Останній з Могікан
Chapter 15
Thetransportationofasingleheavygunwasoftenconsideredequaltoavictorygained;if,happily,thedifficultiesofthepassagehadnotsofarseparateditfromitsnecessaryconcomitant,theammunition,astorenderitnomorethananuselesstubeofunwieldyiron.
TheevilsofthisstateofthingspressedheavilyonthefortunesoftheresoluteScotsmanwhonowdefendedWilliamHenry.Thoughhisadversaryneglectedthehills,hehadplantedhisbatterieswithjudgmentontheplain,andcausedthemtobeservedwithvigorandskill.Againstthisassault,thebesiegedcouldonlyopposetheimperfectandhastypreparationsofafortressinthewilderness.
Itwasintheafternoonofthefifthdayofthesiege,andthefourthofhisownserviceinit,thatMajorHeywardprofitedbyaparleythathadjustbeenbeaten,byrepairingtotherampartsofoneofthewaterbastions,tobreathethecoolairfromthelake,andtotakeasurveyoftheprogressofthesiege.Hewasalone,ifthesolitarysentinelwhopacedthemoundbeexcepted;fortheartilleristshadhastenedalsotoprofitbythetemporarysuspensionoftheirarduousduties.Theeveningwasdelightfullycalm,andthelightairfromthelimpidwaterfreshandsoothing.Itseemedasif,withtheterminationtotheroarofartilleryandtheplungingofshot,naturehadalsoseizedthemomenttoassumehermildestandmostcaptivatingform.Thesunpoureddownhispartinggloryonthescene,withouttheoppressionofthosefierceraysthatbelongtotheclimateandtheseason.
