Запретный лес
IV. The Faithful Servant
LittlenewscameinthosedaystoWoodilee.Intheopenweatherbeforethestormthepack-horsesofthecarrierscameasusualfromEdinburgh,andthedroversontheroadtoEnglandbroughtwordofthedoingsinthecapital.JohnnieDow,thepackman,wenthisroundstillthesnowstoppedhim,butinJanuary,whentheweathercleared,hebrokehislegintheTarritMoss,andforsixweeksdisappearedfromthesightofmen.ButJohnnieathisbestbroughtonlytheclashofthefarm-townsandthenewsofKirkAller,andinthedeadofthewintertherewasnochanceofapost,sothatDavidwasburiedasdeepasifhehadbeeninanisleoftheHebrides.ItwasonlyatPresbyterymeetingsthatheheardtidingsoftheouterworld,andthese,passedthroughthemindsofhisexcitedbrethren,wereallofmonstrousportents.
ThePresbyterymeetingsinKirkAllerwereatfirsttoDavidawelcomebreakinhisquietlife.TheoneinNovemberlastedtwodays,andhe,astheyoungestmember,openedtheexercisesanddiscoursedwithacceptanceonaScripturepassage.Thebusinesswasdull,beingforthemostpartremitsfromthekirksessionsofcontumaciousheritorsandlocalscandalsandrepairstochurches.Thesederuntover,thebrethrenadjournedtotheCrossKeysInnanddinedoffbetterfarethantheywereaccustomedtointheirmanses.ItwasthenthatMr.MuirheadinawfulwhisperstoldofnewshehadhadbyspecialpostfromEdinburgh.Malignancyhadraiseditsheadagain,thistimeintheirowncovenantedland.
