Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy FulfilledRichardson, Major (John)
History
Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy Fulfilled
Richardson, Major (John)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction
It might, however, be seen that even while pleasure and satisfaction at
a reunion with those he in turn esteemed, flashed from his dark and
eager eye, there was still lurking about his manner that secret jealousy
of distinction, which is so characteristic of the haughty Indian. After
the first warm salutations had passed, he became sensible of the absence
of the English chief; but this was expressed rather by a certain
outswelling of his chest, and the searching glance of his restless eye,
than by any words that fell from his lips. Presently, he whom he sought,
and whose person had hitherto been concealed by the battery on the bank,
was seen advancing towards him, accompanied by his personal staff. In a
moment the shade passed away from the brow of the warrior, and warmly
grasping and pressing, for the second time, the hand of a youth--one of
the group of junior officers among whom he yet stood, and who had
manifested even more than his companions the unbounded pleasure he took
in the chieftain's re-appearance--he moved forward, with an ardor of
manner that was with difficulty restrained by his sense of dignity, to
give them the meeting.
The first of the advancing party was a tall, martial looking man,
wearing the dress and insignia of a general officer. His rather florid
countenance was eminently fine, if not handsome, offering, in its more
Roman than Grecian contour, a model of quiet, manly beauty; while the
eye beaming with intelligence and candor, gave, in the occasional
flashes which it emitted, indication of a mind of no common order. There
was, notwithstanding, a benevolence of expression about it that blended
(in a manner to excite attention) with a dignity of deportment, as much
the result of habitual self command, as of the proud eminence of
distinction on which he stood. The sedative character of middle age,
added to long acquired military habits, had given a certain rigidity to
his fine form, that might have made him appear to a first observer even
older than he was, but the placidity of a countenance beaming good will
and affability, speedily removed the impression, and, if the portly
figure added to his years, the unfurrowed countenance took from them in
equal proportion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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