The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

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1.tattoo 纹身

原文

Chapter XI: The Old Chief

Magua went to the Delawares' village.

The Delawares were friends of France. But they did not fight in the war.

Magua went to the Delawares' meeting-house.

The Delaware chiefs were talking.

'The Huron chief is welcome,' said a Delaware.

'Is my woman prisoner safe and well?' asked Magua.

'She is well,' said the Delaware.

Then Magua said, 'Are there strangers in the forest? White men?'

'There are strangers in the village,' said the Delaware. 'They are in my house. But strangers are always welcome in this village.'

'What will the King of France say about this?' said Magua. 'His greatest enemy is here in the Delawares' village. This enemy is a white man. He kills many friends of the French.'

'Which white man is an enemy of France?' asked the Delaware chief.

'The scout, Hawk-eye!' said Magua. 'The Long Gun! The other strangers are his friends. They are the enemies of France too.'

The Delawares started to talk quietly.

One of them left the meeting-house quickly.

A few minutes later, he came back.

Then a very old man came into the meeting-house.

Two young Delawares helped the old man.

He had long white hair and there were many lines on his face.

The chiefs spoke his name -'Tamenund.'

Magua knew the name of this famous Delaware chief.

Tamenund was more than one hundred years old!

Tamenund sat down. Then he spoke to the two young Delawares.

They got up and went away .

Soon,they came back with Alice, Cora, Duncan and Hawk-eye.

Cora was very angry.

She spoke to the chiefs.

'Yesterday, we were welcome in this village,' she said. 'The Delawares were our friends.Today we are your prisoners. Why are we prisoners?'

Tamenund did not answer.

'Which man is Hawk-eye, The Long Gun?' he asked.

Hawk-eye walked forward. 'I am Hawk-eye,' he said.

Then Tamenund spoke quickly to Magua.

'Take your prisoner - the dark-haired woman. Go!' he said.

But Cora spoke to the old chief.

'Another man came to this village with us,' she said. 'Now he is a prisoner too. But he is one of your own people. He will tell our story. Please! Listen to him!'

Tamenund looked at the chiefs.

'Who is this other prisoner?' he asked.

'He fights for the English,' Magua said quickly. 'You must kill him.'

'Bring him here!' said Tamenund.

Two men left the meeting-house. Soon they came back with Uncas.

Uncas was not wearing a shirt. His hands were tied .

He stood in front of Tamenund.

The old chief looked at him.

Tamenund saw a tattoo on Uncas's chest.

It was a picture of a turtle.