Запретный лес
XI. The Minister Girds up his Loins
Notonlymyself,butanotherwithme,sothatthethingisestablishedoutofthemouthsoftwowitnesses,whileRobertPrenticeandRichardSmailcanspeakinparttoconfirmme.NowIhavegotmytalecomplete,anditistothePresbyterythatIshalltellit.Willyouimplementitwithsuchknowledgeasyoupossess,ordoyoucontinuestiffinyourrecusancy?"
Theoldwoman’seyesopenedlikeanowl’s.
"Whawentwithyou--whawassaelefttohimsel’?"shegasped.
"AndrewShillinglawinReiverslaw....Onemanandfivewomenstandarraignedonourwitness.Iwillspeaktheirnames,andIcarenotifyouputitthroughtheparish,forsoonthenameswillbethunderedfromthepulpit.ThemanwasEphraimCaird."
"I’llnobelieveit,"shecried."Chasehope’sayebeenapolishedshaftinChrist’skirk....He’so’yourainSession....Hecam’here,yemind,whenyefirstbrokebreadinthishouse.Ay,andhewasherewhenyewereawa’atNewbiggin.Iwasseilin’themilkwhenIheardhisvoiceatthedoor--cam’herewi’aneo’hiswife’sskim-milkkebbucksthatshekensweelhowtomak’,forshe’sfraetheWastlands--spokesaekindandneeborlike,andwasspeirin’afterthehealtho’thegudemanmymaister...Tak’itback,sir,foryemaunbemistook.Ephraim’sweelkennedforafairNathaniel."
Therewasnodoubtaboutherhonesty,forthementionofChasehopehadstaggeredher.
"Neverthelessheisawhitedsepulchre,paintedwithout,butinsidefullofbonesandrottenness."
"Oh,sir,bethinkyeaforeyemak’thisfearsomeaccusation.Youreenmayhaveplayedyefause.
