Запретный лес
II. The Road to Calidon
Iwasstrongonyourside,sir,whenyegotthecall,foryourpreachin’waslikearushin’michtywind.ImindIrepeatedtheheidso’yoursermontoMirren....Ye’vedonemeguid,sir--Ithinkit’smaybetheyoungvoiceo’ye.YewadgetthewordfromJohnnieDow.Man,itwaskindtomak’siccanhaste.Iwish--IwishyehadseenMirreninlife....Pitupanitherpetitionaforeyegang--forablessin’onthisstrickenhouseandonanauldmanwhohashistitlesureinChrist,buthasanuncorebelliousheart."
ItseemedtoDavidasheturnedfromthedoor,wheretheshepherdstoodwithupliftedarm,thatabenedictionhadbeengiven,butnotbyhim.
Themoonhadrisenandtheglenlayinayellowlight,withthehighhillsbetweenRoodandAllershrunktomildridges.Thestreamcaughttheglow,anditsshallowswerelikesilverchasedinamber.Theyoungman’sheartwasfullwiththescenewhichhehadleft.Deathwasveryneartomen,jostlingthemateverycorner,whisperingintheirearatkirkandmarket,creepingbetweenthemandtheirfiresides.SoontheshepherdoftheGreenshielwouldliebesidehiswife;inalittle,too,hisownstoutlimbswouldbeaheapofdust.Howsmallandfrailseemedthelifeinthatcottage,ascontrastedwiththerichpulsingworldofthewoodsandhillsandtheirserenecontinuance.ButitwastheythatweretheshadowsinGod’ssight.TheimmortalthingwasthebrokenhumanheartthatcouldsayinitsfrailtythatitsRedeemerliveth.
