Останній з Могікан
Chapter 22
"Thetribesarefonderofthechasethanoftheartsofmenoflabor,"returnedtheunconsciousDuncan,stillgazingattheobjectsofhiswonder.
"Itisratherjoythanlabortothespirit,toliftupthevoiceinpraise;butsadlydotheseboysabusetheirgifts.RarelyhaveIfoundanyoftheirage,onwhomnaturehassofreelybestowedtheelementsofpsalmody;andsurely,surely,therearenonewhoneglectthemmore.ThreenightshaveInowtarriedhere,andthreeseveraltimeshaveIassembledtheurchinstojoininsacredsong;andasoftenhavetheyrespondedtomyeffortswithwhoopingsandhowlingsthathavechilledmysoul!"
"Ofwhomspeakyou?"
"Ofthosechildrenofthedevil,whowastethepreciousmomentsinyonderidleantics.Ah!thewholesomerestraintofdisciplineisbutlittleknownamongthisself-abandonedpeople.Inacountryofbirches,arodisneverseen;anditoughtnottoappearamarvelinmyeyes,thatthechoicestblessingsofProvidencearewastedinsuchcriesasthese."
Davidclosedhisearsagainstthejuvenilepack,whoseyelljustthenrangshrillythroughtheforest;andDuncan,sufferinghisliptocurl,asinmockeryofhisownsuperstition,saidfirmly:
"Wewillproceed."
Withoutremovingthesafeguardsfromhisears,themasterofsongcomplied,andtogethertheypursuedtheirwaytowardswhatDavidwassometimeswonttocall"thetentsofthePhilistines."
