Запретный лес
X. What the Moon Saw
Thesilverpipesoundedagain,andasthewindrosehigherandthefallingwaterslantedunderittosearchouteventhebieldofthetrees,hesawfiguresmovinghurriedlyoff.Thenexttimehelookeddownthroughthespearsofrain--forthehiddenmoonstillmadeadimbrightnessintheworld--thegladewasempty.Abovethenoiseofthestormhethoughtheheardthestrangebabbleoftongues,butnowitwasdepartingtothefarcornersoftheWood.
Hewaitedforalittleandthentriedtodescend.Buthefoundithardertogetdownthantogetup,forhecouldnotfindthebranchbywhichhehadswunghimselffromthelessertree,andintheendhadtodropagoodtwentyfeetintothebracken,whenceherolledintotheemptyglade....Hescrambledtohisfeetandmadehastetogetoutofit,butnotbeforehehadsniffedtheodourofuncleanpelts.--Andyes--surelythatwasthestinkofReiverslaw’saniseed.
Hehadnodifficultyabouthishomewardcourse.Mostofthewayheran,butfearhadcompletelylefthisheart.Theraininhisfaceseemedtocleanseandinvigoratehim.Hehadlookedupongreatwickedness,buthehadlookeddownonit,liketheAlmighty,fromabove,anditseemedafrailandpitifulthing--acankertoberootedout,butathingwithnoterrorforaservantofGod.TheDevilwasbutabotcherafterall.Andthenherememberedhowthefirstnotesofthemusichadmeltedhim,andhefelthumbled.
ReiverslawhadarrivedattheGreenshielbeforehim.Theplacewasfilledwiththereekofburninghides,andDavidsawthatthegoat-maskandcloakhadbeenlaidonthepeats.
