Chapter 25

"But, mother, now a shade has past,
Athwart my brightest visions here,
A cloud of darkest gloom has wrapt,
The remnant of my brief career!
No song, no echo can I win,
The sparkling fount has died within."

Margaret Davidson, "To my Mother," 11. 7-12.

Hist and Hetty arose with the return of light, leaving Judith still
buried in sleep. It took but a minute for the first to complete
her toilet. Her long coal-black hair was soon adjusted in a simple
knot, the calico dress belted tight to her slender waist, and her
little feet concealed in their gaudily ornamented moccasins. When
attired, she left her companion employed in household affairs, and
went herself on the platform to breathe the pure air of the morning.
Here she found Chingachgook studying the shores of the lake, the
mountains and the heavens, with the sagacity of a man of the woods,
and the gravity of an Indian.

The meeting between the two lovers was simple, but affectionate.
The chief showed a manly kindness, equally removed from boyish
weakness and haste, while the girl betrayed, in her smile and half
averted looks, the bashful tenderness of her sex. Neither spoke,
unless it were with the eyes, though each understood the other as
fully as if a vocabulary of words and protestations had been poured
out. Hist seldom appeared to more advantage than at that moment,
for just from her rest and ablutions, there was a freshness about
her youthful form and face that the toils of the wood do not always
permit to be exhibited, by even the juvenile and pretty. Then
Judith had not only imparted some of her own skill in the toilet,
during their short intercourse, but she had actually bestowed a
few well selected ornaments from her own stores, that contributed
not a little to set off the natural graces of the Indian maid. All
this the lover saw and felt, and for a moment his countenance was
illuminated with a look of pleasure, but it soon grew grave again,
and became saddened and anxious. The stools used the previous
night were still standing on the platform; placing two against the
walls of the hut, he seated himself on one, making a gesture to his
companion to take the other. This done, he continued thoughtful
and silent for quite a minute, maintaining the reflecting dignity
of one born to take his seat at the council-fire, while Hist was
furtively watching the expression of his face, patient and submissive,
as became a woman of her people. Then the young warrior stretched
his arm before him, as if to point out the glories of the scene at
that witching hour, when the whole panorama, as usual, was adorned
by the mellow distinctness of early morning, sweeping with his
hand slowly over lake, hills and heavens.