Запретный лес
XVIII. The Plague
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Daviddidnotreturnfromhisvisitationstillthesmallhours,buthebroughtbackthefirstpieceofgoodnews.OneofthehindsattheMains,afterlyingfortwodaysindelirium,wasnowquitofthefeverandinawholesomesweat--sleeping,too,anaturalsleep.Itwasthefirstcaseofapossiblerecovery,andhewasawarehowmuchasinglelifesavedwoulddotoquietthebrokennervesoftheparish.AlsoKatrine’sadventhadliftedhimoutofthesloughofdespondinwhichhehadbeensunkforweeks.Shehadspurredhimtoaction,andshownhimadutywhichhehadbeentooblindtosee.Hefiercelyrepressedtheanxietywithwhichthemerethoughtofherpresenceinthattaintedplacefilledhim.Hedarenotforbidtheexerciseofcourageinanother--eveninonewhowasdearertohimthanlife.
NextmorninghewenttoReiverslaw,butgotnocomfort.AndrewShillinglawmethimoutofdoors,andmadeitveryclearthathehadnodesiretocometoonearhim.Theconversationwasconductedatadistanceofadozenyards.
"Na,na,"hecried."I’moffthisverradaytoMoffat,andI’llnosetfootinWoodileetillthepesthasgane.Yeaskowermuckle,Mr.Sempill.It’smaybeyourdutytogangamongthem--thoughyekenasweelasmethatthehaillparochineisnoworththelifeo’atinkler’smessan--butit’snodutyo’AndraShillinglaw’s.Inevercouldabidethereeko’thefolk,andtheyhavedoubtlessgottenwhattheydeserved."
"Ay,I’mfeared,"headmittedinanswertoDavid’sappeals."Ilkabodyhassomethingthatputsthegrueonhim,andwithmeit’sayebeenthepest.
