Останній з Могікан
Chapter 29
Ihopethesquawwhoownsthegourdhasmoreoftheminherwigwam,forthiswillneverholdwateragain!"
Thescouthadshookhispriming,andcockedhispiece,whilespeaking;and,asheended,hethrewbackafoot,andslowlyraisedthemuzzlefromtheearth:themotionwassteady,uniform,andinonedirection.Whenonaperfectlevel,itremainedforasinglemoment,withouttremororvariation,asthoughbothmanandriflewerecarvedinstone.Duringthatstationaryinstant,itpouredforthitscontents,inabright,glancingsheetofflame.AgaintheyoungIndiansboundedforward;buttheirhurriedsearchanddisappointedlooksannouncedthatnotracesofthebulletweretobeseen.
"Go!"saidtheoldchieftothescout,inatoneofstrongdisgust;"thouartawolfintheskinofadog.Iwilltalktothe‘LongRifle’oftheYengeese."
"Ah!hadIthatpiecewhichfurnishedthenameyouuse,Iwouldobligatemyselftocutthethong,anddropthegourdwithoutbreakingit!"returnedHawkeye,perfectlyundisturbedbytheother’smanner,"Fools,ifyouwouldfindthebulletofasharpshooterofthesewoods,youmustlookintheobjectandnotaroundit!"
TheIndianyouthsinstantlycomprehendedhismeaning—forthistimehespokeintheDelawaretongue—andtearingthegourdfromthetree,theyhelditonhighwithanexultingshout,displayingaholeinitsbottom,whichhadbeencutbythebullet,afterpassingthroughtheusualorificeinthecentreofitsupperside.
