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- Джеймс Купер
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- Стр. 213/257
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The
council
of
the
Delawares
was
short
.
When
it
was
ended
,
a
general
bustle
announced
that
it
was
to
be
immediately
succeeded
by
a
solemn
and
formal
assemblage
of
the
nation
.
As
such
meetings
were
rare
,
and
only
called
on
occasions
of
the
last
importance
,
the
subtle
Huron
,
who
still
sat
apart
,
a
wily
and
dark
observer
of
the
proceedings
,
now
knew
that
all
his
projects
must
be
brought
to
their
final
issue
.
He
therefore
left
the
lodge
,
and
walked
silently
forth
to
the
place
in
front
of
the
encampment
whither
the
warriors
were
already
beginning
to
collect
.
It
might
have
been
half
an
hour
before
each
individual
,
including
even
the
women
and
children
,
was
in
his
place
.
The
delay
had
been
created
by
the
grave
preparations
that
were
deemed
necessary
to
so
solemn
and
unusual
a
conference
.
But
when
the
sun
was
seen
climbing
above
the
tops
of
that
mountain
against
whose
bosom
the
Delawares
had
constructed
their
encampment
,
most
were
seated
;
and
as
his
bright
rays
darted
from
behind
the
outline
of
trees
that
fringed
the
eminence
,
they
fell
upon
as
grave
,
as
attentive
,
and
as
deeply
interested
a
multitude
,
as
was
probably
ever
before
lighted
by
his
morning
beams
.
Its
number
somewhat
exceeded
a
thousand
souls
.
In
a
collection
of
such
serious
savages
,
there
is
never
to
be
found
any
impatient
aspirant
after
premature
distinction
,
standing
ready
to
move
his
auditors
to
some
hasty
,
and
,
perhaps
,
injudicious
discussion
,
in
order
that
his
own
reputation
may
be
the
gainer
.
An
act
of
so
much
precipitancy
and
presumption
would
seal
the
downfall
of
precocious
intellect
forever
.
It
rested
solely
with
the
oldest
and
most
experienced
of
the
men
to
lay
the
subject
of
the
conference
before
the
people
.
Until
such
a
one
chose
to
make
some
movement
,
no
deeds
in
arms
,
no
natural
gifts
,
nor
any
renown
as
an
orator
,
would
have
justified
the
slightest
interruption
.
On
the
present
occasion
,
the
aged
warrior
whose
privilege
it
was
to
speak
,
was
silent
,
seemingly
oppressed
with
the
magnitude
of
his
subject
.
The
delay
had
already
continued
long
beyond
the
usual
deliberative
pause
that
always
precedes
a
conference
;
but
no
sign
of
impatience
or
surprise
escaped
even
the
youngest
boy
.
Occasionally
,
an
eye
was
raised
from
the
earth
,
where
the
looks
of
most
were
riveted
,
and
strayed
towards
a
particular
lodge
,
that
was
,
however
,
in
no
manner
distinguished
from
those
around
it
,
except
in
the
peculiar
care
that
had
been
taken
to
protect
it
against
the
assaults
of
the
weather
.
At
length
,
one
of
those
low
murmurs
that
are
so
apt
to
disturb
a
multitude
,
was
heard
,
and
the
whole
nation
arose
to
their
feet
by
a
common
impulse
.
At
that
the
door
of
the
lodge
in
question
opened
,
and
three
men
,
issuing
from
it
,
slowly
approached
the
place
of
consultation
.
They
were
all
aged
,
even
beyond
that
period
to
which
the
oldest
present
had
reached
;
but
one
in
the
centre
,
who
leaned
on
his
companions
for
support
,
had
numbered
an
amount
of
years
to
which
the
human
race
is
seldom
permitted
to
attain
.
His
frame
,
which
had
once
been
tall
and
erect
,
like
the
cedar
,
was
now
bending
under
the
pressure
of
more
than
a
century
.
The
elastic
,
light
step
of
an
Indian
was
gone
,
and
in
its
place
he
was
compelled
to
toil
his
tardy
way
over
the
ground
,
inch
by
inch
.
His
dark
,
wrinkled
countenance
was
in
singular
and
wild
contrast
with
the
long
white
locks
which
floated
on
his
shoulders
in
such
thickness
as
to
announce
that
generations
had
probably
passed
away
since
they
had
last
been
shorn
.
The
dress
of
this
patriarch
--
for
such
,
considering
his
vast
age
,
in
conjunction
with
his
affinity
and
influence
with
his
people
,
he
might
very
properly
be
termed
--
was
rich
and
imposing
,
though
strictly
after
the
simple
fashions
of
the
tribe
.
His
robe
was
of
the
finest
skins
,
which
had
been
deprived
of
their
fur
,
in
order
to
admit
of
a
hieroglyphical
representation
of
various
deeds
in
arms
,
done
in
former
ages
.
His
bosom
was
loaded
with
medals
,
some
in
massive
silver
,
and
one
or
two
even
in
gold
,
the
gifts
of
various
Christian
potentates
during
the
long
period
of
his
life
.
He
also
wore
armlets
,
and
cinctures
above
the
ankles
,
of
the
latter
precious
metal
.
His
head
,
on
the
whole
of
which
the
hair
had
been
permitted
to
grow
,
the
pursuits
of
war
having
so
long
been
abandoned
,
was
encircled
by
a
sort
of
plated
diadem
,
which
,
in
its
turn
,
bore
lesser
and
more
glittering
ornaments
,
that
sparkled
amid
the
glossy
hues
of
three
drooping
ostrich
feathers
,
dyed
a
deep
black
,
in
touching
contrast
to
the
color
of
his
snow-white
locks
.
His
tomahawk
was
nearly
hid
in
silver
,
and
the
handle
of
his
knife
shone
like
a
horn
of
solid
gold
.
So
soon
as
the
first
hum
of
emotion
and
pleasure
,
which
the
sudden
appearance
of
this
venerated
individual
created
,
had
a
little
subsided
,
the
name
of
"
Tamenund
"
was
whispered
from
mouth
to
mouth
.
Magua
had
often
heard
the
fame
of
this
wise
and
just
Delaware
;
a
reputation
that
even
proceeded
so
far
as
to
bestow
on
him
the
rare
gift
of
holding
secret
communion
with
the
Great
Spirit
,
and
which
has
since
transmitted
his
name
,
with
some
slight
alteration
,
to
the
white
usurpers
of
his
ancient
territory
,
as
the
imaginary
tutelar
saint
of
a
vast
empire
.
The
Huron
chief
,
therefore
,
stepped
eagerly
out
a
little
from
the
throng
,
to
a
spot
whence
he
might
catch
a
nearer
glimpse
of
the
features
of
the
man
,
whose
decision
was
likely
to
produce
so
deep
an
influence
on
his
own
fortunes
.
