Little was to be apprehended from this
last peculiarity, however, the distance from the shore, and the
want of glasses preventing any very close scrutiny, and Deerslayer,
himself, though of a brighter and fresher tint, had a countenance
that was burnt by the sun to a hue scarcely less red than that of
his Mohican companion. The awkwardness of the Delaware in his new
attire caused his friend to smile more than once that day, but he
carefully abstained from the use of any of those jokes which would
have been bandied among white men on such an occasion, the habits
of a chief, the dignity of a warrior on his first path, and the
gravity of the circumstances in which they were placed uniting to
render so much levity out of season.
The meeting at the morning meal of the three islanders, if we may
use the term, was silent, grave and thoughtful. Judith showed by
her looks that she had passed an unquiet night, while the two men
had the future before them, with its unseen and unknown events.
A few words of courtesy passed between Deerslayer and the girl,
in the course of the breakfast, but no allusion was made to their
situation. At length Judith, whose heart was full, and whose novel
feelings disposed her to entertain sentiments more gentle and tender
than common, introduced the subject, and this in a way to show how
much of her thoughts it had occupied, in the course of the last
sleepless night.
Pages:
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338