Последний из Могикан
Chapter 28
Untilsuchaonechosetomakesomemovement,nodeedsinarms,nonaturalgifts,noranyrenownasanorator,wouldhavejustifiedtheslightestinterruption.Onthepresentoccasion,theagedwarriorwhoseprivilegeitwastospeak,wassilent,seeminglyoppressedwiththemagnitudeofhissubject.Thedelayhadalreadycontinuedlongbeyondtheusualdeliberativepausethatalwaysprecedesaconference;butnosignofimpatienceorsurpriseescapedeventheyoungestboy.Occasionally,aneyewasraisedfromtheearth,wherethelooksofmostwereriveted,andstrayedtowardsaparticularlodge,thatwas,however,innomannerdistinguishedfromthosearoundit,exceptinthepeculiarcarethathadbeentakentoprotectitagainsttheassaultsoftheweather.
Atlength,oneofthoselowmurmursthataresoapttodisturbamultitude,washeard,andthewholenationarosetotheirfeetbyacommonimpulse.Atthatthedoorofthelodgeinquestionopened,andthreemen,issuingfromit,slowlyapproachedtheplaceofconsultation.Theywereallaged,evenbeyondthatperiodtowhichtheoldestpresenthadreached;butoneinthecentre,wholeanedonhiscompanionsforsupport,hadnumberedanamountofyearstowhichthehumanraceisseldompermittedtoattain.Hisframe,whichhadoncebeentallanderect,likethecedar,wasnowbendingunderthepressureofmorethanacentury.Theelastic,lightstepofanIndianwasgone,andinitsplacehewascompelledtotoilhistardywayovertheground,inchbyinch.
