Останній з Могікан
Chapter 29
"WillawiseDelawarebelievethebarkingofawolf?"exclaimedDuncan,stillmoreconfirmedintheevilintentionsofhisancientenemy:"adogneverlies,butwhenwasawolfknowntospeakthetruth?"
TheeyesofMaguaflashedfire;but,suddenlyrecollectingthenecessityofmaintaininghispresenceofmind,heturnedawayinsilentdisdain,wellassuredthatthesagacityoftheIndianswouldnotfailtoextracttherealmeritsofthepointincontroversy.Hewasnotdeceived;for,afteranothershortconsultation,thewaryDelawareturnedtohimagain,andexpressedthedeterminationofthechiefs,thoughinthemostconsideratelanguage.
"Mybrotherhasbeencalledaliar,"hesaid,"andhisfriendsareangry.Theywillshowthathehasspokenthetruth.Givemyprisonersguns,andletthemprovewhichistheman."
Maguaaffectedtoconsidertheexpedient,whichhewellknewproceededfromdistrustofhimself,asacompliment,andmadeagestureofacquiescence,wellcontentthathisveracityshouldbesupportedbysoskilfulamarksmanasthescout.Theweaponswereinstantlyplacedinthehandsofthefriendlyopponents,andtheywerebidtofireovertheheadsoftheseatedmultitudeatanearthenvessel,whichlay,byaccident,onastumpsomefiftyyardsfromtheplacewheretheystood.
Heywardsmiledtohimselfattheideaofacompetitionwiththescout,thoughhedeterminedtopersevereinthedeception,untilapprisedoftherealdesignsofMagua.Raisinghisriflewiththeutmostcare,andrenewinghisaimthreeseveraltimes,hefired.
