Запретный лес

           HespoketoDavidbutgotnoanswer--itmaybedoubtedifhiswordswereunderstood.Butaninvitationtofollowhiminprayerwasrejected,soMr.Jamesprayedalone--"forThyhandmaidenwhoisinthepangsofagreatsickness--andforhimThyservanttowhomherwelfareisespeciallydear."TheprayerseemedtoDavidtomakeanenclosureforKatrineandhimselfapartfromtheworld....

           Marktookhimtohisroomandmadehimliedownonhisbed.Hegavehimabowlofspicedale,whichDaviddrankgreedily,forhewasverythirsty.Maybethepossetcontainedsomeinnocentdrug,forheslippedintodreams.Theywerepleasantdreams,shapelessandaimless,butwithasenseofwell-beinginthemwhichsoothedhim,sothathewoketoMark’spressureonhisarmwithavacantsmile.Butoneglimpseoftherealworld--thecornerofafour-postbed,tornarras,andtheskirtsofMark’sfriezecoat--broughtdownonhimthedarkbattalionofhiscares.Hehadnoneedtowaitforthespokenword;Mark’seyesweremessageenough.

           "Come!Thefeverhasabated,"werethewords.

           David’sbrainwassluggish:thewordsseemedtobeatvariancewiththespeaker’sface;foramomenthehadabewilderedspasmofcomfort.

           "Sheisrecovered?"

           "Sheisdying,"saidMark."Itisnowtheafternoon.Sheisgoingoutwiththedaylight."

           Thesmalllozengedwindows,thoughthereweretwoofthem,littheroomfaintly,fortheskywasloweringandgrey.Mr.