Запретный лес

           "

           Themanspokesmoothlyandnotdiscourteously,butDavidwouldhavepreferredoathsandshouting.Heputagreatrestraintonhistemper.

           "Howdidyouextorttheconfession?Answermethat.Youhavetorturedherbodyanddrivenherdemented,andsufferingfleshandcrazedwitswillavowanyfoolishness."

           "Wefollowedthemeanssanctionedbyilkapresbyteryinthisland.It’sweelkennedthatfleshsell’ttotheDeilisnolikecommonflesh,andtheevilspiritwillnospeakwithoutsomesorto’compulsion."

           Davidsnatchedthepaperfromtheprickerandheldittothelantern.Itwaswrittenclearlyinaschoolmaster’shand,andthoughoddlyandellipticallyworded,hemadeoutthesumofit.Asheread,therewassilenceintheplace,exceptforthebabblingofthewomanandthemowingofDaftGibbiefromhisperch.

           Itseemedtohimabedlamitechronicle.Theaccusedconfessedthatshehadbeenguiltyofcharming,andhadcuredacowontheMainsbytakinglivetroutsfromitsbelly.Shehad"overlooked"aboy,HobbieSimson,atNetherFennan,andhehadsickenedandlainforthreemonthsonhisback.Shehadmadeaclayfigureofoneoftheewe-milkersatMirehopeandstuckpinsintoit,andthegirlhadsufferedfrompainsanddizzinessallsummer.Shehadshotcattlewithelf-bolts,andhadcursedafieldonWindywaysbydrivingrounditateamofpuddocks.TheDevilhadtrystedwithheronarigofMirehope’s,andhadgivenheranamewhichshewouldnotreveal,andontherigtherehadbeeneversinceanintractablecropofthistles.