Запретный лес
XII. The Man with the Squint
"
Thesightofthefigureonthebedstead,hisquiltedandbrocadedcoat,hislightcuirass,hislonguntannedbootsmuchscratchedandfrayed,hisfeatheredhatbesidehimonthefloor,causedIsobeltoshrink.
"Arampin’Edomite,"shesaid."Lookatthelonghairandthemurderin’sword,stained,naedoot,withthebluidofthesaints.Yourfriend,saysyou,sir?Weel,he’sbeenwalkin’itherthanGospelroads,Icanseebrawly,andginhehadnabeenamangthecrawshewadnahaebeenshot....Butthepuirchield’sinadwam!Hasteye,sir,andhelpmeoffwi’thaeBabylonishgarments,andthatweskito’airn--whatforsuldfolkgangtothesmithforcleadingandnotoawabster?Andstaphisswirdaneaththebed,forI’mfearedtolookon’t."
Themanhalfrecoveredconsciousnessastheystrippedoffhiscoatandcuirass,andwhenitcametothebreecheshegroanedaloud.Sotheyleftthemonhimandslitthebootonthebrokenleg.Itwasacleanbreakoftheshin,andIsobel,whoshowedsomeskillinthebusiness,settheleg,andbounditinfirmsplintsmadeofthestavesofanoldcask.Thentheysearchedforfurtherdamage,andfoundthathewassufferingfromlittleexceptanextremefatigue.Therewasapikewoundinhisshoulder,whichIsobelbathedandbandaged,andapistol-ballhadbeenturnedbythemailheworeandhadleftabruisedrib.Bythetimethegrimeandbloodwerewashedfromhisface,hehadgothissensessufficientlybacktofindhisvoice.
"Youaretheminister?"heasked.
