English
“Theylingeryet,Avengersoftheirnativeland.”
—Gray
Thewarningcallofthescoutwasnotutteredwithoutoccasion.
Duringtheoccurrenceofthedeadlyencounterjustrelated,theroarofthefallswasunbrokenbyanyhumansoundwhatever.
Itwouldseemthatinterestintheresulthadkeptthenativesontheoppositeshoresinbreathlesssuspense,whilethequickevolutionsandswiftchangesinthepositionsofthecombatantseffectuallypreventedafirethatmightprovedangerousaliketofriendandenemy.
Butthemomentthestrugglewasdecided,ayellaroseasfierceandsavageaswildandrevengefulpassionscouldthrowintotheair.
Itwasfollowedbytheswiftflashesoftherifles,whichsenttheirleadenmessengersacrosstherockinvolleys,asthoughtheassailantswouldpourouttheirimpotentfuryontheinsensiblesceneofthefatalcontest.
Asteady,thoughdeliberatereturnwasmadefromtherifleofChingachgook,whohadmaintainedhispostthroughoutthefraywithunmovedresolution.
WhenthetriumphantshoutofUncaswasbornetohisears,thegratifiedfatherraisedhisvoiceinasingleresponsivecry,afterwhichhisbusypiecealoneprovedthathestillguardedhispasswithunwearieddiligence.
Inthismannermanyminutesflewbywiththeswiftnessofthought;theriflesoftheassailantsspeaking,attimes,inrattlingvolleys,andatothersinoccasional,scatteringshots.
Thoughtherock,thetrees,andtheshrubs,werecutandtorninahundredplacesaroundthebesieged,theircoverwassoclose,andsorigidlymaintained,that,asyet,Davidhadbeentheonlysuffererintheirlittleband.
“Letthemburntheirpowder,”saidthedeliberatescout,whilebulletafterbulletwhizzedbytheplacewherehesecurelylay;“therewillbeafinegatheringofleadwhenitisover,andIfancytheimpswilltireofthesportaforetheseoldstonescryoutformercy!
Uncas,boy,youwastethekernelsbyovercharging;andakickingriflenevercarriesatruebullet.
Itoldyoutotakethatlopingmiscreantunderthelineofwhitepoint;now,ifyourbulletwentahair’sbreadthitwenttwoinchesaboveit.
ThelifelieslowinaMingo,andhumanityteachesustomakeaquickendtothesarpents.”
AquietsmilelightedthehaughtyfeaturesoftheyoungMohican,betrayinghisknowledgeoftheEnglishlanguageaswellasoftheother’smeaning;buthesufferedittopassawaywithoutvindicationofreply.
“IcannotpermityoutoaccuseUncasofwantofjudgmentorofskill,”saidDuncan;“hesavedmylifeinthecoolestandreadiestmanner,andhehasmadeafriendwhoneverwillrequiretoberemindedofthedebtheowes.”
Uncaspartlyraisedhisbody,andofferedhishandtothegraspofHeyward.
Duringthisactoffriendship,thetwoyoungmenexchangedlooksofintelligencewhichcausedDuncantoforgetthecharacterandconditionofhiswildassociate.
Inthemeanwhile,Hawkeye,wholookedonthisburstofyouthfulfeelingwithacoolbutkindregardmadethefollowingreply:
“Lifeisanobligationwhichfriendsoftenoweeachotherinthewilderness.
IdaresayImayhaveservedUncassomesuchturnmyselfbeforenow;andIverywellrememberthathehasstoodbetweenmeanddeathfivedifferenttimes;threetimesfromtheMingoes,onceincrossingHorican,and—”
“Thatbulletwasbetteraimedthancommon!”exclaimedDuncan,involuntarilyshrinkingfromashotwhichstrucktherockathissidewithasmartrebound.
Hawkeyelaidhishandontheshapelessmetal,andshookhishead,asheexaminedit,saying,“Fallingleadisneverflattened,haditcomefromthecloudsthismighthavehappened.”
ButtherifleofUncaswasdeliberatelyraisedtowardtheheavens,directingtheeyesofhiscompanionstoapoint,wherethemysterywasimmediatelyexplained.
Araggedoakgrewontherightbankoftheriver,nearlyoppositetotheirposition,which,seekingthefreedomoftheopenspace,hadinclinedsofarforwardthatitsupperbranchesoverhungthatarmofthestreamwhichflowednearesttoitsownshore.
Amongthetopmostleaves,whichscantilyconcealedthegnarledandstuntedlimbs,asavagewasnestled,partlyconcealedbythetrunkofthetree,andpartlyexposed,asthoughlookingdownuponthemtoascertaintheeffectproducedbyhistreacherousaim.
“Thesedevilswillscaleheaventocircumventustoourruin,”saidHawkeye;“keephiminplay,boy,untilIcanbring‘killdeer’tobear,whenwewilltryhismetaloneachsideofthetreeatonce.”
Uncasdelayedhisfireuntilthescoututteredtheword.
Theriflesflashed,theleavesandbarkoftheoakflewintotheair,andwerescatteredbythewind,buttheIndianansweredtheirassaultbyatauntinglaugh,sendingdownuponthemanotherbulletinreturn,thatstruckthecapofHawkeyefromhishead.
Oncemorethesavageyellsburstoutofthewoods,andtheleadenhailwhistledabovetheheadsofthebesieged,asiftoconfinethemtoaplacewheretheymightbecomeeasyvictimstotheenterpriseofthewarriorwhohadmountedthetree.
“Thismustbelookedto,”saidthescout,glancingabouthimwithananxiouseye.“Uncas,callupyourfather;wehaveneedofallourwe’ponstobringthecunningvarmintfromhisroost.”
Thesignalwasinstantlygiven;and,beforeHawkeyehadreloadedhisrifle,theywerejoinedbyChingachgook.
Whenhissonpointedouttotheexperiencedwarriorthesituationoftheirdangerousenemy,theusualexclamatory“hugh”burstfromhislips;afterwhich,nofurtherexpressionofsurpriseoralarmwassufferedtoescapehim.
HawkeyeandtheMohicansconversedearnestlytogetherinDelawareforafewmoments,wheneachquietlytookhispost,inordertoexecutetheplantheyhadspeedilydevised.
Thewarriorintheoakhadmaintainedaquick,thoughineffectualfire,fromthemomentofhisdiscovery.
Buthisaimwasinterruptedbythevigilanceofhisenemies,whoseriflesinstantaneouslyboreonanypartofhispersonthatwasleftexposed.
Stillhisbulletsfellinthecenterofthecrouchingparty.
TheclothesofHeyward,whichrenderedhimpeculiarlyconspicuous,wererepeatedlycut,andoncebloodwasdrawnfromaslightwoundinhisarm.
Atlength,emboldenedbythelongandpatientwatchfulnessofhisenemies,theHuronattemptedabetterandmorefatalaim.
ThequickeyesoftheMohicanscaughtthedarklineofhislowerlimbsincautiouslyexposedthroughthethinfoliage,afewinchesfromthetrunkofthetree.
Theirriflesmadeacommonreport,when,sinkingonhiswoundedlimb,partofthebodyofthesavagecameintoview.
Swiftasthought,Hawkeyeseizedtheadvantage,anddischargedhisfatalweaponintothetopoftheoak.
Theleaveswereunusuallyagitated;thedangerousriflefellfromitscommandingelevation,andafterafewmomentsofvainstruggling,theformofthesavagewasseenswinginginthewind,whilehestillgraspedaraggedandnakedbranchofthetreewithhandsclenchedindesperation.
“Givehim,inpity,givehimthecontentsofanotherrifle,”criedDuncan,turningawayhiseyesinhorrorfromthespectacleofafellowcreatureinsuchawfuljeopardy.
“Notakarnel!”exclaimedtheobdurateHawkeye;“hisdeathiscertain,andwehavenopowdertospare,forIndianfightssometimeslastfordays;‘tistheirscalpsorours!
andGod,whomadeus,hasputintoournaturesthecravingtokeeptheskinonthehead.”
Againstthissternandunyieldingmorality,supportedasitwasbysuchvisiblepolicy,therewasnoappeal.
Fromthatmomenttheyellsintheforestoncemoreceased,thefirewassufferedtodecline,andalleyes,thoseoffriendsaswellasenemies,becamefixedonthehopelessconditionofthewretchwhowasdanglingbetweenheavenandearth.
Thebodyyieldedtothecurrentsofair,andthoughnomurmurorgroanescapedthevictim,therewereinstantswhenhegrimlyfacedhisfoes,andtheanguishofcolddespairmightbetraced,throughtheinterveningdistance,inpossessionofhisswarthylineaments.
Threeseveraltimesthescoutraisedhispieceinmercy,andasoften,prudencegettingthebetterofhisintention,itwasagainsilentlylowered.
AtlengthonehandoftheHuronlostitshold,anddroppedexhaustedtohisside.
Adesperateandfruitlessstruggletorecoverthebranchsucceeded,andthenthesavagewasseenforafleetinginstant,graspingwildlyattheemptyair.
ThelightningisnotquickerthanwastheflamefromtherifleofHawkeye;thelimbsofthevictimtrembledandcontracted,theheadfelltothebosom,andthebodypartedthefoamingwaterslikelead,whentheelementclosedaboveit,initsceaselessvelocity,andeveryvestigeoftheunhappyHuronwaslostforever.
Noshoutoftriumphsucceededthisimportantadvantage,buteventheMohicansgazedateachotherinsilenthorror.
Asingleyellburstfromthewoods,andallwasagainstill.
Hawkeye,whoaloneappearedtoreasonontheoccasion,shookhisheadathisownmomentaryweakness,evenutteringhisself–disapprobationaloud.
”’T’wasthelastchargeinmyhornandthelastbulletinmypouch,and‘twastheactofaboy!”
hesaid;“whatmattereditwhetherhestrucktherocklivingordead!feelingwouldsoonbeover.
Uncas,lad,godowntothecanoe,andbringupthebighorn;itisallthepowderwehaveleft,andweshallneedittothelastgrain,orIamignorantoftheMingonature.”
TheyoungMohicancomplied,leavingthescoutturningovertheuselesscontentsofhispouch,andshakingtheemptyhornwithreneweddiscontent.
Fromthisunsatisfactoryexamination,however,hewassooncalledbyaloudandpiercingexclamationfromUncas,thatsounded,eventotheunpracticedearsofDuncan,asthesignalofsomenewandunexpectedcalamity.
Everythoughtfilledwithapprehensionfortheprevioustreasurehehadconcealedinthecavern,theyoungmanstartedtohisfeet,totallyregardlessofthehazardheincurredbysuchanexposure.
Asifactuatedbyacommonimpulse,hismovementwasimitatedbyhiscompanions,and,togethertheyrusheddownthepasstothefriendlychasm,witharapiditythatrenderedthescatteringfireoftheirenemiesperfectlyharmless.
Theunwontedcryhadbroughtthesisters,togetherwiththewoundedDavid,fromtheirplaceofrefuge;andthewholeparty,atasingleglance,wasmadeacquaintedwiththenatureofthedisasterthathaddisturbedeventhepracticedstoicismoftheiryouthfulIndianprotector.
Atashortdistancefromtherock,theirlittlebarkwastobeseenfloatingacrosstheeddy,towardtheswiftcurrentoftheriver,inamannerwhichprovedthatitscoursewasdirectedbysomehiddenagent.
Theinstantthisunwelcomesightcaughttheeyeofthescout,hisriflewasleveledasbyinstinct,butthebarrelgavenoanswertothebrightsparksoftheflint.
”’Tistoolate,‘tistoolate!”Hawkeyeexclaimed,droppingtheuselesspieceinbitterdisappointment;“themiscreanthasstrucktherapid;andhadwepowder,itcouldhardlysendtheleadswifterthanhenowgoes!”
TheadventurousHuronraisedhisheadabovetheshelterofthecanoe,and,whileitglidedswiftlydownthestream,hewavedhishand,andgaveforththeshout,whichwastheknownsignalofsuccess.
Hiscrywasansweredbyayellandalaughfromthewoods,astauntinglyexultingasiffiftydemonswereutteringtheirblasphemiesatthefallofsomeChristiansoul.
“Wellmayyoulaugh,yechildrenofthedevil!”
saidthescout,seatinghimselfonaprojectionoftherock,andsufferinghisguntofallneglectedathisfeet,“forthethreequickestandtruestriflesinthesewoodsarenobetterthansomanystalksofmullein,orthelastyear’shornsofabuck!”
“Whatistobedone?”demandedDuncan,losingthefirstfeelingofdisappointmentinamoremanlydesireforexertion;“whatwillbecomeofus?”
Hawkeyemadenootherreplythanbypassinghisfingeraroundthecrownofhishead,inamannersosignificant,thatnonewhowitnessedtheactioncouldmistakeitsmeaning.
“Surely,surely,ourcaseisnotsodesperate!”exclaimedtheyouth;“theHuronsarenothere;wemaymakegoodthecaverns,wemayopposetheirlanding.”
“Withwhat?”coollydemandedthescout.
“ThearrowsofUncas,orsuchtearsaswomenshed!
No,no;youareyoung,andrich,andhavefriends,andatsuchanageIknowitishardtodie!
But,”glancinghiseyesattheMohicans,“letusrememberwearemenwithoutacross,andletusteachthesenativesoftheforestthatwhitebloodcanrunasfreelyasred,whentheappointedhouriscome.”
Duncanturnedquicklyinthedirectionindicatedbytheother’seyes,andreadaconfirmationofhisworstapprehensionsintheconductoftheIndians.
Chingachgook,placinghimselfinadignifiedpostureonanotherfragmentoftherock,hadalreadylaidasidehisknifeandtomahawk,andwasintheactoftakingtheeagle’splumefromhishead,andsmoothingthesolitarytuftofhairinreadinesstoperformitslastandrevoltingoffice.
Hiscountenancewascomposed,thoughthoughtful,whilehisdark,gleamingeyesweregraduallylosingthefiercenessofthecombatinanexpressionbettersuitedtothechangeheexpectedmomentarilytoundergo.
“Ourcaseisnot,cannotbesohopeless!”
saidDuncan;“evenatthisverymomentsuccormaybeathand.Iseenoenemies!
Theyhavesickenedofastruggleinwhichtheyrisksomuchwithsolittleprospectofgain!”
“Itmaybeaminute,oritmaybeanhour,aforethewilysarpentsstealuponus,anditisquiteinnatur’forthemtobelyingwithinhearingatthisverymoment,”saidHawkeye;“butcometheywill,andinsuchafashionaswillleaveusnothingtohope!
Chingachgook”—hespokeinDelaware—”mybrother,wehavefoughtourlastbattletogether,andtheMaquaswilltriumphinthedeathofthesagemanoftheMohicans,andofthepaleface,whoseeyescanmakenightasday,andlevelthecloudstothemistsofthesprings!”
“LettheMingowomengoweepovertheslain!”
returnedtheIndian,withcharacteristicprideandunmovedfirmness;“theGreatSnakeoftheMohicanshascoiledhimselfintheirwigwams,andhaspoisonedtheirtriumphwiththewailingsofchildren,whosefathershavenotreturned!
Elevenwarriorsliehidfromthegravesoftheirtribessincethesnowshavemelted,andnonewilltellwheretofindthemwhenthetongueofChingachgookshallbesilent!
Letthemdrawthesharpestknife,andwhirltheswiftesttomahawk,fortheirbitterestenemyisintheirhands.
Uncas,topmostbranchofanobletrunk,callonthecowardstohasten,ortheirheartswillsoften,andtheywillchangetowomen!”
“Theylookamongthefishesfortheirdead!”
returnedthelow,softvoiceoftheyouthfulchieftain;“theHuronsfloatwiththeslimyeels!
Theydropfromtheoakslikefruitthatisreadytobeeaten!andtheDelawareslaugh!”
“Ay,ay,”mutteredthescout,whohadlistenedtothispeculiarburstofthenativeswithdeepattention;“theyhavewarmedtheirIndianfeelings,andthey’llsoonprovoketheMaquastogivethemaspeedyend.
Asforme,whoamofthewholebloodofthewhites,itisbefittingthatIshoulddieasbecomesmycolor,withnowordsofscoffinginmymouth,andwithoutbitternessattheheart!”
“Whydieatall!”saidCora,advancingfromtheplacewherenaturalhorrorhad,untilthismoment,heldherrivetedtotherock;“thepathisopenoneveryside;fly,then,tothewoods,andcallonGodforsuccor.
Go,bravemen,weoweyoutoomuchalready;letusnolongerinvolveyouinourhaplessfortunes!”
“YoubutlittleknowthecraftoftheIroquois,lady,ifyoujudgetheyhaveleftthepathopentothewoods!”
returnedHawkeye,who,however,immediatelyaddedinhissimplicity,“thedownstreamcurrent,itiscertain,mightsoonsweepusbeyondthereachoftheirriflesorthesoundoftheirvoices.”
“Thentrytheriver.Whylingertoaddtothenumberofthevictimsofourmercilessenemies?”
“Why,”repeatedthescout,lookingabouthimproudly;“becauseitisbetterforamantodieatpeacewithhimselfthantolivehauntedbyanevilconscience!
WhatanswercouldwegiveMunro,whenheaskeduswhereandhowwelefthischildren?”
“Gotohim,andsaythatyouleftthemwithamessagetohastentotheiraid,”returnedCora,advancingnighertothescoutinhergenerousardor;“thattheHuronsbearthemintothenorthernwilds,butthatbyvigilanceandspeedtheymayyetberescued;andif,afterall,itshouldpleaseheaventhathisassistancecometoolate,beartohim,”shecontinued,hervoicegraduallylowering,untilitseemednearlychoked,“thelove,theblessings,thefinalprayersofhisdaughters,andbidhimnotmourntheirearlyfate,buttolookforwardwithhumbleconfidencetotheChristian’sgoaltomeethischildren.”
Thehard,weather–beatenfeaturesofthescoutbegantowork,andwhenshehadended,hedroppedhischintohishand,likeamanmusingprofoundlyonthenatureoftheproposal.
“Thereisreasoninherwords!”atlengthbrokefromhiscompressedandtremblinglips;“ay,andtheybearthespiritofChristianity;whatmightberightandproperinared–skin,maybesinfulinamanwhohasnotevenacrossinbloodtopleadforhisignorance.Chingachgook!Uncas!
hearyouthetalkofthedark–eyedwoman?”
HenowspokeinDelawaretohiscompanions,andhisaddress,thoughcalmanddeliberate,seemedverydecided.
TheelderMohicanheardwithdeepgravity,andappearedtoponderonhiswords,asthoughhefelttheimportanceoftheirimport.
Afteramomentofhesitation,hewavedhishandinassent,andutteredtheEnglishword“Good!”
withthepeculiaremphasisofhispeople.
Then,replacinghisknifeandtomahawkinhisgirdle,thewarriormovedsilentlytotheedgeoftherockwhichwasmostconcealedfromthebanksoftheriver.
Herehepausedamoment,pointedsignificantlytothewoodsbelow,andsayingafewwordsinhisownlanguage,asifindicatinghisintendedroute,hedroppedintothewater,andsankfrombeforetheeyesofthewitnessesofhismovements.
Thescoutdelayedhisdeparturetospeaktothegenerousgirl,whosebreathingbecamelighterasshesawthesuccessofherremonstrance.
“Wisdomissometimesgiventotheyoung,aswellastotheold,”hesaid;“andwhatyouhavespokeniswise,nottocallitbyabetterword.
Ifyouareledintothewoods,thatissuchofyouasmaybesparedforawhile,breakthetwigsonthebushesasyoupass,andmakethemarksofyourtrailasbroadasyoucan,when,ifmortaleyescanseethem,dependonhavingafriendwhowillfollowtotheendsofthe‘arthaforehedesartsyou.”
HegaveCoraanaffectionateshakeofthehand,liftedhisrifle,andafterregardingitamomentwithmelancholysolicitude,laiditcarefullyaside,anddescendedtotheplacewhereChingachgookhadjustdisappeared.
Foraninstanthehungsuspendedbytherock,andlookingabouthim,withacountenanceofpeculiarcare,headdedbitterly,“Hadthepowderheldout,thisdisgracecouldneverhavebefallen!”
then,looseninghishold,thewaterclosedabovehishead,andhealsobecamelosttoview.
AlleyesnowwereturnedonUncas,whostoodleaningagainsttheraggedrock,inimmovablecomposure.Afterwaitingashorttime,Corapointeddowntheriver,andsaid:
“Yourfriendshavenotbeenseen,andarenow,mostprobably,insafety.Isitnottimeforyoutofollow?”
“Uncaswillstay,”theyoungMohicancalmlyansweredinEnglish.
“Toincreasethehorrorofourcapture,andtodiminishthechancesofourrelease!
Go,generousyoungman,”Coracontinued,loweringhereyesunderthegazeoftheMohican,andperhaps,withanintuitiveconsciousnessofherpower;“gotomyfather,asIhavesaid,andbethemostconfidentialofmymessengers.
Tellhimtotrustyouwiththemeanstobuythefreedomofhisdaughters.Go!
‘tismywish,‘tismyprayer,thatyouwillgo!”
Thesettled,calmlookoftheyoungchiefchangedtoanexpressionofgloom,buthenolongerhesitated.
Withanoiselessstephecrossedtherock,anddroppedintothetroubledstream.
Hardlyabreathwasdrawnbythoseheleftbehind,untiltheycaughtaglimpseofhisheademergingforair,fardownthecurrent,whenheagainsank,andwasseennomore.
Thesesuddenandapparentlysuccessfulexperimentshadalltakenplaceinafewminutesofthattimewhichhadnowbecomesoprecious.
AfteralastlookatUncas,Coraturnedandwithaquiveringlip,addressedherselftoHeyward:
“Ihaveheardofyourboastedskillinthewater,too,Duncan,”shesaid;“follow,then,thewiseexamplesetyoubythesesimpleandfaithfulbeings.”
“IssuchthefaiththatCoraMunrowouldexactfromherprotector?”saidtheyoungman,smilingmournfully,butwithbitterness.
“Thisisnotatimeforidlesubtletiesandfalseopinions,”sheanswered;“butamomentwheneverydutyshouldbeequallyconsidered.
Tousyoucanbeofnofurtherservicehere,butyourpreciouslifemaybesavedforotherandnearerfriends.”
Hemadenoreply,thoughhiseyefellwistfullyonthebeautifulformofAlice,whowasclingingtohisarmwiththedependencyofaninfant.
“Consider,”continuedCora,afterapause,duringwhichsheseemedtostrugglewithapangevenmoreacutethananythatherfearshadexcited,“thattheworsttouscanbebutdeath;atributethatallmustpayatthegoodtimeofGod’sappointment.”
“Thereareevilsworsethandeath,”saidDuncan,speakinghoarsely,andasiffretfulatherimportunity,“butwhichthepresenceofonewhowoulddieinyourbehalfmayavert.”
Coraceasedherentreaties;andveilingherfaceinhershawl,drewthenearlyinsensibleAliceafterherintothedeepestrecessoftheinnercavern.
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