Запретный лес
II. The Road to Calidon
Hewillknowwhatitmeans."ItseemedcurioustoDavidthatthesignetgiventothemanwasfurnishedbythegroom.
Infiveminutestheservantreturned."Thelairdwaitsonye,sirs.I’lltak’thebeasts,andyourmails,ifye’veony.Throughthemuckleyettanitpleaseye."
Davidturnedtogo."I’vebroughtyoutoCalidon,"hesaid,"andnowI’lltakemyleave."
"No,no,"criedthedarkman."You’llcomeinanddrinkacupafterthenobleconvoyyou’vegivenus.NicholasHawkshawwillbeblithetowelcomeyou."
Davidwouldhaverefused,forthehourwasalreadylateandhewasmanymilesfromWoodilee,hadnotthegroomlaidhishandonhisarm."Come,"hesaid."Iwouldseemyfriend,thestudentofVirgil,inanotherlightthanthemoon,"andtohisamazementtheyoungmanfoundthatitwasarequestwhichhecouldnotdeny.Therewasacompellingpowerinthatquietface,andhewasstrangelylothtopartfromit.
Thefourdismounted,thethreetroopersstaggeringwithstiffbones.Thedarkman’slimpdidnotchangeafterthefirststeps,andDavidsawthathewascrippledintheleftleg.Theypassedthroughthegateintoacourtyard,beyondwhichrosethesquaremassifofthetower.Inthelowdoorwayacandlewavered,underastonewhichborethehawkinlurewhichwasthebadgeofthehouse.
Thethreemenbowedlowtothecandle,andDavidsawthatitwasheldbyayounggirl.
