Запретный лес
X. What the Moon Saw
Themysteriouslightseemedtoburnredly,andhesawthatthethingwasabird--acockwhichwasasscarletasblood.Thealtartopwasbare,andsomethingbrightspurtedintothehollowofthestone.FromthewatcherscameacrywhichchilledDavid’smarrow,andhesawthattheywereontheirknees.
Theleaderwasspeakinginahighshrillvoicelikeasleepwalker’s,andDavidcaughtbuttheonewordoftenrepeated--Abiron.Everytimeitwasutteredthemandabbledhisfingerinthebloodonthealtarandmarkedaforehead,andaseachreceivedthemarkheorshefellprostrateontheground....
Therewasnoinnocencenowinthatspectacleofobsceneabasement.TerrorenteredintoDavid’ssoul,andhischiefterrorwasthathehadnotbeenafraidbefore.Hehadcomeverynearfallinghimselfunderthespell.
Therefollowedwhatseemedtobearoll-call.Theleaderreadnamesoutofabook,andtheprostratefiguresanswered.Thenamesseemedlikeanidiot’smuttering,notgoodScotswords,butuncouthgutturals.AndalwayslikeanundercurrentcamethewordAbiron.
Thenwithanunholycrythewholecovenwasonitsfeet.Thepipesbeganagain,andmusicotherthanpipes,whichseemedtosoakoutofthegroundandtheadjacentcoverts.Gonewaseverytraceofgentlenessandinnocency.Itwaswitch-musicmadebytheDevilhimselfonthered-hotchanter-reedsofHell,andtheassemblycaperedasiftheirfeetwereonthelakeofburningmarl.TheIsraelitishprophetinDavidawoke,andhesawitallwithcleareyesandhorror-strickensoul.
