Запретный лес
VII. The First Blast
"I’mbutabrokenvessel,butneithermymannormehadevertrokin’swi’theEnemy."
"Buttherearethosetoyourknowledgewhohave?Idemandfromyoutheirnames."
Shepursedherlips."Oh,sir,Ikennocht.Whatsuldawidow-woman,thranga’thedayinyourservice,keno’thedoingsinWoodilee?"
"Neverthelessyouknowsomething.Youhaveheardrumours.Speak,Icommandyou."
Herfacewasdrawnwithfright,buthermouthwasobstinate."WhaamItobringarailin’accusationagainstonybody,whenIhavenaecertaintyofknowledge?"
"Youareafraid.InGod’sname,whatdoyoufear?Thereisbuttheonefear,andthatisthevengeanceoftheAlmighty,andyoursilenceputsyouinjeopardyofHiswrath."
Neverthelesstherewasnochangeinthewoman’sface.Davidsawthatherrecalcitrancecouldnotbebroken.
"Thenlistentome,IsobelVeitch.Ihavehadmyeyesopened,andIwillnotresttillIhaverootedthisevilthingfromWoodilee.Iwillsearchoutanddenounceeverymalefactor,thoughhewereinmyownKirkSession.IwillbringagainstthemtheterrorofGodandthearmofthehumanlaw.IwilllaybaretheevilmysteriesoftheWood,thoughIhavetohewdowneverytreewithmyownhand.InthestrengthoftheLordIwillthreshthisparishascornisthreshed,tillIhaveseparatedthegrainfromthechaffandgiventhechafftotheburning.Makeyouyourmarketforthat,IsobelVeitch,andmindthathethatisnotformeisagainstme,andthatinthedayofGod’swraththeslackhandandthesilenttonguewillnotbeforgiven."
Thewomanshiveredandputahandtohereyes.
