Этюд в багровых тонах
The Avenging Angels.
Thevalleyinwhichhefoundhimselfdividedandsub-dividedintomanygorges,whichweresolikeeachotherthatitwasimpossibletodistinguishonefromtheother. Hefollowedoneforamileormoreuntilhecametoamountaintorrentwhichhewassurethathehadneverseenbefore. Convincedthathehadtakenthewrongturn,hetriedanother,butwiththesameresult. Nightwascomingonrapidly,anditwasalmostdarkbeforeheatlastfoundhimselfinadefilewhichwasfamiliartohim. Eventhenitwasnoeasymattertokeeptotherighttrack,forthemoonhadnotyetrisen,andthehighcliffsoneithersidemadetheobscuritymoreprofound. Weigheddownwithhisburden,andwearyfromhisexertions,hestumbledalong,keepinguphisheartbythereflectionthateverystepbroughthimnearertoLucy,andthathecarriedwithhimenoughtoensurethemfoodfortheremainderoftheirjourney.
Hehadnowcometothemouthoftheverydefileinwhichhehadleftthem. Eveninthedarknesshecouldrecognizetheoutlineofthecliffswhichboundedit. Theymust,hereflected,beawaitinghimanxiously,forhehadbeenabsentnearlyfivehours. Inthegladnessofhisheartheputhishandstohismouthandmadetheglenre-echotoaloudhallooasasignalthathewascoming. Hepausedandlistenedforananswer. Nonecamesavehisowncry,whichclatteredupthedrearysilentravines,andwasbornebacktohisearsincountlessrepetitions. Againheshouted,evenlouderthanbefore,andagainnowhispercamebackfromthefriendswhomhehadleftsuchashorttimeago.
