"No, no, Deerslayer, you're no beauty, as you will own yourself,
if you'll look over the side of the canoe," he cried; "Jude will
say that to your face, if you start her, for a parter tongue isn't
to be found in any gal's head, in or out of the settlements, if
you provoke her to use it. My advice to you is, never to aggravate
Judith; though you may tell anything to Hetty, and she'll take it
as meek as a lamb. No, Jude will be just as like as not to tell
you her opinion consarning your looks."
"And if she does, Hurry, she will tell me no more than you have
said already."
"You're not thick'ning up about a small remark, I hope, Deerslayer,
when no harm is meant. You are not a beauty, as you must know,
and why shouldn't fri'nds tell each other these little trifles?
If you was handsome, or ever like to be, I'd be one of the first
to tell you of it; and that ought to content you. Now, if Jude was
to tell me that I'm as ugly as a sinner, I'd take it as a sort
of obligation, and try not to believe her."
"It's easy for them that natur' has favored, to jest about such
matters, Hurry, though it is sometimes hard for others. I'll not
deny but I've had my cravings towards good looks; yes, I have;
but then I've always been able to get them down by considering
how many I've known with fair outsides, who have had nothing to
boast of inwardly.
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