Останній з Могікан
Chapter 30
"ThehourofTamenundisnigh!"exclaimedthesage;"thedayiscome,atlast,tothenight!IthanktheManitou,thatoneisheretofillmyplaceatthecouncil-fire.Uncas,thechildofUncas,isfound!Lettheeyesofadyingeaglegazeontherisingsun."
Theyouthsteppedlightly,butproudly,ontheplatform,wherehebecamevisibletothewholeagitatedandwonderingmultitude.Tamenundheldhimlongatthelengthofhisarm,andreadeveryturninthefinelineamentsofhiscountenance,withtheuntiringgazeofonewhorecalleddaysofhappiness.
"IsTamenundaboy?"atlengththebewilderedprophetexclaimed."HaveIdreamtofsomanysnows—thatmypeoplewerescatteredlikefloatingsands—ofYengeese,moreplentythantheleavesonthetrees!ThearrowofTamenundwouldnotfrightenthefawn;hisarmiswitheredlikethebranchofadeadoak;thesnailwouldbeswifterintherace;yetisUncasbeforehimastheywenttobattleagainstthepale-faces!Uncas,thepantherofhistribe,theeldestsonoftheLenape,thewisestSagamoreoftheMohicans!Tellme,yeDelawares,hasTamenundbeenasleeperforahundredwinters?"
Thecalmanddeepsilencewhichsucceededthesewords,sufficientlyannouncedtheawfulreverencewithwhichhispeoplereceivedthecommunicationofthepatriarch.Nonedaredtoanswer,thoughalllistenedinbreathlessexpectationofwhatmightfollow.Uncas,however,lookinginhisfacewiththefondnessandvenerationofafavoredchild,presumedonhisownhighandacknowledgedrank,toreply.
