登陆注册
15490300000014

第14章 CHAPTER 3(3)

The Maquas followed at a distance. We said the country should be ours from the place where the water runs up no longer on this stream, to a river twenty sun's journey toward the summer. We drove the Maquas into the woods with the bears. They only tasted salt at the licks; they drew no fish from the great lake; we threw them the bones.""All this I have heard and believe," said the white man, observing that the Indian paused; "but it was long before the English came into the country.""A pine grew then where this chestnut now stands. The first pale faces who came among us spoke no English. They came in a large canoe, when my fathers had buried the tomahawk with the red men around them. Then, Hawkeye," he continued, betraying his deep emotion, only by permitting his voice to fall to those low, guttural tones, which render his language, as spoken at times, so very musical; "then, Hawkeye, we were one people, and we were happy. The salt lake gave us its fish, the wood its deer, and the air its birds. We took wives who bore us children; we worshipped the Great Spirit; and we kept the Maquas beyond the sound of our songs of triumph.""Know you anything of your own family at that time?"demanded the white. "But you are just a man, for an Indian;and as I suppose you hold their gifts, your fathers must have been brave warriors, and wise men at the council-fire.""My tribe is the grandfather of nations, but I am an unmixed man. The blood of chiefs is in my veins, where it must stay forever. The Dutch landed, and gave my people the fire-water; they drank until the heavens and the earth seemed to meet, and they foolishly thought they had found the Great Spirit. Then they parted with their land. Foot by foot, they were driven back from the shores, until I, that am a chief and a Sagamore, have never seen the sun shine but through the trees, and have never visited the graves of my fathers.""Graves bring solemn feelings over the mind," returned the scout, a good deal touched at the calm suffering of his companion; "and they often aid a man in his good intentions;though, for myself, I expect to leave my own bones unburied, to bleach in the woods, or to be torn asunder by the wolves.

But where are to be found those of your race who came to their kin in the Delaware country, so many summers since?""Where are the blossoms of those summers!--fallen, one by one; so all of my family departed, each in his turn, to the land of spirits. I am on the hilltop and must go down into the valley; and when Uncas follows in my footsteps there will no longer be any of the blood of the Sagamores, for my boy is the last of the Mohicans.""Uncas is here," said another voice, in the same soft, guttural tones, near his elbow; "who speaks to Uncas?"The white man loosened his knife in his leathern sheath, and made an involuntary movement of the hand toward his rifle, at this sudden interruption; but the Indian sat composed, and without turning his head at the unexpected sounds.

At the next instant, a youthful warrior passed between them, with a noiseless step, and seated himself on the bank of the rapid stream. No exclamation of surprise escaped the father, nor was any question asked, or reply given, for several minutes; each appearing to await the moment when he might speak, without betraying womanish curiosity or childish impatience. The white man seemed to take counsel from their customs, and, relinquishing his grasp of the rifle, he also remained silent and reserved. At length Chingachgook turned his eyes slowly toward his son, and demanded:

同类推荐
  • 五灯会元目录

    五灯会元目录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Bramble-bees and Others

    Bramble-bees and Others

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 卫生易简方

    卫生易简方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 除恐灾患经

    除恐灾患经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 霜

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 潇潇墨清城

    潇潇墨清城

    层层高山,重叠的山石,一眼望不到边。遥远的看去……竟是一座完整的山瑶。旭日初升,远处朦朦胧胧的,大地披上了白纱。山石突升,冲破云霄,似要冲破于苍穹??
  • 宋朝的太祖和太宗:变革时期的帝王

    宋朝的太祖和太宗:变革时期的帝王

    本书分三部分,第一部分考察了五代政治局势的转变过程,简单介绍这一动乱时期的政治家和武将们的大致情况,第二部分讲述宋太祖,第三部分围绕宋太宗的统治,叙述了中国走向统一,实现中央集权的过程。
  • 酒窝男神攻略

    酒窝男神攻略

    宋芷在公交车上遇到了许洲,便一见钟情“供奉”他为酒窝男神。好不容易再次遇到男神,宋芷不得不感慨“猿粪”,死磨硬磨要来联系方式,才知道男神并不如他的酒窝一样和蔼可亲,没关系,反正咱看上你了。于是,每天骚扰骚扰男神,没事做做黑暗小点心祸害祸害舍友,无聊拒绝拒绝追求者。反正宋芷的小日子过得很是安心,除了被男神拒绝的时候喝喝酒,醒来之后又忘的干干净净接着往前冲。总之,这是一个逗比女子的追夫记。
  • 尘落在风

    尘落在风

    蔡子尘是一个将近30的女孩,性格;随性,感性与理性结合能力max各种属性随意切换心理研究狂魔现实主义者并且喜欢分析研究数据,在一次应聘中偶遇了一位作家,并且让作家帮忙写本自己回忆式的自传,讲述了一个女孩从初中一直到现在的人生经历,形形色色的人物在她的人生中有着过客般的走场,经历了许多事件之后,女孩的成长蜕变,同时从小到大遇到的人给予了她很大的帮助,从小奠定了一定的狂傲资本。而从小到大她人生中的过客造就了女孩今天的成就,她与那些人物的些许零碎的公开的秘密,组成了她独一无二仅有的精彩人生。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 醉梦未有寒

    醉梦未有寒

    不相识就不会悲伤,不悲伤就不会心痛,林遥这一生爱着这个人,这个人却遥不可及,有幻想过我们会相遇,也我过我们到了最后一刻也不会见面,曾经我以为再也不会遇到你,转眼你却在我的面前。
  • 江月何时照初人

    江月何时照初人

    庸王执政,小人当道,且看锦公子如何步步为营,运筹帷幄,巧谋江山,觅得初人。
  • 山神圣母守则

    山神圣母守则

    倪叶怡是个伪山神,修为低的都没法维持人形,为了能成为真正的山神得天道认可。她很菩萨心肠的帮助山脚下的村民治病,不收任何钱财,以善行换功德,从而增涨自身修为。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)