Останній з Могікан
Chapter 15
Themountainslookedgreenandfreshandlovely;temperedwiththemilderlight,orsoftenedinshadow,asthinvaporsfloatedbetweenthemandthesun.ThenumerousislandsrestedonthebosomoftheHorican,somelowandsunken,asifimbeddedinthewaters,andothersappearingtohoverabovetheelement,inlittlehillocksofgreenvelvet;amongwhichthefishermenofthebeleagueringarmypeacefullyrowedtheirskiffs,orfloatedatrestontheglassymirror,inquietpursuitoftheiremployment.
Thescenewasatonceanimatedandstill.Allthatpertainedtonaturewassweet,orsimplygrand;whilethosepartswhichdependedonthetemperandmovementsofmanwerelivelyandplayful.
Twolittlespotlessflagswereabroad,theoneonasalientangleofthefort,andtheotherontheadvancedbatteryofthebesiegers;emblemsofthetrucewhichexisted,notonlytotheacts,butitwouldseem,also,totheenmityofthecombatants.
Behindthese,again,swung,heavilyopeningandclosinginsilkenfolds,therivalstandardsofEnglandandFrance.
AhundredgayandthoughtlessyoungFrenchmenweredrawinganettothepebblybeach,withindangerousproximitytothesullenbutsilentcannonofthefort,whiletheeasternmountainwassendingbacktheloudshoutsandgaymerrimentthatattendedtheirsport.Somewererushingeagerlytoenjoytheaquaticgamesofthelake,andotherswerealreadytoilingtheirwayuptheneighboringhills,withtherestlesscuriosityoftheirnation.
