"'Tis as you think, Sarpent," answered Deerslayer, whose remarks
we always translate into English, preserving as much as possible
of the peculiar phraseology and manner of the man, "'Tis just so,
as any one may see, and 'tis all founded in natur'. One sister
loves finery, some say overmuch; while t'other is as meek and lowly
as God ever created goodness and truth. Yet, after all, I dare
say that Judith has her vartues, and Hetty has her failin's."
"And the 'Feeble-Mind' has seen the chist opened?" inquired
Chingachgook, with curiosity in his glance.
"Sartain; that much I've heard from her own lips; and, for that
matter, so have you. It seems her father doesn't misgive her
discretion, though he does that of his eldest darter."
"Then the key is hid only from the Wild Rose?" for so Chingachgook
had begun gallantly to term Judith, in his private discourse with
his friend.
"That's it! That's just it! One he trusts, and the other he
doesn't. There's red and white in that, Sarpent, all tribes and
nations agreeing in trusting some, and refusing to trust other
some. It depends on character and judgment."
"Where could a key be put, so little likely to be found by the Wild
Rose, as among coarse clothes?"
Deerslayer started, and turning to his friend with admiration
expressed in every lineament of his face, he fairly laughed, in
his silent but hearty manner, at the ingenuity and readiness of
the conjecture.
Pages:
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348