Chapter 31

           "Flue.—Killthepoysandtheluggage!’Tisexpresslyagainstthelawofarms;’tisasarrantapieceofknavery,markyounow,ascanbeofferedintheworld."

           KingHenryV.

           Solongastheirenemyandhisvictimcontinuedinsight,themultituderemainedmotionlessasbeingscharmedtotheplacebysomepowerthatwasfriendlytotheHuron;buttheinstanthedisappeared,itbecametossedandagitatedbyfierceandpowerfulpassion.Uncasmaintainedhiselevatedstand,keepinghiseyesontheformofCora,untilthecolorsofherdresswereblendedwiththefoliageoftheforest;whenhedescended,andmovingsilentlythroughthethrong,hedisappearedinthatlodgefromwhichhehadsorecentlyissued.Afewofthegraverandmoreattentivewarriors,whocaughtthegleamsofangerthatshotfromtheeyesoftheyoungchiefinpassing,followedhimtotheplacehehadselectedforhismeditations.Afterwhich,TamenundandAlicewereremoved,andthewomenandchildrenwereorderedtodisperse.Duringthemomentoushourthatsucceeded,theencampmentresembledahiveoftroubledbees,whoonlyawaitedtheappearanceandexampleoftheirleadertotakesomedistantandmomentousflight.

           AyoungwarrioratlengthissuedfromthelodgeofUncas;andmovingdeliberately,withasortofgravemarch,towardsadwarfpinethatgrewinthecrevicesoftherockyterrace,hetorethebarkfromitsbody,andthenreturnedwhencehecamewithoutspeaking.Hewassoonfollowedbyanother,whostrippedthesaplingofitsbranches,leavingitanakedandblazedtrunk.