"What a thing is power!" continued the hunter, "and what a thing
it is to have it, and not to know how to use it. It's no wonder,
Judith, that the great so often fail of their duties, when even
the little and the humble find it so hard to do what's right, and
not to do what's wrong. Then, how one evil act brings others a'ter
it! Now, wasn't it for this furlough of mine, which must soon take
me back to the Mingos, I'd find this creatur's nest, if I travelled
the woods a fortnight - though an eagle's nest is soon found by them
that understands the bird's natur', - but I'd travel a fortnight
rather than not find it, just to put the young, too, out of their
pain."
"I'm glad to hear you say this, Deerslayer," observed Hetty, "and
God will be more apt to remember your sorrow for what you've done,
than the wickedness itself. I thought how wicked it was to kill
harmless birds, while you were shooting, and meant to tell you so;
but, I don't know how it happened, - I was so curious to see if you
could hit an eagle at so great a height, that I forgot altogether
to speak, 'till the mischief was done."
"That's it; that's just it, my good Hetty. We can all see our
faults and mistakes when it's too late to help them! Howsever I'm
glad you didn't speak, for I don't think a word or two would have
stopped me, just at that moment, and so the sin stands in its
nakedness, and not aggravated by any unheeded calls to forbear.
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