Останній з Могікан
Chapter 19
Theclouds,asiftiredoftheirfuriouschase,werebreakingasunder;theheaviervolumes,gatheringinblackmassesaboutthehorizon,whilethelighterscudstillhurriedabovethewater,oreddiedamongthetopsofthemountains,likebrokenflightsofbirds,hoveringaroundtheirroosts.Hereandthere,aredandfierystarstruggledthroughthedriftingvapor,furnishingaluridgleamofbrightnesstothedullaspectoftheheavens.Withinthebosomoftheencirclinghills,animpenetrabledarknesshadalreadysettled;andtheplainlaylikeavastanddesertedcharnel-house,withoutomenorwhispertodisturbtheslumbersofitsnumerousandhaplesstenants.
Ofthisscene,sochillinglyinaccordancewiththepast,Duncanstoodformanyminutesaraptobserver.Hiseyeswanderedfromthebosomofthemound,wheretheforesterswereseatedaroundtheirglimmeringfire,tothefainterlightwhichstilllingeredintheskies,andthenrestedlongandanxiouslyontheembodiedgloom,whichlaylikeadrearyvoidonthatsideofhimwherethedeadreposed.Hesoonfanciedthatinexplicablesoundsarosefromtheplace,thoughsoindistinctandstolen,astorendernotonlytheirnaturebuteventheirexistenceuncertain.Ashamedofhisapprehensions,theyoungmanturnedtowardsthewater,andstrovetodiverthisattentionstothemimicstarsthatdimlyglimmeredonitsmovingsurface.Still,histooconsciousearsperformedtheirungratefulduty,asiftowarnhimofsomelurkingdanger.Atlengthaswifttramplingseemedquiteaudiblytorushathwartthedarkness.
