Останній з Могікан
Chapter 33
Then,withanothertransitioninvoiceandsubject,allusionsweremadetothevirginwhoweptintheadjacentlodge.Theycomparedhertoflakesofsnow;aspure,aswhite,asbrilliant,andasliabletomeltinthefierceheatsofsummer,orcongealinthefrostsofwinter.Theydoubtednotthatshewaslovelyintheeyesoftheyoungchief,whoseskinandwhosesorrowseemedsolikeherown;but,thoughfarfromexpressingsuchapreference,itwasevidenttheydeemedherlessexcellentthanthemaidtheymourned.Stilltheydeniedhernomeedherrarecharmsmightproperlyclaim.Herringletswerecomparedtotheexuberanttendrilsofthevine,hereyetothebluevaultoftheheavens,andthemostspotlesscloud,withitsglowingflushofthesun,wasadmittedtobelessattractivethanherbloom.
Duringtheseandsimilarsongsnothingwasaudiblebutthemurmursofthemusic;relieved,asitwas,orratherrenderedterrible,bythoseoccasionalburstsofgriefwhichmightbecalleditschoruses.TheDelawaresthemselveslistenedlikecharmedmen;anditwasveryapparent,bythevariationsoftheirspeakingcountenances,howdeepandtruewastheirsympathy.EvenDavidwasnotreluctanttolendhisearstotonesofvoicessosweet;andlongerethechantwasended,hisgazeannouncedthathissoulwasenthralled.
Thescout,towhomalone,ofallthewhitemen,thewordswereintelligible,sufferedhimselftobealittlearousedfromhismeditativeposture,andbenthisfaceaside,tocatchtheirmeaning,asthegirlsproceeded.
