Запретный лес
VIII. The Second Blast
Inhisseasonofdesolationhehadnotdaredtothinkofher;shebelongedtoaworldoflight,andhadnopartinhisperplexities.Toletherimagefillhismemoryseemedsacrilege,whenthatmemoryheldsomanyfoulshadows.Butastheskiesclearedforhimherfigureappearedagaininthesunlightandhedidnotbanishit,foritwasshewhowastheextremeoppositeofthehorroroftheWood--sheandherbrightdomainofoaksandhazels.HewouldgoagaintoParadiseforhissoul’scomfort.
Hechoseadaywhenhewascertainshewouldbethere.Therewasaweekoffieryweather--moistheatandheavyskiesandflyingthunderstorms,andafteritcameaspelloflongbrightdays,whenthesunshinehadadrytonicinit,andtheafternoonsweremellowandgolden.OnonesuchafternoonhecrossedtheHillofDeerandenteredtheglenwhichdividedthepinesfromthehazels.
Midsummerhadchangedtheplace.Theburn-sideturfwasallthymeandeyebrightandmilkwort,withthestarsofthegrassofParnassusinthewetplaces.Thewaterwasclearandsmall,andthecascadesfellinatinklingsilver.Hehadnodoubtsastohisroadnow.Paradisewasamongthehazels,butonecouldfinditonlybydescendingtheglentowherethepinesoftheWoodbeganandthenturningtotherighttowardstheGreenshiel.
Presentlythepinesinasombreregimentroseonthesteeptotheleft.HelookedatthebeginningoftheWoodwithanawewhichhadnownofearinit.Theplacewashateful,butitcouldnotdaunthim.Itwasthebattlegroundtowhichhewascalled....
