Останній з Могікан
Chapter 32
Youknowme,Mohican;notaHuronofthemallshallcrosstheswell,intoyourrear,withoutthenoticeof‘Killdeer.’"
TheIndianchiefpausedanothermomenttoconsiderthesignsofthecontest,whichwasnowrollingrapidlyuptheascent,acertainevidencethattheDelawarestriumphed;nordidheactuallyquittheplaceuntiladmonishedoftheproximityofhisfriends,aswellasenemies,bythebulletsoftheformer,whichbegantopatteramongthedriedleavesontheground,likethebitsoffallinghailwhichprecedetheburstingofthetempest.Hawkeyeandhisthreecompanionswithdrewafewpacestoashelter,andawaitedtheissuewithcalmness,thatnothingbutgreatpracticecouldimpartinsuchascene.
Itwasnotlongbeforethereportsoftheriflesbegantolosetheechoesofthewoods,andtosoundlikeweaponsdischargedintheopenair.Thenawarriorappeared,hereandthere,driventotheskirtsoftheforest,andrallyingasheenteredtheclearing,asattheplacewherethefinalstandwastobemade.Theseweresoonjoinedbytheothers,untilalonglineofswarthyfigureswastobeseenclingingtothecoverwiththeobstinacyofdesperation.Heywardbegantogrowimpatient,andturnedhiseyesanxiouslyinthedirectionofChingachgook.Thechiefwasseatedonarock,withnothingvisiblebuthiscalmvisage,consideringthespectaclewithaneyeasdeliberateasifhewerepostedtheremerelytoviewthestruggle.
"ThetimeiscomefortheDelawarestostrike!"saidDuncan.
