Chapter 30

           "Ifyoudenyme,fieuponyourlaw!

           ThereisnoforceinthedecreesofVenice:

           Istandforjudgment;answer,shallIhaveit?"

           MerchantofVenice.

           Thesilencecontinuedunbrokenbyhumansoundsformanyanxiousminutes.Thenthewavingmultitudeopenedandshutagain,andUncasstoodinthelivingcircle.Allthoseeyes,whichhadbeencuriouslystudyingthelineamentsofthesage,asthesourceoftheirownintelligence,turnedontheinstant,andwerenowbentinsecretadmirationontheerect,agile,andfaultlesspersonofthecaptive.Butneitherthepresenceinwhichhefoundhimself,northeexclusiveattentionthatheattracted,inanymannerdisturbedtheself-possessionoftheyoungMohican.Hecastadeliberateandobservinglookoneverysideofhim,meetingthesettledexpressionofhostilitythatloweredinthevisagesofthechiefs,withthesamecalmnessasthecuriousgazeoftheattentivechildren.Butwhen,lastinhishaughtyscrutiny,thepersonofTamenundcameunderhisglance,hiseyebecamefixed,asthoughallotherobjectswerealreadyforgotten.Thenadvancingwithaslowandnoiselessstepupthearea,heplacedhimselfimmediatelybeforethefootstoolofthesage.Herehestoodunnoted,thoughkeenlyobservanthimself,untiloneofthechiefsapprisedthelatterofhispresence.

           "WithwhattonguedoestheprisonerspeaktotheManitou?"demandedthepatriarch,withoutunclosinghiseyes.

           "Likehisfathers,"Uncasreplied;"withthetongueofaDelaware."