Последний из Могикан
Chapter 1
Thescoutsdeparted;strongguardsprecededandfollowedthelumberingvehiclesthatborethebaggage;andbeforethegraylightofthemorningwasmellowedbytheraysofthesun,themainbodyofthecombatantswheeledintocolumn,andlefttheencampmentwithashowofhighmilitarybearing,thatservedtodrowntheslumberingapprehensionsofmanyanovice,whowasnowabouttomakehisfirstessayinarms.Whileinviewoftheiradmiringcomrades,thesameproudfrontandorderedarraywasobserved,untilthenotesoftheirfifesgrowingfainterindistance,theforestatlengthappearedtoswallowupthelivingmasswhichhadslowlyentereditsbosom.
Thedeepestsoundsoftheretiringandinvisiblecolumnhadceasedtobeborneonthebreezetothelisteners,andthelateststragglerhadalreadydisappearedinpursuit;buttherestillremainedthesignsofanotherdeparture,beforealogcabinofunusualsizeandaccommodations,infrontofwhichthosesentinelspacedtheirrounds,whowereknowntoguardthepersonoftheEnglishgeneral.Atthisspotweregatheredsomehalfdozenhorses,caparisonedinamannerwhichshowedthattwo,atleast,weredestinedtobearthepersonsoffemales,ofarankthatitwasnotusualtomeetsofarinthewildsofthecountry.Athirdworethetrappingsandarmsofanofficerofthestaff;whiletherest,fromtheplainnessofthehousings,andthetravellingmailswithwhichtheywereencumbered,wereevidentlyfittedforthereceptionofasmanymenials,whowere,seemingly,alreadyawaitingthepleasureofthosetheyserved.
