Останній з Могікан
Chapter 22
Itstruckhim,ashegazedattheadmirablestructuresandthewonderfulprecautionsoftheirsagaciousinmates,thateventhebrutesofthesevastwildswerepossessedofaninstinctnearlycommensuratewithhisownreason;andhecouldnotreflect,withoutanxiety,ontheunequalcontestthathehadsorashlycourted.ThencametheglowingimageofAlice;herdistress;heractualdanger;andalltheperilofhissituationwasforgotten.CheeringDavid,hemovedonwiththelightandvigorousstepofyouthandenterprise.
Aftermakingnearlyasemicirclearoundthepond,theydivergedfromthewater-course,andbegantoascendtothelevelofaslightelevationinthatbottomland,overwhichtheyjourneyed.Withinhalfanhourtheygainedthemarginofanotheropeningthatboreallthesignsofhavingbeenalsomadebythebeavers,andwhichthosesagaciousanimalshadprobablybeeninduced,bysomeaccident,toabandon,forthemoreeligiblepositiontheynowoccupied.AverynaturalsensationcausedDuncantohesitateamoment,unwillingtoleavethecoveroftheirbushypath,asamanpausestocollecthisenergiesbeforeheessaysanyhazardousexperiment,inwhichheissecretlyconscioustheywillallbeneeded.Heprofitedbythehalt,togathersuchinformationasmightbeobtainedfromhisshortandhastyglances.
Ontheoppositesideoftheclearing,andnearthepointwherethebrooktumbledoversomerocks,fromastillhigherlevel,somefiftyorsixtylodges,rudelyfabricatedoflogs,brush,andearthintermingled,weretobediscovered.
