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  .., 2026.



Fenimore Cooper  

Deerslayer 



Chapter I  I

In the middle of the eighteenth century, the inhabited parts of the New York colony were limited to four maritime counties on both sides of the Hudson, from its mouth to the falls at its source, and a few neighboring areas along the banks of the Mohawk and Schogaree.   XVIII    -         ,       ,          . Wide tracts of virgin soil extended as far as New England; these were dense, impenetrable forests in which a native warrior could easily hide in his noiseless boots made of the skin of a wild animal.         ;   ,  ,               . The entire country east of the Mississippi was at that time a vast expanse of forests, bordered on the edges by a very small portion of cultivated land, intersected by the shining surface of rivers and lakes.             ,        ,      .

Nature is unchanging in its laws.     . The time of sowing and harvest alternate with unshakable precision.        . For centuries the sultry summer sun warmed the tops of the noble oaks and evergreen pines of these virgin wastelands, when suddenly in the depths of this forest the voices of people calling to each other were heard.               ,          . It was a June day.   . The leaves of the tall trees were washed by streams of light, casting long shadows.      ,   . The callers were apparently two people who had lost their way. , ,  ,  . Finally, one of them, making his way through the labyrinth of dense bushes along the edge of the swamp, came out into a clearing that had formed in the forest from the devastation of storm and fire. ,   ,        ,   ,        .

This is where you can relax!     ! he cried out loudly, seeing the clear vault of sky above his head.     ,       . Hurray, Deerslayer!   , ! Its light here, and were not far from the lake.  ,     .

At this time another wanderer appeared, who, pushing his way through the brushwood, pushed aside the branches that were clinging to his dress with his hands.       , ,   ,   ,    .

Do you know this place?      ? asked Deerslayer in turn.       . Or are you just screaming with joy at the sight of the sun?           ?

 Yes, my friend, the place is familiar, and, to tell the truth, I am glad to have stumbled upon a ray of sunshine.  , ,  ,  ,  , ,     . Now we have grasped all the points of the compass, and there will be no one to blame if we lose sight of them again.       ,    ,      . If I were not Fast Harry, if the land hunters did not make camp here last year.     ,           . They spent a whole week here.     . See, here are the remains of the brushwood they burned, and I know that spring very well. ,   ,   ,       . Yes, young man, I love the sun, although even without its rays I know perfectly well that it is now twelve o'clock, minute by minute. ,  ,   ,       ,    ,   . My stomach is an excellent and most faithful chronometer, which cannot be found in the whole colony.        ,      . Its hand points to noon; therefore, we must untie the knapsack and wind the clock mechanism for another six hours.     ; -,            .

They both set about making the necessary preparations for a moderate dinner, seasoned with an excellent appetite.         ,      .

The hunter who called himself Quick Harry was a model of masculine beauty in all its noble grandeur.   ,     ,          .

His real name was Henry March, but the frontiersmen, following the Indian custom of adding nicknames to their own names, called him Quick Harry, and sometimes simply Quick, alluding to the extraordinary impetuosity of his movements and the carefree nature for which he had become famous throughout the line of settlements scattered between New York and Canada.      ,   ,        ,    ,     ,          ,       ,   -  . Quick Harry's physical strength was fully consistent with his gigantic stature.         . His features were regular and handsome, and all his manners, somewhat rough, like all colonists, were, however, imbued with a certain special grace that harmonized perfectly with his appearance.       ,    , ,    , , ,  -  ,       .

A different character and a different appearance distinguished Henry March's companion, whom he called Deerslayer.         ,    . He was, comparatively, frail and thin, although his muscles betrayed extraordinary dexterity and agility.  , ,   ,       . The expression on his face involuntarily disposed the observer towards him.        . It was a naive simplicity, combined with firmness of will and exceptional sincerity.    ,       . At first glance, one could even think that he was deliberately pretending to be a good-natured and simpleton, in order to more easily conceal his hidden deception and roguery.       ,       ,        . But these suspicions disappeared upon the first acquaintance with Deerslayer.          .

Both companions were still young.     . Hurry seemed to be about twenty-eight years old; Zveroboy was no more than twenty-five.       ;      . Their clothing consisted of dressed deer skins; thus, both companions apparently belonged to the number of people who spent their lives in the dense forests on the edge of emerging civilization.       ;   , ,    ,          .

- Well, Deerslayer, now get to work!  , ,   ! Prove that your stomach works masterfully, like all those Delawares among whom you were raised, - said Harry, putting into his mouth a huge piece of game, which would have been enough for a European peasant for a whole dinner. ,     ,      ,    ,   ,      ,        . - Prove it, my dear... with your teeth prove to this doe that you are a man in the full sense of the word.   ,      ,       . With your carbine you have already proved it in the best possible way.        .

"It is no great honor for a man to boast of having killed a poor deer by surprise," replied his modest companion, sitting down to his dinner.        ,      ,     ,   . "If it had been a panther or a wild cat, one might perhaps have boasted."          ,  , ,  . The Delawares did not call me Deerslayer for my strength and courage, but only for my sure eye and agility.          ,       . To shoot a deer, of course, does not mean being a coward; but still, it would be foolishness to pass it off as bravery.  , ,     ;          .

Your Delawares, my dear fellow, dont seem to be very brave, muttered Fast Harry through his teeth, putting another substantial piece of meat into his mouth.   , , ,   ,      ,       . These idle Mingos tied them up hand and foot like defenseless lambs.           ,   . Isnt that right?   ?

No, not at all, replied Deerslayer hotly.  ,   ,     . This matter must be understood thoroughly and not misinterpreted.             . The Mingos are the most treacherous, insidious savages, and the whole forest is filled with their deceit and cunning.    ,  ,        . They have neither an honest word nor loyalty to their treaties.      ,    . And I lived with the Delawares for ten years and I know very well that they can be heroes when necessary.           ,     ,  .

- Okay, Deerslayer, if we've touched on this subject, let's speak frankly, like humans.  , ,     ,    , -. You've long since earned yourself a reputation as an excellent hunter and have become famous throughout the forests.             . Tell me: have you ever attacked a man and are you capable of shooting at an enemy who is sometimes not averse to breaking your neck?  :    -         ,       ?

Ill tell you frankly, Harry, Ive never had any reason to kill.    , ,       . I lived among the Delawares in peacetime, and in my opinion, its criminal to take a mans life if hes not in open war with you.       ,    ,     ,       .

- What!  ! Have you never encountered some swindler at your traps who was going to steal your skins?          - ,     ? In that case, I suppose, you would have dealt with him yourself, with your own hands: you wouldnt drag him to the judge and start a lawsuit, which is always associated with troubles and great expenses.   ,  ,      ,   :          ,       .

I dont set any traps or nets, the hunter answered with dignity.      ,  ,     . I live by my carbine and I dont fear anyone in the world with this weapon.               . I dont offer anyone animal skin without a hole on the head where nature has placed the organs of sight or hearing.           ,       .

 Animal skin is not the same as the hair from the enemy's skull.      ,     . To lie in wait somewhere and shoot some Indian means to act according to the same rules that your enemy adheres to when he is at war with you.  -   -       ,    ,     . In my opinion, the more of these scoundrels you send to the next world, the happier your soul and the calmer your conscience. -,        ,       . I hope, friend, that if your carbine can only get along with four-legged animals, then we will not see each other so often in the future. , ,         ,           .

Our journey, Harry, will soon be over, and we can part ways if you wish.   , ,  ,    ,   . A friend is waiting for me who will not be ashamed to make the acquaintance of a man who has not killed any people.   ,       ,     .

I should like to know what brought that fastidious Delaware here?     ,      ? muttered March, not hiding his displeasure and distrust.    ,      . Where, did you say, did the young chief make an appointment with you?     ,  ,    ?

 Near a small cliff at the edge of the lake, where, as I was assured, the Indian tribes are in the habit of making treaties and burying their war tomahawks in the ground.       , ,   ,             . I have often heard from the Delawares about this cliff, although I have never seen it yet.        ,       . This part of the lake is still disputed between the Mingoes and the Delawares.            . In times of peace, both tribes fish and hunt here, so this patch is still common property.            ,        .

"Common property, that's it!"       ! cried Quick Harry, bursting into a loud laugh.     ,   . "I should like to know what Hutter Tom Float would say to that, who has had the lake for fifteen years now, exclusively and indivisibly!      ,       ,          ! I don't think he would willingly give it up to the Delawares or the Mingoes.  ,        .

- But will the colonies look at this dispute with indifference?          ? This entire country must be someones inalienable property.       -  . After all, the colonists, apparently, know no limits to their greed and are ready to seize all the places they can.  , ,           ,   .

- Well, I hope the foot of the colonists will never wander here.  , , ,     . They will never know about this backwater.       . Old Tom told me more than once that they would never find out about these places in a thousand years, and I, for my part, am absolutely convinced that Tom Floating will not give up his lake to anyone in the world.      ,          ,       ,          .

- It turns out to you, Harry, that old Tom is a decidedly extraordinary man.  - , ,      . He obviously does not belong to either the Mingoes, or the Delawares, or the palefaces, and he has seized for himself such a place that all the tribes are ready to quarrel over it. , ,     ,   ,   ,      , -     . Who is he, this man?   ,  ? What race is he?   ?

 It is not so easy to explain old Toms breed, and it is hardly possible to find among people a tribe to which he could be attributed.       - ,        ,       . He is more like a Canadian beaver in his breed than a man.        ,   . His manners and all his habits are exactly like those of a beaver.      --,   . Some people think that in his youth he walked in the salt water with a certain Kidd, who was hanged for piracy about thirty years ago.  ,          - ,           . After Kidds death, he took refuge here, confident that in these places the kings soldiers would never get to him, and he could calmly enjoy the fruits of his robberies.      ,  ,           ,        .

- This is bad, Harry, very bad.   , ,  . One can never calmly enjoy the fruits of robbery.      .

- Everyone has their own taste and their own nature, dear Deerslayer.        ,  . As for old Tom, I can assure you that he is perfectly happy and lives happily with his daughters.     ,    ,            .

- Yes, I know that he has daughters.  ,  ,     . There was a rumor about this among the Delawares.      . Do they have a mother?    ?

- There was, of course; but its been two years since she died and was thrown into the water.  , ;     ,       .

What did you say?    ? asked Deerslayer, looking at his comrade in amazement.    ,      .

 She died and was thrown into the water.      . It seems clear: I am not speaking in gibberish. , :      . The old rascal, having said goodbye to her, like a tender husband, buried his wife in the lake.  ,   ,   ,     . Digging a grave, you see, is not cunning among these roots; or perhaps he did this out of the consideration that water washes away sins from the human body more cleanly.  ,   ,     ;  -,     ,        . That I certainly do not know.      .

So, the poor woman was too frivolous?  -,     ? asked Deerslayer.    .

 I dont think too much, but, of course, she had her share of sins.   ,  , , ,    . However, its most likely that the old man was simply too lazy to dig a grave on dry ground. ,  ,          . Judith had a lot of steel in her character; and her husband was a real flint.      ;      . Its no wonder, then, that a spark often flared up between them, although in general they lived quite amicably and harmoniously.  , -,       ,        . For my part, I always respected Judith Hutter as the mother of the beautiful girl who bears her name.        ,    ,    . Im talking about Toms eldest daughter, who is also called Judith.       ,    .

Yes, I have heard of this girl, although the Delawares pronounced her name differently.  ,     ,   -   . Judging by their stories, I do not think that I could like Judith Hutter.    ,   ,      .

- You?  ? This is very funny!   ! - exclaimed Fast Harry, blushing in anger from the indifference with which his comrade spoke about the girl.     ,      ,       . - How dare you interfere when it comes to Judith Hutter?      ,      ? You are a young sucker, whose mother's milk is not yet dry on your lips!   ,        ! Don't worry, my dear: Judith Hutter will not even want to look at you.  , :        .

Look here, Harry: its June now, not a cloud obscures the sun from us, and theres no use getting excited, answered Deerslayer in a calm tone.   , :  ,        ,   ,     . I dont advise you to lose your temper.         . Everyone has their own thoughts, and I hope that a squirrel can think what it wants about a wild cat.    ,   ,       ,   .

- Of course, unless the wild cat finds out about it.  ,        . However, you are still young, frivolous, and I readily forgive you. ,   , ,     . Why, indeed, should we quarrel over a girl whom you have not yet seen?  ,   ,   - ,      ? It would be ridiculous to consider some young brat a rival... And by the way, what did the Delawares say about her?      -   ,     ?

They praised her intelligence and beauty, but added that she was flighty and loved to surround herself with admirers.       ,  ,        .

- Ah, damn them!  ,    ! They painted you the most faithful portrait of Judith Hutter!         ! To tell the truth, Deerslayer, if it weren't for this frivolity, she would have been my wife two years ago.  , ,     ,        . There was, however, another reason why I didn't get married... , ,   ,    

What kind, for example?  , ? asked the hunter with the air of a man who was not very interested in this conversation.       ,     .

 At that time I was not sure whether she loved me.        ,    . The rogue is too good and knows her worth.       . Trees slenderer than her figure do not grow on these mountains, and you will not see a chamois that would jump with such ease.         ,     ,      . But with all this, her shortcomings are too striking.           . There was a time when I swore never to see this lake.  ,       .

- And so you go to him again?        ?

- Ah, Deerslayer, you are still a novice in these matters, and it is difficult to explain to you what a person is like when love takes possession of his heart.  , ,      ,    ,     ,     . If you only knew Judith as I know her!     ,    ! From time to time, serf officers from the banks of the Mohawk come to this lake to fish, and then the coquette loses her head.              ,   -    . She dresses up like a doll, and at that time makes coquettish eyes at everyone.  ,  ,        .

The daughter of a poor father must understand her situation, Deerslayer remarked simply.        ,    . I am sure that none of the officers who are courting Judith have honest intentions.    ,     ,   ,    .

- That's what pisses me off.   -   .

- Why are you thinking about her, Henry March?       ,  ? If I were you, I would have run away from such a woman into the forest long ago.            .

"It's easy to give advice, my friend, but it's not so easy to follow it when it comes to Judith.   , ,   -   ,      . I confess I was thinking of taking her away by force and marrying her on the banks of the Mohawk in some slum where, perhaps, none of those officers would end up. ,            - , , ,        . Old Tom would still have had a daughter, not a beauty, it's true, and not very smart, but an exemplary humble woman.       ,  , ,    ,    .

So there is another bird in this nest?  , -,      ? Thats it!  ! The Delawares, however, spoke only of Judith. , ,    .

- No wonder.   . Next to the beautiful Judith, Getty is in disguise.     . However, in my opinion, Getty is also quite nice; only, as far as intelligence is concerned, the poor thing is not very good at distinguishing right from left. , -,    ; ,   ,           .

The Redskins especially respect such weak-minded people: they think that the evil spirit cannot settle in them, noted Deerslayer.        :  ,        ,   .

- Well, the "evil spirit" has nothing to worry about with poor Hetty.  ,         . The old father and clever sister do not take their eyes off her... In a word, I would be in despair if now, after a six-month absence, I found that Judith had managed to get married.            ,     ,   ,   , ,     .

- Did she give you any hope?       - ?

 Thats just the point, no.   -  ,  . I really dont know how it all comes about.  , ,    . You see, Im not bad-looking, and every stream illuminated by a ray of sunshine assures me of that, and yet I couldnt get a promise from her, or even a kind smile, although sometimes she laughed incessantly for hours. ,  , ,       ,   ,            ,    ,          . Well, whats there to talk about? ,    ? If Judith Hutter dared to get married, she will be a most sweet widow in her twentieth year.                .




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