Останній з Могікан
Chapter 27
Thewomanlayinherusualplaceandposture,thoughtherewerethosepresentwhoaffirmedtheyhadseenherbornetothewoods,bythesupposed"medicineofthewhitemen."Suchadirectandpalpablecontradictionofthetalerelatedbythefather,causedalleyestobeturnedonhim.Chafedbythesilentimputation,andinwardlytroubledbysounaccountableacircumstance,thechiefadvancedtothesideofthebed,andstooping,castanincredulouslookatthefeatures,asifdistrustingtheirreality.Hisdaughterwasdead.
Theunerringfeelingofnature,foramomentprevailed,andtheoldwarriorhidhiseyesinsorrow.Thenrecoveringhisself-possession,hefacedhiscompanions,andpointingtowardsthecorpse,hesaid,inthelanguageofhispeople—
"Thewifeofmyyoungmanhasleftus!theGreatSpiritisangrywithhischildren."
Themournfulintelligencewasreceivedinsolemnsilence.Afterashortpause,oneoftheelderIndianswasabouttospeak,whenadark-lookingobjectwasseenrollingoutofanadjoiningapartment,intotheverycentreoftheroomwheretheystood.Ignorantofthenatureofthebeingstheyhadtodealwith,thewholepartydrewbackalittle,andgazedinadmiration,untiltheobjectfrontedthelight,andrisingonend,exhibitedthedistorted,butstillfierceandsullenfeaturesofMagua.Thediscoverywassucceededbyageneralexclamationofamazement.
Assoon,however,asthetruesituationofthechiefwasunderstood,severalreadyknivesappeared,andhislimbsandtonguewerequicklyreleased.
