The murmur of
Le Balafre, that ran through the assembly when he appeared, announced
not only his name and the high estimation of his character, but how
extraordinary his visit was considered. As he neither spoke nor moved,
however, the sensation created by his appearance soon subsided, and
then every eye was again turned upon the speaker, and every ear once
more drunk in the intoxication of his maddening appeals.
It would have been easy to have traced the triumph of Mahtoree, in the
reflecting countenances of his auditors. It was not long before a look
of ferocity and of revenge was to be seen seated on the grim visages
of most of the warriors, and each new and crafty allusion to the
policy of extinguishing their enemies, was followed by fresh and less
restrained bursts of approbation. In the height of this success the
Teton closed his speech, by a rapid appeal to the pride and hardihood
of his native band, and suddenly took his seat.
In the midst of the murmurs of applause, which succeeded so remarkable
an effort of eloquence, a low, feeble and hollow voice was heard
rising on the ear, as if it rolled from the inmost cavities of the
human chest, and gathered strength and energy as it issued into the
air.
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