Запретный лес
XX. The Judgment
Heleapedintotheair,spunround,fell,laidhiseartotheearth,andthen,withincredibleswiftness,ranuphillfromtheglade.Oncehehaltedtolisten,andthen,sobentthatheappearedtorunonall-fours,andyelpinglikeastrickenbeast,hevanishedintotheshades....InapauseofthewindDavidheardhismovementsgrowfainter,andhethoughtheheard,too,amurmurofvoicesasatBeltaneandLammas.Itseemedtohimthatthesevoiceswerenowlikethedistantbayingofhounds.
LethargyreturneduponDavid’ssoul.Hehaddonehisduty,andatthelastmoment,likeSamson,hadbroughtdownthefalsetemple;butwhatsignifiedittoonewhohadnofurtherhopeorpurpose?HewalkedoutoftheWoodassteeledtoitsawesomenessastotheothercommonemotionsofman.Hishearthaddriedupwithinhim,andhisvitalityhadrundownlikeanunwoundclock.Hehadbuttheonethought--tovisitParadiseagainandKatrine’sgrave,andthisnotforcomfortbutasastepenjoinedbydutytocompletetheheavyweightofhisloneliness.Afterthatnothingmattered.Hisyouthwasgone,andhewasbecomeveryold.
Hecrossedthebarrierglen,brushedthroughthecatkin-ladenhazels,andcametohissacredglade.Therewasthewellbubblingdarkly,andtherebeyonditwasthefresh-mademoundofturf....Thesightmeltedsomethingwithinhim.Heflunghimselfonthegrassandhisdryheartwasloosenedintears.Asheweptheprayed,andasheprayedheseemedtoliveonceagainthebrightdayswhenKatrinehadsungtohimamongtheflowers
