Останній з Могікан

           Tamenundturnedhisheadtowardsoneofhissupporters,andlistenedtotheshortexplanationthemangave.Thenfacingtheapplicant,heregardedhimamomentwithdeepattention;afterwhichhesaid,inalowandreluctantvoice—

           "JusticeisthelawofthegreatManitou.Mychildren,givethestrangerfood.Then,Huron,takethineownanddepart."

           Onthedeliveryofthissolemnjudgment,thepatriarchseatedhimself,andclosedhiseyesagain,asifbetterpleasedwiththeimagesofhisownripenedexperiencethanwiththevisibleobjectsoftheworld.AgainstsuchadecreetherewasnoDelawaresufficientlyhardytomurmur,muchlessopposehimself.Thewordswerebarelyutteredwhenfourorfiveoftheyoungerwarriors,steppingbehindHeywardandthescout,passedthongssodexterouslyandrapidlyaroundtheirarms,astoholdthembothininstantbondage.Theformerwastoomuchengrossedwithhispreciousandnearlyinsensibleburden,tobeawareoftheirintentionsbeforetheywereexecuted;andthelatter,whoconsideredeventhehostiletribesoftheDelawaresasuperiorraceofbeings,submittedwithoutresistance.Perhaps,however,themannerofthescoutwouldnothavebeensopassive,hadhefullycomprehendedthelanguageinwhichtheprecedingdialoguehadbeenconducted.

           Maguacastalookoftriumpharoundthewholeassemblybeforeheproceededtotheexecutionofhispurpose.Perceivingthatthemenwereunabletoofferanyresistance,heturnedhislooksonherhevaluedmost.