And now, stranger," he added, dropping the butt
of his rifle on the hard earth, with a violence and clatter that would
have intimidated one less firm than the man he addressed, "how many of
these creatures may fall to your lot?"
"Horses have I never craved, nor even used; though few have journeyed
over more of the wide lands of America than myself, old and feeble as
I seem. But little use is there for a horse among the hills and woods
of York--that is, as York was, but as I greatly fear York is no longer
--as for woollen covering and cow's milk, I covet no such womanly
fashions! The beasts of the field give me food and raiment. No, I
crave no cloth better than the skin of a deer, nor any meat richer
than his flesh."
The sincere manner of the trapper, as he uttered this simple
vindication, was not entirely thrown away on the emigrant, whose dull
nature was gradually quickening into a flame, that might speedily have
burst forth with dangerous violence. He listened like one who doubted,
not entirely convinced: and he muttered between his teeth the
denunciation, with which a moment before he intended to precede the
summary vengeance he had certainly meditated.
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