Запретный лес

           Henoticed,too,thatforthenextfewdaysmanyofthepeoplehadalookofprofoundweariness--palefaces,tiredeyes,stealthyglances--asifbehindtheapparentdecorumtherehadbeenrevelsthatexhaustedsoulandbody.

           Withthereapingoftheharvesttheill-conditionedcattlewerebroughtfromthehillstothestubbles,andsoonturnedbothoutfieldandinfieldintoamirywilderness.David,whoseknowledgeoffarmingwasderivedchieflyfromtheGeorgics,hadyetaneyeinhisheadandastoreofcommonsense,andhepuzzledatthemethods.Thelandatitsbestwasill-drained,andthetramplingofbeastsmadeathousandhollowswhichwouldbepuddlesatthefirstrainsandwouldfurthersourtheranksoil.ButwhenhespokeonthemattertothefarmerofMirehope,hewasansweredscornfullythatthathadbeenthe"auldwayoftheland,"andthatthosewhowereproudintheirownconceitandhadtriednew-fangledmethods--hehadheardwordofsuchintheWestcountry--couldnotgettwobollsfromanacrewherehehadfour."AndMirehope’sbutwersh[sour]land,sir,andnottobenamedwi’theClydehowms."

           WhentheNovembersnowscamealllivestockwasgatheredintothefarm-towns.Thecattlewerepennedinyardswiththatchedshelters,andsoonturnedthemintoseasofmud.Themilkingcowswereinthebyre;thesheepinpaddocksnear-by:thedraught-oxenandthehorsesinmiserablestablesofmudandheather.Itwasthebeginningofthewinterhibernation,andthechiefworkofthefarmswasthefeedingofthestockontheirscantywinterrations.