Последний из Могикан
Chapter 8
Foraninstanthehungsuspendedbytherock;andlookingabouthim,withacountenanceofpeculiarcare,headded,bitterly,"Hadthepowderheldout,thisdisgracecouldneverhavebefallen!"then,looseninghishold,thewaterclosedabovehishead,andhealsobecamelosttoview.
AlleyeswerenowturnedonUncas,whostoodleaningagainsttheraggedrock,inimmovablecomposure.Afterwaitingashorttime,Corapointeddowntheriver,andsaid:—
"Yourfriendshavenotbeenseen,andarenow,mostprobably,insafety;isitnottimeforyoutofollow?"
"Uncaswillstay,"theyoungMohicancalmlyansweredinEnglish.
"Toincreasethehorrorofourcapture,andtodiminishthechancesofourrelease!Go,generousyoungman,"Coracontinued,loweringhereyesunderthegazeoftheMohican,and,perhaps,withanintuitiveconsciousnessofherpower;"gotomyfather,asIhavesaid,andbethemostconfidentialofmymessengers.Tellhimtotrustyouwiththemeanstobuythefreedomofhisdaughters.Go!’tismywish,’tismyprayer,thatyouwillgo!"
Thesettled,calmlookoftheyoungchiefchangedtoanexpressionofgloom,buthenolongerhesitated.Withanoiselessstephecrossedtherock,anddroppedintothetroubledstream.Hardlyabreathwasdrawnbythoseheleftbehind,untiltheycaughtaglimpseofhisheademergingforair,fardownthecurrent,whenheagainsank,andwasseennomore.
Thesesuddenandapparentlysuccessfulexperimentshadalltakenplaceinafewminutesofthattimewhichhadnowbecomesoprecious
