Останній з Могікан
Chapter 23
Buthisingenuityavailedhimlittle,againstthecoldartificesofthepeoplehehadencountered.Thechiefsinfrontscarcecastaglanceathisperson,keepingtheireyesontheground,withanairthatmighthavebeenintendedforrespect,butwhichitwasquiteeasytoconstrueintodistrust.Themeninshadowwerelessreserved.Duncansoondetectedtheirsearching,butstolenlooks,which,intruth,scannedhispersonandattireinchbyinch;leavingnoemotionofthecountenance,nogesture,nolineofthepaint,noreventhefashionofagarment,unheeded,andwithoutcomment.
Atlengthonewhosehairwasbeginningtobesprinkledwithgray,butwhosesinewylimbsandfirmtreadannouncedthathewasstillequaltothedutiesofmanhood,advancedoutofthegloomofacorner,whitherhehadprobablypostedhimselftomakehisobservationsunseen,andspoke.HeusedthelanguageoftheWyandots,orHurons;hiswordswere,consequently,unintelligibletoHeyward,thoughtheyseemed,bythegesturesthataccompaniedthem,tobeutteredmoreincourtesythananger.Thelattershookhishead,andmadeagestureindicativeofhisinabilitytoreply.
"DononeofmybrothersspeaktheFrenchortheEnglish?"hesaid,intheformerlanguage,lookingabouthimfromcountenancetocountenance,inhopesoffindinganodofassent.
Thoughmorethanonehadturned,asiftocatchthemeaningofhiswords,theyremainedunanswered.
