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- Джеймс Купер
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- Стр. 101/257
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The
evils
of
this
state
of
things
pressed
heavily
on
the
fortunes
of
the
resolute
Scotsman
who
now
defended
William
Henry
.
Though
his
adversary
neglected
the
hills
,
he
had
planted
his
batteries
with
judgment
on
the
plain
,
and
caused
them
to
be
served
with
vigor
and
skill
.
Against
this
assault
,
the
besieged
could
only
oppose
the
imperfect
and
hasty
preparations
of
a
fortress
in
the
wilderness
.
It
was
in
the
afternoon
of
the
fifth
day
of
the
siege
,
and
the
fourth
of
his
own
service
in
it
,
that
Major
Heyward
profited
by
a
parley
that
had
just
been
beaten
,
by
repairing
to
the
ramparts
of
one
of
the
water
bastions
,
to
breathe
the
cool
air
from
the
lake
,
and
to
take
a
survey
of
the
progress
of
the
siege
.
He
was
alone
,
if
the
solitary
sentinel
who
paced
the
mound
be
excepted
;
for
the
artillerists
had
hastened
also
to
profit
by
the
temporary
suspension
of
their
arduous
duties
.
The
evening
was
delightfully
calm
,
and
the
light
air
from
the
limpid
water
fresh
and
soothing
.
It
seemed
as
if
,
with
the
termination
to
the
roar
of
artillery
and
the
plunging
of
shot
,
nature
had
also
seized
the
moment
to
assume
her
mildest
and
most
captivating
form
.
The
sun
poured
down
his
parting
glory
on
the
scene
,
without
the
oppression
of
those
fierce
rays
that
belong
to
the
climate
and
the
season
.
The
mountains
looked
green
and
fresh
and
lovely
;
tempered
with
the
milder
light
,
or
softened
in
shadow
,
as
thin
vapors
floated
between
them
and
the
sun
.
The
numerous
islands
rested
on
the
bosom
of
the
Horican
,
some
low
and
sunken
,
as
if
imbedded
in
the
waters
,
and
others
appearing
to
hover
above
the
element
,
in
little
hillocks
of
green
velvet
;
among
which
the
fishermen
of
the
beleaguering
army
peacefully
rowed
their
skiffs
,
or
floated
at
rest
on
the
glassy
mirror
,
in
quiet
pursuit
of
their
employment
.
The
scene
was
at
once
animated
and
still
.
All
that
pertained
to
nature
was
sweet
,
or
simply
grand
;
while
those
parts
which
depended
on
the
temper
and
movements
of
man
were
lively
and
playful
.
Two
little
spotless
flags
were
abroad
,
the
one
on
a
salient
angle
of
the
fort
,
and
the
other
on
the
advanced
battery
of
the
besiegers
;
emblems
of
the
truce
which
existed
,
not
only
to
the
acts
,
but
it
would
seem
,
also
,
to
the
enmity
of
the
combatants
.
Behind
these
,
again
,
swung
,
heavily
opening
and
closing
in
silken
folds
,
the
rival
standards
of
England
and
France
.
A
hundred
gay
and
thoughtless
young
Frenchmen
were
drawing
a
net
to
the
pebbly
beach
,
within
dangerous
proximity
to
the
sullen
but
silent
cannon
of
the
fort
,
while
the
eastern
mountain
was
sending
back
the
loud
shouts
and
gay
merriment
that
attended
their
sport
.
Some
were
rushing
eagerly
to
enjoy
the
aquatic
games
of
the
lake
,
and
others
were
already
toiling
their
way
up
the
neighboring
hills
,
with
the
restless
curiosity
of
their
nation
.
To
all
these
sports
and
pursuits
,
those
of
the
enemy
who
watched
the
besieged
,
and
the
besieged
themselves
,
were
,
however
,
merely
the
idle
,
though
sympathizing
spectators
.
Here
and
there
a
picket
had
,
indeed
,
raised
a
song
,
or
mingled
in
a
dance
,
which
had
drawn
the
dusky
savages
around
them
,
from
their
lairs
in
the
forest
.
In
short
,
everything
wore
rather
the
appearance
of
a
day
of
pleasure
,
than
of
an
hour
stolen
from
the
dangers
and
toil
of
a
bloody
and
vindictive
warfare
.
Duncan
had
stood
in
a
musing
attitude
,
contemplating
this
scene
a
few
minutes
,
when
his
eyes
were
directed
to
the
glacis
in
front
of
the
sally-port
already
mentioned
,
by
the
sounds
of
approaching
footsteps
.
He
walked
to
an
angle
of
the
bastion
,
and
beheld
the
scout
advancing
,
under
the
custody
of
a
French
officer
,
to
the
body
of
the
fort
.
The
countenance
of
Hawkeye
was
haggard
and
careworn
,
and
his
air
dejected
,
as
though
he
felt
the
deepest
degradation
at
having
fallen
into
the
power
of
his
enemies
.
He
was
without
his
favorite
weapon
,
and
his
arms
were
even
bound
behind
him
with
thongs
,
made
of
the
skin
of
a
deer
.
The
arrival
of
flags
,
to
cover
the
messengers
of
summons
,
had
occurred
so
often
of
late
,
that
when
Heyward
first
threw
his
careless
glance
on
this
group
,
he
expected
to
see
another
of
the
officers
of
the
enemy
,
charged
with
a
similar
office
;
but
the
instant
he
recognized
the
tall
person
,
and
still
sturdy
,
though
downcast
features
of
his
friend
the
woodsman
,
he
started
with
surprise
,
and
turned
to
descend
from
the
bastion
into
the
bosom
of
the
work
.
The
sounds
of
other
voices
,
however
,
caught
his
attention
,
and
for
a
moment
caused
him
to
forget
his
purpose
.
At
the
inner
angle
of
the
mound
he
met
the
sisters
,
walking
along
the
parapet
in
search
,
like
himself
,
of
air
and
relief
from
confinement
.
They
had
not
met
from
that
painful
moment
when
he
deserted
them
on
the
plain
,
only
to
assure
their
safety
.
He
had
parted
from
them
worn
with
care
,
and
jaded
with
fatigue
;
he
now
saw
them
refreshed
and
blooming
,
though
timid
and
anxious
.
Under
such
an
inducement
,
it
will
cause
no
surprise
that
the
young
man
lost
sight
,
for
a
time
,
of
other
objects
in
order
to
address
them
.
He
was
,
however
,
anticipated
by
the
voice
of
the
ingenuous
and
youthful
Alice
.
