Останній з Могікан
Chapter 3
Inthismanner,poolsandponds,andeventhegreatfresh-waterlake,maybestagnant,asyouandIbothknowtheyare,havingseenthem;butwhenyoucometospreadwateroveragreattract,likethesea,wheretheearthisround,howinreasoncanthewaterbequiet?Youmightaswellexpecttherivertoliestillonthebrinkofthoseblackrocksamileaboveus,thoughyourownearstellyouthatitistumblingoverthematthisverymoment!"
Ifunsatisfiedbythephilosophyofhiscompanion,theIndianwasfartoodignifiedtobetrayhisunbelief.Helistenedlikeonewhowasconvinced,andresumedhisnarrativeinhisformersolemnmanner.
"Wecamefromtheplacewherethesunishidatnight,overgreatplainswherethebuffaloeslive,untilwereachedthebigriver.TherewefoughttheAlligewi,tillthegroundwasredwiththeirblood.Fromthebanksofthebigrivertotheshoresofthesaltlake,therewasnonetomeetus.TheMaquasfollowedatadistance.Wesaidthecountryshouldbeoursfromtheplacewherethewaterrunsupnolongeronthisstream,toarivertwentysuns’journeytowardthesummer.Thelandwehadtakenlikewarriors,wekeptlikemen.WedrovetheMaquasintothewoodswiththebears.Theyonlytastedsaltatthelicks;theydrewnofishfromthegreatlake;wethrewthemthebones."
"AllthisIhaveheardandbelieve,"saidthewhiteman,observingthattheIndianpaused:"butitwaslongbeforetheEnglishcameintothecountry."
"Apinegrewthenwherethischestnutnowstands.
