Запретный лес
III. Guests in Calidon Tower
Thegroomatelittleanddrankless;thoughhewastheslightestinbuildofthethreetravellers,heseemedthemosthardenedtothebusiness.Thelameman,whowascalledWillRollo,waspresentlysatisfied,anddeepinreminiscenceswithhishost,buttheotherrequiredgreatersustenanceforhislongwirybody,andsoonreducedthepietoafragment.Hepressedmorselsuponthegroom--awingofgrouse,agibletofhare--butthelattersmiledandwavedthefoodaway.Afriendlyservice,Leven’s,Davidthought,whereaservantwasthustenderlyconsidered.
"Yonwerethebravedays,whenyouandmeservedasensignsofMeldrum’sintheCorpusEvangelicorum.Andyonwastheladtofollow,forthereneverwasthemarrowofthegreatGustavusforputtingsmeddumintotroopsthathadasmanytonguesandcreedsastheTowerofBabel.Butyouandmewereowerlateonthescene.WeneversawBreitenfeld--justthecalamitousdayofLutzen,andtheblackerdayofNordlingen,whereBernhardleduslikesheeptotheslaughter.Thatwastheendofcampaigningforyou,Will.Imindleavingyouonthegroundfordeadandkissingyourcheek,thewhileIwasnearmyownendwithamusketoonballinmyribs.ThenIheardyouwerestillinlifeandbackinScotland,butIwasoffwithauldWrangeltoPomerania,andhadtokeepmymindonmyownaffairs."
Sothetalkwenton,memoriesofleaguersandforcedmarchesandpitchedbattles,punctuatedwiththenamesofLesliesandHamiltonsandKerrsandLumsdensandahundredScotsmercenaries.
