Останній з Могікан
Chapter 8
Thoughtherock,thetrees,andtheshrubs,werecutandtorninahundredplacesaroundthebesieged,theircoverwassoclose,andsorigidlymaintained,that,asyet,Davidhadbeentheonlysuffererintheirlittleband.
"Letthemburntheirpowder,"saidthedeliberatescout,whilebulletafterbulletwhizzedbytheplacewherehesecurelylay;"therewillbeafinegatheringofleadwhenitisover,andIfancytheimpswilltireofthesport,aforetheseoldstonescryoutformercy!Uncas,boy,youwastethekernelsbyovercharging:andakickingriflenevercarriesatruebullet.Itoldyoutotakethatlopingmiscreantunderthelineofwhitepaint;now,ifyourbulletwentahair’sbreadth,itwenttwoinchesaboveit.ThelifelieslowinaMingo,andhumanityteachesustomakeaquickendofthesarpents."
AquietsmilelightedthehaughtyfeaturesoftheyoungMohican,betrayinghisknowledgeoftheEnglishlanguage,aswellasoftheother’smeaning;buthesufferedittopassawaywithoutvindicationorreply.
"IcannotpermityoutoaccuseUncasofwantofjudgmentorofskill,"saidDuncan;"hesavedmylifeinthecoolestandreadiestmanner,andhehasmadeafriendwhoneverwillrequiretoberemindedofthedebtheowes."
Uncaspartlyraisedhisbody,andofferedhishandtothegraspofHeyward.Duringthisactoffriendship,thetwoyoungmenexchangedlooksofintelligencewhichcausedDuncantoforgetthecharacterandconditionofhiswildassociate.
