Запретный лес
VI. The Black Wood by Night
Themoonlightwasnolongergraciousandkind,butlikethedead-fireswhichtheoldfolksaidburnedinthekirkyard.Confusionontheoldfolk,fortheirtalesweremakinghimabairnagain!...Butwhatnowbrokethestillness?foritseemedasiftherewereveritablytonguesintheair--nothonestthingslikebirdsandwinds,buttongues.Theplacewasstillsilentsofarasearthlysoundswent--herealizedthat,whenhestoppedtolisten--butneverthelesshehadanimpressionofmovementeverywhere,ofrustling--yes,andoftongues.
Fortunewasagainsthim,forhereachedagladeandsawthatitwastheonewhichhehadleftandwhichhethoughthehadavoided....Therewasachangeinit,forthealtarinthecentrewasdraped.Atfirsthethoughtitonlyafreakofmoonlight,tillheforcedhimselftogonearer.Thenhesawthatitwasacoarsewhitelinencloth,suchaswasusedinthekirkattheseasonsofsacrament.
Thediscoveryaffectedhimwithaspasmofblindterror.AllthetalesoftheWood,alltheshrinkinghehadoncefeltforit,rushedbackonhismind.Forthemomenthewasaninfantagain,lostandfluttering,assailedbytheshapelessphantomsofthedark.Hefledfromtheplaceasiffromsomethingaccursed.
Uphillheran,forhefeltthatsafetywasinthehillsandthatsoonhemightcometotheclearspacesoftheheather.Butawallofcragforcedhimback,andheranashethoughtwestwardtowardstheoaksandhazels,fortherehedeemedhewouldbefreeofthemagicofthepines.
