Последний из Могикан
Chapter 1
Numberlessrecentmassacreswerestillvividintheirrecollections;norwasthereanyearintheprovincessodeafasnottohavedrunkinwithaviditythenarrativeofsomefearfultaleofmidnightmurder,inwhichthenativesoftheforestsweretheprincipalandbarbarousactors.Asthecredulousandexcitedtravellerrelatedthehazardouschancesofthewilderness,thebloodofthetimidcurdledwithterror,andmotherscastanxiousglancesevenatthosechildrenwhichslumberedwithinthesecurityofthelargesttowns.Inshort,themagnifyinginfluenceoffearbegantosetatnaughtthecalculationsofreason,andtorenderthosewhoshouldhaverememberedtheirmanhood,theslavesofthebasestofpassions.Eventhemostconfidentandthestoutestheartsbegantothinktheissueofthecontestwasbecomingdoubtful;andthatabjectclasswashourlyincreasinginnumbers,whothoughttheyforesawallthepossessionsoftheEnglishcrowninAmericasubduedbytheirChristianfoes,orlaidwastebytheinroadsoftheirrelentlessallies.
When,therefore,intelligencewasreceivedatthefort,whichcoveredthesouthernterminationoftheportagebetweentheHudsonandthelakes,thatMontcalmhadbeenseenmovinguptheChamplain,withanarmy"numerousastheleavesonthetrees,"itstruthwasadmittedwithmoreofthecravenreluctanceoffearthanwiththesternjoythatawarriorshouldfeel,infindinganenemywithinreachofhisblow.
