Запретный лес
XVIII. The Plague
Nowandthentherewastrouble--acrazedwifeormotherwouldrefusetopartwiththebodyofahusbandorchild,andinsomecasestheministerhadtointervenewithsternappeals.Moredifficultwasthebusinessofkeepinghouses,wherethesicklay,opentotheairandlight.DavidandMarkhadtodrivecoweringsonsoutofdoorswiththreatsofviolence,andinsomecaseswithviolenceitself.OneobstinatehouseholdhadtheirdoorsmashedbyAmos’saxe;anotherwasturnedneckandcropintothebyrethatasickwomanmighthavepeaceandair.Thethreemenconstitutedthemselvesarelievingforce,andhadoftentodothefetchingoffoodandwater.Terriblewerethesightsrevealedbehindmanyofthosebolteddoorsandwindows,andthoughAmosseemedunaffected,theothertwohadoftentorushtotheairtochecktheirnausea.Thankstheygotnone,rarelyevencurses;themiserablefolkweretoosunkindespairforeither.Yetitislikelytheywouldhavefailed,hadnotthenewsofrecoveriesgotabout.BesidesthehindattheMains,twochildrenhadnowweatheredthestormandwerereportedtobemendingfast.ThecommunalmindofWoodilee,whichuptothenhadbeenblankfatalismandlethargy,wasnowshotwithgleamsofhope.Thepestmighthaveworkeditselfoutandbeonthedecline:thecorridorwasstilllongandblack,buttherewasapinprickoflightattheendofit....AlsoMarkRiddelinhimselfwasacogentpersuasion.
