James Fenimore Cooper: The Deerslayer

10. Chapter X. (continued)

Spite of the rich deep colour that nature had bestowed on the Indian beauty, the tell-tale blood deepened on her cheeks, until the blush gave new animation and intelligence to her jet-black eyes. Raising a finger in an attitude of warning, she dropped her voice, already so soft and sweet, nearly to a whisper, as she continued the discourse.

"Chingachgook!" returned the Delaware girl, sighing out the harsh name, in sounds so softly guttural, as to cause it to reach the ear in melody - "His father, Uncas - great chief of the Mahicanni - next to old Tamenund! - More as warrior, not so much gray hair, and less at Council Fire. You know Serpent?"

"He joined us last evening, and was in the Ark with me, for two or three hours before I left it. I'm afraid, Hist -" Hetty could not pronounce the Indian name of her new friend, but having heard Deerslayer give her this familiar appellation, she used it without any of the ceremony of civilized life - "I'm afraid Hist, he has come after scalps, as well as my poor father and Hurry Harry."

"Why he shouldn't - ha? Chingachgook red warrior - very red -scalp make his honor - Be sure he take him."

"Then," said Hetty, earnestly, "he will be as wicked as any other. God will not pardon in a red man, what he will not pardon in a white man.

"No true -" returned the Delaware girl, with a warmth that nearly amounted to passion. "No true, I tell you! The Manitou smile and pleased when he see young warrior come back from the war path, with two, ten, hundred scalp on a pole! Chingachgook father take scalp - grandfather take scalp - all old chief take scalp, and Chingachgook take as many scalp as he can carry, himself"

"Then, Hist, his sleep of nights must be terrible to think of. No one can be cruel, and hope to be forgiven."

"No cruel - plenty forgiven -" returned Wah-ta-Wah, stamping her little foot on the stony strand, and shaking her head in a way to show how completely feminine feeling, in one of its aspects, had gotten the better of feminine feeling in another. "I tell you, Serpent brave; he go home, this time, with four, - yes - two scalp."