Page:The last of the Mohicans (1826 Volume 1).djvu/202

 preliminary modulations of the air, whose name he had just mentioned, with the sweeter tones of his own musical voice.

"May not this prove dangerous?" asked Cora, glancing her dark eyes at Major Heyward.

"Poor fellow! his voice is too feeble to be heard amid the din of the falls," was the answer; "besides, the cavern will prove his friend. Let him, then, indulge his passion, since it may be done without hazard."

"Isle of Wight!" repeated David, looking about him with all that imposing dignity with which he had long been wont to silence the whispering echoes of his school; " 'tis a brave tune, and set to solemn words; let it therefore be sung with meet respect!"

After allowing a moment of awful stillness to enforce his discipline, the voice of the singer was heard, in low murmuring syllables, gradually stealing on the ear, until it filled the narrow vault with sounds, rendered trebly thrilling by the feeble and tremulous utterance produced by his debility. The melody, which no weakness