Последний из Могикан
Chapter 16
Atlengthhemoved,asifsuddenlyrecoveringhisrecollection;whenhearose,andtakingasingleturnacrosstheroom,heapproachedhiscompanionwithanairofmilitarygrandeur,anddemanded—
"Haveyounot,MajorHeyward,somecommunicationthatIshouldhearfromtheMarquisdeMontcalm?"
Duncanstarted,inhisturn,andimmediatelycommenced,inanembarrassedvoice,thehalf-forgottenmessage.Itisunnecessarytodwellupontheevasive,thoughpolitemanner,withwhichtheFrenchgeneralhadeludedeveryattemptofHeywardtowormfromhimthepurportofthecommunicationhehadproposedmaking,oronthedecided,thoughstillpolishedmessage,bywhichhenowgavehisenemytounderstand,thatunlesshechosetoreceiveitinperson,heshouldnotreceiveitatall.AsMunrolistenedtothedetailofDuncan,theexcitedfeelingsofthefathergraduallygavewaybeforetheobligationsofhisstation,andwhentheotherwasdone,hesawbeforehimnothingbuttheveteran,swellingwiththewoundedfeelingsofasoldier.
"Youhavesaidenough,MajorHeyward!"exclaimedtheangryoldman:"enoughtomakeavolumeofcommentaryonFrenchcivility.Herehasthisgentlemaninvitedmetoaconference,andwhenIsendhimacapablesubstitute,forye’reallthat,Duncan,thoughyouryearsarebutfew,heanswersmewithariddle."
"Hemayhavethoughtlessfavorablyofthesubstitute,mydearsir;andyouwillrememberthattheinvitation,whichhenowrepeats,wastothecommandantoftheworks,andnottohissecond."
