Запретный лес
VIII. The Second Blast
"Whatthinkyeo’Woodilee?"
"IthinkthattheDevilhaschosenthismiserableparishforhisown."
"Ay....Well,Iwadnasayyewerewrang.Ijaloused[guessed]fraeyourlastdiscoursethatyewereperplexedwi’theEnemy.Andtheytellmethatye’vestirredupanuncobykeagainstye."
"Areyouoneofthem?"Davidasked.
"Nome.Ifthere’sfechtin’tobedone,I’monyourside.Iayelikitabauldman,andit’saquestion,sir,ifyekenyoursel’howbauldyearewhenyeoffertodrivetheDeilfraeWoodilee."
Davidhadgottohisfeet,forthesewerethefirstwordsofsympathyhehadhad.
"AndrewShillinglaw,Icommandyoutotellmeifyouhavekeptyourselfcleanfromthismysteryofevilwhichscourgestheparish."
Themanstillsprawledontheground,andthefaceheturnedtotheministerwastwistedinagrimhumour.
"Ay.I’llswearonyaithyelike.I’llnodenymybackslidin’s,and,asyemayken,mywalkandconversation’snotoboasto’.ButassureasGodmademe,IwadburnoffmyrichthandinthefireaforeIwadfilemysel’wi’theBabylonishabominationso’theWud.Iwhilesdrinkastoupowermuckle,andIwhilesgieawaurstraikthanIettlewhenmybluid’shet,butthesearehoneststumblin’swhilkIhopetheLordwillforgie.Butforyon--"andhespatviciously.
"Then,ifyouareyourselfcleanfromthisevil,tellmewhatyouknowofit,andwhoareitschiefprofessors."
"That’seasyspeirin’[asking],butilltoanswer.
