that they should impart their warmth to
31:37
Speaker 1: his father's feet, the youth sought his own pillow among
31:41
Speaker 1: the ruins of the place. Imbibing renewed confidence from the
31:46
Speaker 1: security of these experienced foresters, Heyward soon imitated their example,
31:52
Speaker 1: and long before the night had turned, they who lay
31:56
Speaker 1: in the bosom of the ruin worked, seemed to slumber
31:59
Speaker 1: as heavily as the unconscious multitude, whose bones were already
32:03
Speaker 1: beginning to bleach on the surrounding plain. End of Chapter nineteen,