Запретный лес
VI. The Black Wood by Night
Itwasnotamongthepines,heremembered,butamongtheoaksandhazels,buthehadgonetoitthroughthepines,ledbyaflittinggirl....HefoundthepointwherehehadenteredthedarkerWood,andresolvedtotrytoretracehisformertracks.
Theplacewaslessmurkythanhehadexpected,forthemoonwasnowwellupthesky,sothateverygladewasapatchofwhitelight....Thissurelywastheopenspacewherehehadfirstcaughttheglimmerofagreengown....Thereweretherockswhereshehadstoodatbay....Shehadledhimdownthehillandthenataslant--butwasittorightorleft?Right,hethought,andplungedthroughawildernessoffern.Therehadbeenbriars,too,andthiswassurelytheplacewhereavastuprootedtrunkhadforcedthemtomakeadetour.
ThenhefoundalittlestreamwhichhefanciedmightbetheoutflowoftheParadisewell.Soheturneduphillagain,andcameintoajungleofscrubandboulder.Therewasinmostplacesadimlighttomoveby,butadimlightinabrokenwoodisapttoconfusethemind.Davidhadsoonlostallsenseofdirection,savethatoftheupwardanddownwardslopes.Hedidnotknoweastorwest,andhedidnotstoptothink,forhewasbeginningtobemesmerizedbythehourandthescene.Dewwasintheairandanoverpoweringsweetnessoffernandpineandmosses,andthroughtheaislesofthehightreescameashimmerofpalestgold,andintheopenspacesthemoonrodeintheduskyblueheavens--notthemildmoonofApril,butafieryconqueringgoddess,drivingherchariotamongtrampledstars.
