Запретный лес
XX. The Judgment
Themembershaddeparted,fortheyardoftheCrossKeys,whichinthemorninghadbeenlikeahorsefair,wasnowempty.Thewind,whichhadbeengrowinginviolenceallday,hadnowreachedtheforceofagale,andasDavidturnedthecornerabovethegorgewheretheAllerbreaksfromthehillsintothehaugh,itmethimfullintheface.Hepulledhishatlowonhisheadandlookedback.Thelittletown,verybleakandgreyinthechillAprilevening,laysmokingwithitshundredchimneys.Thesightaffectedhimwithapainfulregret.Itseemedalastlookuponthelifefromwhichhewasnowanoutcast,alifewhicheighteenmonthsagohehadsowarmlyembraced.
Hewascomingoutofhisabstractionnow,andlookingatcoldrealities.Mr.Fordyce’soutburstinthePresbyteryhadshatteredhissecretworld.Katrinewasinbliss,andhewasleftaloneonthebareroadsofearth.Verysolitaryhefelt;hisfatherwasdead,MarkRiddelwasafugitive,Reiverslawhadfailedhim,hisChurchhadcasthimout;therewasnoplaceforhim,itseemed,inallthehabitableglobe,noworktohishand,nofriendtoleanon.HewaslookingatlifenowinalightasbleakasthatAprildaywhichwasnowvanishingfromthehills....Heseemedtohavelostthepoweroffeeling.Hehadnogrudgeagainsthisenemies,nohatredevenforChasehope;hishumilityhadbecomesodeepthatitwasalmosttheabnegationofmanhood.Hewasverytiredandhadlostthewilltocontend."Katrine,Katrine!"hisheartcried,"I’mnotwantedonearth,andthere’snocomforthereforthecomfortless.
