Запретный лес
II. The Road to Calidon
Therewerethreeofthem--troopers,theyseemed,withbuffcapsanddoubletsandheavycavalryswords,andbesidestheirownscraggyhorsestherewasaledbeast.ThethreemenwereconsultingwhenDavidstumbledonthem,andatthesightofhimtheyhadsprungapartandlaidhandsontheirswords.Butasecondglancehadreassuredthem.
"Goode’entoyou,friend,"saidhewhoappearedtobetheleader."Youtravellate."
ItwasnotanencounterwhichDavidwouldhavesought,forwanderingsoldieryhadabadnameintheland.Somethingofthismayhavebeenintheother’smind,forhisnextwordswereanexplanation.
"YouseethreeoldsoldiersofLeven’s,"hesaid,"onthewaynorthafterthelatecrowningmercyvouchsafedtousagainstthemalignants.WebeAngusmen,andhavethegeneral’sleavetovisitourhomes.Ifyoubelonghereawaysyoucanmaybehelpuswiththeroad.KenyouaplaceofthenameofCalidon?"
TotheireyesDavidmusthaveseemedayoungfarmerorabonnet-lairdlateontheroadfromsomeerrandofroysteringorsweethearting.
"Ilivedhereasaboy,"hesaid,"andI’mbutnowreturned.YetIthinkIcouldputyouonyourwaytoCalidon.Themoon’shigh."
"It’sabrawmoon,"saidthesecondtrooper,"anditlightedusfinedownAller,butthebrawestmoonwillnotdiscoveryouadwellinginamucklewood,ifyoukennatheroadtoit."
Thethreehadmovedoutfromtheshadeofthealdersandwerenowclearunderthesky.Troopers,commontroopersandshabbyatthat,ridingweary,ill-conditionedbeasts.Thenagwhichthethirdledwasamererickleofbones.
