James Cooper - The Last of the Mohicans

The look of exultation and brutal triumph which announced this terrible truth was irresistibly irritating. Forgetful of everything but the impulses of his hot blood, Duncan levelled his pistol and fired. The report of the weapon made the cavern bellow like an eruption from a volcano; and when the smoke it vomited had been driven away before the current of air which issued from the ravine, the place so lately occupied by the features of his treacherous guide was vacant. Rushing to the outlet, Heyward caught a glimpse of his dark figure, stealing around a low and narrow ledge, which soon hid him entirely from sight.

Among the savages, a frightful stillness succeeded the explosion, which had just been heard bursting from the bowels of the rock. But when Le Renard raised his voice in a long and intelligible whoop, it was answered by a spontaneous yell from the mouth of every Indian within hearing of the sound. The clamorous noises again rushed down the island; and before Duncan had time to recover from the shock, his feeble barrier of brush was scattered to the winds, the cavern was entered at both its extremities, and he and his companions were dragged from their shelter and borne into the day, where they stood surrounded by the whole band of the triumphant Hurons.

I fear we shall outsleep the coming morn

As much as we this night have overwatched!

—Midsummer Night’s Dream .

The instant the shock of this sudden misfortune had abated, Duncan began to make his observations on the appearance and proceedings of their captors. Contrary to the usages of the natives in the wantonness of their success, they had respected not only the persons of the trembling sisters, but his own. The rich ornaments of his military attire had indeed been repeatedly handled by different individuals of the tribe with eyes expressing a savage longing to possess the baubles; but before the customary violence could be resorted to, a mandate, in the authoritative voice of the large warrior already mentioned, stayed the uplifted hand, and convinced Heyward that they were to be reserved for some object of particular moment.

While, however, these manifestations of weakness were exhibited by the young and vain of the party, the more experienced warriors continued their search throughout both caverns, with an activity that denoted they were far from being satisfied with those fruits of their conquest which had already been brought to light. Unable to discover any new victim, these diligent workers of vengeance soon approached their male prisoners, pronouncing the name of ‘La Longue Carabine,’ with a fierceness that could not be easily mistaken. Duncan affected not to comprehend the meaning of their repeated and violent interrogatories, while his companion was spared the effort of a similar deception by his ignorance of French. Wearied, at length, by their importunities, and apprehensive of irritating his captors by too stubborn a silence, the former looked about him in quest of Magua; who might interpret his answers to questions which were at each moment becoming more earnest and threatening.

The conduct of this savage had formed a solitary exception to that of all his fellows. While the others were busily occupied in seeking to gratify their childish passion for finery, by plundering even the miserable effects of the scout, or had been searching, with such bloodthirsty vengeance in their looks, for their absent owner, Le Renard had stood at a little distance from the prisoners, with a demeanour so quiet and satisfied, as to betray that he had already effected the grand purpose of his treachery. When the eyes of Heyward first met those of his recent guide, he turned them away in horror at the sinister, though calm look he encountered. Conquering his disgust, however, he was able, with an averted face, to address his successful enemy.

‘Le Renard Subtil is too much of a warrior,’ said the reluctant Heyward, ‘to refuse telling an unarmed man what his conquerors say.’

‘They ask for the hunter who knows the paths through the woods,’ returned Magua, in his broken English, laying his hand, at the same time, with a ferocious smile, on the bundle of leaves with which a wound on his own shoulder was bandaged. ‘“La Longue Carabine!” his rifle is good, and his eye never shut; but, like the short gun of the white chief, it is nothing against the life of Le Subtil!’

‘Le Renard is too brave to remember the hurts received in war, or the hands that gave them!’

‘Was it war, when the tired Indian rested at the sugar-tree to taste his corn? who filled the bushes with creeping enemies? who drew the knife? whose tongue was peace, while his heart was coloured with blood? Did Magua say that the hatchet was out of the ground, and that his hand had dug it up?’

As Duncan dared not retort upon his accuser by reminding him of his own premeditated treachery, and disdained to deprecate his resentment by any words of apology, he remained silent. Magua seemed also content to rest the controversy as well as all further communication there, for he resumed the leaning attitude against the rock, from which, in momentary energy, he had arisen. But the cry of ‘La Longue Carabine’ was renewed the instant the impatient savages perceived that the short dialogue was ended.

‘You hear?’ said Magua, with stubborn indifference; ‘the red Hurons call for the life of “The Long Rifle,” or they will have the blood of them that keep him hid!’

‘He is gone—escaped; he is far beyond their reach.’

Renard smiled with cold contempt, as he answered—

‘When the white man dies, he thinks he is at peace; but the red men know how to torture even the ghosts of their enemies. Where is his body? Let the Hurons see his scalp!’

‘He is not dead, but escaped.’

Magua shook his head incredulously.

‘Is he a bird to spread his wings; or is he a fish, to swim without air? The white chief reads in his books, and believes the Hurons are fools!’

‘Though no fish, “The Long Rifle” can swim. He floated down the stream when the powder was all burnt, and when the eyes of the Hurons were behind a cloud.’

‘And why did the white chief stay?’ demanded the still incredulous Indian. ‘Is he a stone that goes to the bottom, or does the scalp burn his head?’

‘That I am not a stone, your dead comrade, who fell into the falls, might answer, were the life still in him,’ said the provoked young man, using, in his anger, that boastful language which was most likely to excite the admiration of an Indian. ‘The white man thinks none but cowards desert their women.’

Magua muttered a few words, inaudibly, between his teeth, before he continued, aloud—

‘Can the Delawares swim, too, as well as crawl in the bushes? Where is “Le Gros Serpent?” ‘

Duncan, who perceived by the use of these Canadian appellations, that his late companions were much better known to his enemies than to himself, answered, reluctantly, ‘He also is gone down with the water.’

‘“Le Cerf Agile” is not here?’

‘I know not whom you call “The Nimble Deer,”‘ said Duncan, gladly profiting by any excuse to create delay.

‘Uncas,’ returned Magua, pronouncing the Delaware name with even greater difficulty than he spoke his English words. ‘“Bounding Elk” is what the white man says, when he calls to the young Mohican.’

‘Here is some confusion in names between us, Le Renard,’ said Duncan, hoping to provoke a discussion. ‘Daim is the French for deer, and cerf for stag; élan is the true term, when one would speak of an elk.’

‘Yes,’ muttered the Indian, in his native tongue; ‘the pale-faces are prattling women! they have two words for each thing, while a red-skin will make the sound of his voice speak for him.’ Then changing his language, he continued, adhering to the imperfect nomenclature of his provincial instructors, ‘The deer is swift, but weak; the elk is swift but strong; and the son of “Le Serpent” is “Le Cerf Agile.” Has he leaped the river to the woods?’