Последний из Могикан
Chapter 23
Thenaked,tawnybodiesofthecrouchingurchinsblendedsonicely,atthathour,withthewitheredherbage,thatatfirstitseemedasiftheearthhad,intruth,swalloweduptheirforms;thoughwhensurprisepermittedDuncantobendhislookmorecuriouslyaboutthespot,hefounditeverywheremetbydark,quick,androllingeyeballs.
Gatheringnoencouragementfromthisstartlingpresageofthenatureofthescrutinyhewaslikelytoundergofromthemorematurejudgmentsofthemen,therewasaninstantwhentheyoungsoldierwouldhaveretreated.Itwas,however,toolatetoappeartohesitate.Thecryofthechildrenhaddrawnadozenwarriorstothedoorofthenearestlodge,wheretheystoodclusteredinadarkandsavagegroup,gravelyawaitingthenearerapproachofthosewhohadunexpectedlycomeamongthem.
David,insomemeasurefamiliarizedtothescene,ledthewaywithasteadinessthatnoslightobstaclewaslikelytodisconcert,intothisverybuilding.Itwastheprincipaledificeofthevillage,thoughroughlyconstructedofthebarkandbranchesoftrees;beingthelodgeinwhichthetribehelditscouncilsandpublicmeetingsduringtheirtemporaryresidenceonthebordersoftheEnglishprovince.
