Запретный лес
X. What the Moon Saw
IftheBeltanedancehadbeenhideous,thiswastheveryheartofbestiallust.Roundandrounditswept,afuryandyetanorderedfury,inwhichmadnessandobscenityweremingled.Herecognizedthefacesofwomen,oldandyoung,whosatdevoutlybeneathhiminkirkofaSabbath.Themenwereallmasked,butheknewthatifhecouldtearoffthebeastcoveringshewouldseefeatureswhichwerenormallycomposedintoapiousdecency.Figurewouldclaspfigureandthenflingapart,butineachcircuithenotedthatthedancerskissedsomepartoftheleader’sbody,nozzlinghimlikedogsontheroadside.
Upinhistree-toptheministerhadnowanundividedmind.Hehadthenamesofseveralofthefemalesofthecovenfirminhismemory,andforthemenhemusttrusttoReiverslaw.Thereweresomeofthedancerswithgoat-horns,butastheroutswungrounditseemedtohimthatanewgoat-maskhadappeared,ataller,wilderfigure,whowasspeciallydevoutinhisobeisancebeforeHound-face.WasitReiverslawwithhisaniseed?
Thenighthadbecomeverydark,andtheonlylightinthegladecamefromthecandleswhichburnedinitshiddenhollows.Andthensuddenlyacolderwindblew,andliketheburstofadamcameadelugeofrain.TheLammasfloodshadbroken,stealingupontheworld,asistheirfashion,outofafairsky.
ItseemedtoDavid--andhehelditpartoftheinfernalmiracle--thatthetorrentdidnotquenchthelights.Inatricehehimselfwassoakedtotheskin,butthecandlesstillburned,thoughtherainbeatonthefloorofthegladewithasoundlikeawhip-lash....Butitendedthedance.
