Последний из Могикан
Chapter 15
Alongandconfidentialcommunicationnowsucceeded,duringwhichtheyoungmanreceivedsomeadditionalinsightintohisduty,fromtheexperienceandnativeacutenessofhiscommander,andthentheformertookhisleave.
AsDuncancouldonlyactastherepresentativeofthecommandantofthefort,theceremonieswhichshouldhaveaccompaniedameetingbetweentheheadsoftheadverseforceswereofcoursedispensedwith.Thetrucestillexisted,andwitharollandbeatofthedrum,andcoveredbyalittlewhiteflag,Duncanleftthesally-port,withintenminutesafterhisinstructionswereended.HewasreceivedbytheFrenchofficerinadvancewiththeusualformalities,andimmediatelyaccompaniedtoadistantmarqueeoftherenownedsoldierwholedtheforcesofFrance.
Thegeneraloftheenemyreceivedtheyouthfulmessenger,surroundedbyhisprincipalofficers,andbyaswarthybandofthenativechiefs,whohadfollowedhimtothefield,withthewarriorsoftheirseveraltribes.Heywardpausedshort,when,inglancinghiseyesrapidlyoverthedarkgroupofthelatter,hebeheldthemalignantcountenanceofMagua,regardinghimwiththecalmbutsullenattentionwhichmarkedtheexpressionofthatsubtlesavage.Aslightexclamationofsurpriseevenburstfromthelipsoftheyoungman;butinstantlyrecollectinghiserrand,andthepresenceinwhichhestood,hesuppressedeveryappearanceofemotion,andturnedtothehostileleader,whohadalreadyadvancedasteptoreceivehim.
