Останній з Могікан
Chapter 17
Everyfewyardsasheproceededhewaschallengedbythesentinels;buthestalkedsullenlyonward,utterlydisregardingthesummonsofthesoldiers,whoonlysparedhislifebecausetheyknewtheairandtreadnolessthantheobstinatedaringofanIndian.
Montcalmlingeredlongandmelancholyonthestrand,wherehehadbeenleftbyhiscompanion,broodingdeeplyonthetemperwhichhisungovernableallyhadjustdiscovered.Alreadyhadhisfairfamebeentarnishedbyonehorridscene,andincircumstancesfearfullyresemblingthoseunderwhichhenowfoundhimself.Ashemusedhebecamekeenlysensibleofthedeepresponsibilitytheyassumewhodisregardthemeanstoattaintheirend,andofallthedangerofsettinginmotionanenginewhichitexceedshumanpowertocontrol.Thenshakingoffatrainofreflectionsthatheaccountedaweaknessinsuchamomentoftriumph,heretracedhisstepstowardshistent,givingtheorderashepassed,tomakethesignalthatshouldarousethearmyfromitsslumbers.
ThefirsttapoftheFrenchdrumswasechoedfromthebosomofthefort,andpresentlythevalleywasfilledwiththestrainsofmartialmusic,risinglong,thrilling,andlivelyabovetherattlingaccompaniment.Thehornsofthevictorssoundedmerryandcheerfulflourishes,untilthelastlaggardofthecampwasathispost;buttheinstanttheBritishfifeshadblowntheirshrillsignal,theybecamemute.
