Chapter 30

"So deem'st thou - so each mortal deems
Of that which is from that which seems;
But other harvest here
Than that which peasant's scythe demands,
Was gather'd in by sterner hands,
With bayonet, blade, and spear."

Scott, "The Field of Waterloo," V.i-6.

It exceeded Deerslayer's power to ascertain what had produced the
sudden pause in the movements of his enemies, until the fact was
revealed in the due course of events. He perceived that much agitation
prevailed among the women in particular, while the warriors rested
on their arms in a sort of dignified expectation. It was plain no
alarm was excited, though it was not equally apparent that a friendly
occurrence produced the delay. Rivenoak was evidently apprised of
all, and by a gesture of his arm he appeared to direct the circle
to remain unbroken, and for each person to await the issue in the
situation he or she then occupied. It required but a minute or
two to bring an explanation of this singular and mysterious pause,
which was soon terminated by the appearance of Judith on the exterior
of the line of bodies, and her ready admission within its circle.

If Deerslayer was startled by this unexpected arrival, well knowing
that the quick witted girl could claim none of that exemption from
the penalties of captivity that was so cheerfully accorded to her
feebler minded sister, he was equally astonished at the guise in
which she came. All her ordinary forest attire, neat and becoming
as this usually was, had been laid aside for the brocade that
has been already mentioned, and which had once before wrought so
great and magical an effect in her appearance. Nor was this all.
Accustomed to see the ladies of the garrison in the formal, gala
attire of the day, and familiar with the more critical niceties
of these matters, the girl had managed to complete her dress in a
way to leave nothing strikingly defective in its details, or even
to betray an incongruity that would have been detected by one
practised in the mysteries of the toilet. Head, feet, arms, hands,
bust, and drapery, were all in harmony, as female attire was then
deemed attractive and harmonious, and the end she aimed at, that
of imposing on the uninstructed senses of the savages, by causing
them to believe their guest was a woman of rank and importance,
might well have succeeded with those whose habits had taught them
to discriminate between persons. Judith, in addition to her rare
native beauty, had a singular grace of person, and her mother had
imparted enough of her own deportment to prevent any striking or
offensive vulgarity of manner; so that, sooth to say, the gorgeous
dress might have been worse bestowed in nearly every particular.
Had it been