Запретный лес

           ThefarmerofReiverslawjoinedthemataturnoftheroad--hisnamewasAndrewShillinglaw,amorose,darkmannotover-wellspokenofintheparish--andheandtheministerfinishedthejourneysidebyside.Thebellman,NehemiahRobb,whowasalsothegravediggerandthebeadle,metthemattheentrancetothekirkton,andwithhimacrowdofvillagers.PrecededbythejanglingofRobb’sbell,theprocessionreachedtheshallowgrave,thewomenremainingatthekirkyardgate.Thecoffinwaslowered,theearthshovelleddown,andthethinginfiveminuteswasover.Therewasno"dredgy"[funeralfeast]atthepoorhouseoftheGreenshieltodrawthemournersbackuponthesevenmoorlandmiles.ThemenadjournedtoLuckyWeir’s,thekirkbellwasrestoredtoitstree,awomanortwosobbed,andthelastofMarionSmailwasathinstreamoffiguresvanishinginthehazeofevening,onerepeatingtotheotherinfunerealvoicesthat"puirMirrenhadgotweelawa’."

           Yettheoccasion,austereandbareaspovertycouldmakeit,wokeinDavidamoodoftendernessandpeace.Theloweringcloudshadgonefromthesky,allmorningithadrained,andtheafternoonhadhadasoftautumnfreshness.HehadprayedwithRichie,buthisprayershadbeenalsoforhimself,andashewalkedbehindthecoffinonthepathbythebackoftheHillofDeerhispetitionseemedtohavebeenanswered.Hehadanassuranceofhisvocation.Thecrowdatthekirkyard,thosetoil-wornfolkwhoseimmortalsoulshadbeengivenintohischarge,movedhimtoastrangeexultation.