Останній з Могікан
Chapter 21
HasUncasnocounseltoofferinsuchastrait?"
TheyoungMohicancastaglanceathisfather,butmaintaininghisquietandreservedmien,hecontinuedsilent.Chingachgookhadcaughtthelook,andmotioningwithhishand,hebadehimspeak.Themomentthispermissionwasaccorded,thecountenanceofUncaschangedfromitsgravecomposuretoagleamofintelligenceandjoy.Boundingforwardlikeadeer,hesprangupthesideofalittleacclivity,afewrodsinadvance,andstoodexultinglyoveraspotoffreshearththatlookedasthoughithadbeenrecentlyupturnedbythepassageofsomeheavyanimal.Theeyesofthewholepartyfollowedtheunexpectedmovement,andreadtheirsuccessintheairoftriumphthattheyouthassumed.
"’Tisthetrail!"exclaimedthescout,advancingtothespot:"theladisquickofsightandkeenofwitforhisyears."
"’Tisextraordinarythatheshouldhavewithheldhisknowledgesolong,"mutteredDuncan,athiselbow.
"Itwouldhavebeenmorewonderfulhadhespokenwithoutabidding.No,no;youryoungwhite,whogathershislearningfrombooksandcanmeasurewhatheknowsbythepage,mayconceitthathisknowledge,likehislegs,outrunsthatofhisfather;butwhereexperienceisthemaster,thescholarismadetoknowthevalueofyears,andrespectsthemaccordingly."
"See!"saidUncas,pointingnorthandsouth,attheevidentmarksofthebroadtrailoneithersideofhim:"thedark-hairhasgonetowardsthefrost."
