Запретный лес
XIX. The Sacrifice
HehadouthisnotesonIsaiahandtheprolegomenawhichhehadcompleted,buthiseyescouldscarcelyreadthem.Howsmallandremotetheselaboursseemed!Everynowandthenaquotationfromtheprophetstoodoutinhismanuscript,andthesewereasominousasaraven’scroaking."Burninginsteadofbeauty....Theirfacesshallbeasflames....ThroughthewrathoftheLordofhostsisthelanddarkened,andthepeopleshallbeasthefuelofthefire....Thisistherestwherewithyemaycausethewearytorest."
Heturnedfromhisnotesinaweandtookuphissecularbooks.OneheopenedatrandomandsawthatitwastheÆneid,andthewordswhichcaughthiseyeswere"manibusdateliliaplenis."Smallwonderthatthebookhadopenedthere,foritwasawell-thumbedpassage;butheshudderedasifhehadcastthesortesVirgilianæandhadgotadolefulanswer.
Intheeveninghefoundhimselfsomefood,andsincethedarkwasfullofghostsforhim,helitmanycandlesandbankedupthepeatsonthefire.Hewasinastrangemood,raptoutofhimself,sufferingnotsomuchpaininhisthoughtsasafeverofexpectation.Hisfingersdrummedceaselesslyonhisknees;ashelookedintotheglowingpeatshesawformsandfiguresthatseemedtomockhim;tohisunquietearsawindwasblowingroundthehouse--awindthattalked--thoughthenightwasverystill.Andalwaystherewasinhishead,liketherefrainofaballad,thewords"Burninginsteadofbeauty."
HedidnotseeMarkRiddeltillthemanwasbesidehimandhadtouchedhisshoulder.
