Запретный лес
IX. Before Lammas
Whenhecameagaintheydidnottalkofhistroubles,norevenofMontrose,butoflittlethings--herchildhoodinFrance,herkin,thetalesoftheglen,hisownyouthatEdinburghCollege.Forshewasnotanallysomuchasarefuge.Whenhewaswithherhewasconsciousthattheworldwasstilllargeandsunlit,theoppressionliftedfromhisspirit,hesawhimselfnotonlyvictorinthequarrel,butamessengerofGodwithanewgospeltoperplexedmankind.
Oneevening,whenhehadseenthegirldescendthroughthehazelstotheRoodvale,andhadturnedbacktowardstheshoulderoftheHillofDeer,hesawaman’sfigureslantingacrossthehillasifcomingfromMelanudrigill.ItwasReiverslaw,butthoughtheirpathsallbutintersectedthefarmerdidnotstoptotalk.Hewavedahandingreeting."YesuldgiealookinattheGreenshiel,"heshouted."TheytellmeRichieSmailisinneedofconsolation."
Davidtookthehint,passedwordtoRichie,andthenexteveningmetReiverslawintheherd’scottage."Tak’alookroundthefaulds,Richie,"saidthemaster."Meandtheministerhassomethingtosaytoither,"andthetwowereleftaloneinthedimsheiling.
"I’vebeenspyin’oottheland,"saidReiverslaw,"liketheladsthatJoshuasentaforehimintoCanaan.IcannasayIlikitthejob,butI’vebeenthroughtheWudeastandwest,andI’vefoundthebitwhaurthecovenmeetsasidetheauldaltar.IthinkIcouldfindtheroadtill’tontheblackestnicht.AndI’vebeenspeirin’judeeciouslyinWoodilee."
"Butsurelytheydidnotanswer?"
Thedarkfaceofthefarmerhadacrookedgrin.
