Запретный лес
XX. The Judgment
WegouptotheMounttogetherthatyoumaychoosebetweenAbironandJehovah."
Chasehopecrouchedlikeadog."Idaurna--Idaurna,"hewailed."I’mabelievin’man,butIdaurnaentertheWud....It’snotheseason--there’sfearsomethingsryngin’in’t.Oh,yedinnaken....Letmeganghame,andthemornI’llgangonmyhunkerstoKirkAllerandsweirthata’Ihaesaidagainstyewasalee.I’llconfess..."
David’sgripwasonhisarm,buthedidnotstruggle.Hislegswereloosened,andhiswholebodydroopedlikeacreaturestrickenwiththepalsy.
"I’llmakeconfession--I’lltellyethingsthatarenotobenamed--ItooktheWudwi’ithers,butIkennedIwasaredeemedsoulandthattheLordwouldnacastmeaway....Iayeettledtorepent,forIwassureo’theMercySeat....ItiswrittenthatSolomonwentaftertheabominationsofMoab,andwasyetnumberedamongtheElect....ButI’llhaenaemairo’tfraethisday....I’lltak’myaithontheWord....I’llcastmyidolsahintmyback...I’llburnthebooks...I’llforsweartheDeil..."
"Youwilldoityonder,"saidDavid.
HehadneverenteredtheWoodfromthisside,andinthedarknesstheroadwouldhavebeenatalltimeshardtofind,butnowheseemedtohaveamapinhisbrainandtosteerbyaninstinct.Inthisbackwardspringtherewasnosproutingundergrowth,butthedeadbrackenstalkshadnotyetshrunktoearth,andhewadedwaist-deepamongthem.Themanbesidehimhadlostthepowerofresistance.
