Запретный лес
II. The Road to Calidon
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Presentlyheledthemofftheroadacrossapatchofheather,fordedRoodatashallow,andenteredawoodofbirches.Thegoingwasbad,andthegroomwiththeledhorsehadtheworstofit.Thetrooperswerehumanemen,fortheyseemedtohaveacuriouscareoftheirservant.Itwas"Cannynow,James--there’sbogontheleft,"or"Taketentofthathowe;"andonceortwice,whentherewasadifficultpassage,oneortheotherwouldseizethebridleoftheledhorsetillthegroomhadpassed.Davidsawfromtheman’sfacethathewasgreywithfatigue.
"Getyouonmybeast,"hesaid,"andI’llholdthebridle.Icanfindmywaybetteronfoot.Anddoyouotherseachtakealedhorse.Theroadwe’retravellingisnonesowide,andwe’llmakebetterspeedthatway."
Thetroopersdocilelydidastheywerebidden,andthewearygroomwashoistedonDavid’sgreygelding.Thechangeseemedtoeasehim,andhelosthisairofheavypreoccupationandlethiseyeswander.Thebirchwoodgaveplacetoabarehillside,whereeventhegreyslippedamongthescreesandthefourhorsesbehindsprawledandslithered.Theycrossedaburn,surmountedanotherridge,andenteredathickwoodofoak,whichDavidknewcloakedtheenvironsofCalidonandwhichmadedarktravellingeveninthestrongmoonlight.Greatboulderswerehiddeninthemoss,witheredboughshunglowoverthepath,andnowandthenwouldcomeapatchofscrubsodensethatithadtobelaboriouslycircumvented.Thegroomonthegreywasmurmuringtohimself,andtoDavid’samazementitwasLatin.
