Мхи старой усадьбы
Roger Malvin's Burial
"No,myson,no,"rejoinedhiscompanion."Letthewishofadyingmanhaveweightwithyou;givemeonegraspofyourhand,andgetyouhence.ThinkyouthatmylastmomentswillbeeasedbythethoughtthatIleaveyoutodieamorelingeringdeath?Ihavelovedyoulikeafather,Reuben;andatatimelikethisIshouldhavesomethingofafather’sauthority.IchargeyoutobegonethatImaydieinpeace."
"Andbecauseyouhavebeenafathertome,shouldIthereforeleaveyoutoperishandtolieunburiedinthewilderness?"exclaimedtheyouth."No;ifyourendbeintruthapproaching,Iwillwatchbyyouandreceiveyourpartingwords.Iwilldigagraveherebytherock,inwhich,ifmyweaknessovercomeme,wewillresttogether;or,ifHeavengivesmestrength,Iwillseekmywayhome."
"Inthecitiesandwherevermendwell,"repliedtheother,"theyburytheirdeadintheearth;theyhidethemfromthesightoftheliving;buthere,wherenostepmaypassperhapsforahundredyears,whereforeshouldInotrestbeneaththeopensky,coveredonlybytheoakleaveswhentheautumnwindsshallstrewthem?Andforamonument,hereisthisgrayrock,onwhichmydyinghandshallcarvethenameofRogerMalvin,andthetravellerindaystocomewillknowthatheresleepsahunterandawarrior.Tarrynot,then,forafollylikethis,buthastenaway,ifnotforyourownsake,forherswhowillelsebedesolate."
Malvinspokethelastfewwordsinafalteringvoice,andtheireffectuponhiscompanionwasstronglyvisible.
