Запретный лес

           ButitseemsImusttakemyordersfromthischild,whenIhopedtoslipoffcannilytoacleanercountryside....Ugh,Katrine,mydear,IwishyouhadsetmeaneasiertaskthantosweepthemiddenofWoodileeandturnsexton."

           "It’sanarmedandmailedsextonyoumustbe,"shesaid."Youmayhavetoputreasonintothefolkwiththeflatofyoursword.Comfortyourself,Mr.Mark,thistaskisnotsomuchunlikethatyouwerebredto."

           Thesoldiergrewvisiblymorecheerfulwhenheheardthattherewereonlythreevolunteersforthebusiness."There’stroublebrewing,then,"hesaid,"andit’sGod’smercythatI’vewonacertainrespectintheparish,foritlooksasifmorepersuasionwouldbeneededthanagoodwordandaclapontheback.Whendowestartourdowiejob,forIconfessIwouldsoonerbeatitthanthinkingofit?"

           "Aleanmanlikeyou,allboneandwhipcord,neednotfear,"saidDavid.

           "Tut,man,"saidMarkimpatiently,"fearisnotinthequestion.MytroubleisthatI’veanicestomachandafastidiousnose.Death,whetheritcomesbypestorsteel,isthesametome,andthat’sathingworthlessthanastrae....God’scurseonthisweather!...Towork,Mr.David,orI’llberueingmybargain."

           Forthreedaysandnightsthethreemenwroughtattheirrepulsivetaskwithniggardlyintervalsforfoodandsleep.Theymadealistofthestrickenhousesandforcedtheirwayintothem,evenwhenthedoorswerebolted.Thedeadwereburied--someinthekirkyard,someinnear-byfields,andthisdutyfellespeciallyonAmosRitchie,whoperformeditwithdoggedfidelity.