Останній з Могікан
Chapter 27
Inthisdelicateandarduoussituation,thecraftynativehadneglectednomeansofincreasinghisinfluence;andoneofthehappiestofhisexpedientshadbeenthesuccesswithwhichhehadcultivatedthefavoroftheirpowerfulanddangerousneighbors.Theresultofhisexperimenthadansweredalltheexpectationsofhispolicy;fortheHuronswereinnodegreeexemptfromthatgoverningprincipleofnature,whichinducesmantovaluehisgiftspreciselyinthedegreethattheyareappreciatedbyothers.
But,whilehewasmakingthisostensiblesacrificetogeneralconsiderations,Maguaneverlostsightofhisindividualmotives.Thelatterhadbeenfrustratedbytheunlooked-foreventswhichhadplacedallhisprisonersbeyondhiscontrol;andhenowfoundhimselfreducedtothenecessityofsuingforfavorstothosewhomithadsolatelybeenhispolicytooblige.
SeveralofthechiefshadproposeddeepandtreacherousschemestosurprisetheDelawares,and,bygainingpossessionoftheircamp,torecovertheirprisonersbythesameblow;forallagreedthattheirhonor,theirinterests,andthepeaceandhappinessoftheirdeadcountrymen,imperiouslyrequiredthemspeedilytoimmolatesomevictimstotheirrevenge.Butplanssodangeroustoattempt,andofsuchdoubtfulissue,Maguafoundlittledifficultyindefeating.Heexposedtheirriskandfallacywithhisusualskill;anditwasonlyafterhehadremovedeveryimpediment,intheshapeofopposingadvice,thatheventuredtoproposehisownprojects.
