Запретный лес
XII. The Man with the Squint
Atlasthesetoffhomeward,andundertherowansatCarlopsbrighereadaprintedpaperwhichhadbeencirculatedintheEdinburghstreets--tornacrossandcastawaybymany,butbyotherscherishedandpondered.ItwasamanifestoofMontrosefromthecampatBothwell,anditsetouthispurpose.InitweretheverywordsusedbythegroomthatnightatCalidon.Thenobleshaddestroyed"lawfulauthorityandthelibertyofthesubject,"theKirkhadcoercedmenintoablindobedienceworsethanPopery.Hetookuparms,hesaid,forpurereligion,"therestorationofthatwhichourfirstreformershad;"fortheKing,andtheestablishmentofacentralauthority;fortheplainpeopleandthe"vindicationofournation,fromthebaseservitudeofsubjects."Heconfutedthetimoroussouls"whocancommitnothingtoGod."Herepudiatedthechargeofblood-guiltiness,forhehadnever"shedthebloodofanybutofsuchasweresentforthtoshedourbloodandtotakeourlives."Andheconcludedbypointingtothemiraclesthatfaithhadwrought:"Whatisdoneintheland,itmaysensiblyseemtobetheLord’sdoing,inmakingahandfultooverthrowmultitudes."ThewordscametoDavidwitharememberedsound,liketheechoofaspeakingvoice.CouldthismanbethebloodyAmalekiteoftheKirk’sdenouncing?Onwhichside,heaskedhisperplexedsoul,didtheGodofIsraelfight,forthisman’sfaithwasnotlessconfidentthanthatoftheministerofKirkAller?
IsobelreceivedhimwiththereverentialgloomwhichtheScotspeasantrywearonanoccasionofdeath.
"Soit’sa’bye,sir.
