Белые люди
Chapter VIII
MacNairnwouldlovethelibrary,andhehoveredaboutconsultinghiscataloguesandlookingoverhisshelves,takingdownvolumeshereandthere,holdingthemtenderlyinhislong,bonyoldhandashedippedintothem.HemadenotesofthemanuscriptsandbookshethoughtMr.MacNairnwouldfeelthedeepestinterestin.Helovedhislibrarywithallhisbeing,andIknewhelookedforwardtotalkingtoamanwhowouldcareforitinthesameway.
Hehadbeengoingoveroneofthehighestshelvesonedayandhadlefthisstep-ladderleaningagainstitwhenhewentelsewhere.ItwaswhenImountedthesteps,asIoftendidwhenheleftthem,thatIcameuponthemanuscriptwhichrelatedtheoldstoryofDarkMalcolmandhischild.Ithadbeenpushedbehindsomevolumes,andItookitoutbecauseitlookedsooldandyellow.AndIopenedatonceatthepagewherethetalebegan.
AtfirstIstoodreading,andthenIsatdownonthebroadtopoftheladderandforgoteverything.Itwasasavagehistoryofferocioushateandbarbarousreprisals.Ithadbeenafeudwagedbetweentwoclansforthreegenerations.ThestoryofDarkMalcolmandIanRedHandwasonlypartofit,butitwasagruesomething.Pagestoldofthebloodydeedstheywroughtoneachother’shouses.TheonehumanpassionofDarkMalcolm’slifewashisloveforhislittledaughter.Shehadbrowneyesandbrownhair,andthosewhomostlovedhercalledherWeeBrownElspeth.IanRedHandwasricherandmorepowerfulthanMalcolmoftheGlen,andthereforecouldmoreeasilyworkhiscruelwill.
