Запретный лес
IX. Before Lammas
ButI’llnobefearedo’aDeilthatmisguidesauldwivesandtak’supwi’rottenpeatslikeChasehope,andthoughhecomesinabrimstaneloweI’llhaeanickathim."
ThenbeganforDavidatimeofdoubtandheart-searching.HecouldnotsharetherobustconfidenceofReiverslaw,forhismemoryofBeltanewastooclearandhehadlivedtoolongunderitsshadows.Hisimagination,alwaysquickandeasilykindled,ranriot,andhesawtheWoodasanabodeofhorridmysteries,whichspreadintosubtleramificationsofevilthemoreheponderedthem.Hissecularlearningwassomuchfueltothisfire.Couragedidnotfailhim,butbrightnessdiedoutofhisworld,andheknewhimselfcondemnedtotreadadarkwinepressalone.
ItwasthethoughtofKatrinethatmostdisquietedhim.TheWood,thewholeparish,theverymissiononwhichhewasengaged,seemedtohimonevastpollution,tobekepthiddenforeverfromyouthandinnocence.Thegirlmustnotbeallowedtocomewithinsightoftheskirtsofit.Therecouldbenofriendshipbetweenthem,anditwashisfirstdutytowarnher.
SowhentheymetinParadiseitwasashamefacedyoungmanthatstoodbeforeher,ayoungmanwithawhitefacewhokepthiseyesonthegroundandspoketerriblethings.Wordscameunreadily,buthisbrokenspeechwasmoremovingthaneloquence.HebadeherkeeptothecleanprecinctsofCalidonandcomenotevennearthegreenwood.God’scursewasontheparish,andinthejudgmentpreparinginnocentmightsharewithguilty.Asforhimself,hewasnofriendforsuchasshe.
"Iamtooheavilyburdened,"hestammered
