Грозовой перевал
Chapter 3
Atthatcrisisasuddeninspirationdescendedonme;IwasmovedtoriseanddenounceJabesBranderhamasthesinnerofthesinthatnoChristianneedpardon.
"Sir,"Iexclaimed,"sittingherewithinthesefourwalls,atonestretch,Ihaveenduredandforgiventhefourhundredandninetyheadsofyourdiscourse.SeventytimesseventimeshaveIpluckedupmyhatandbeenabouttodepart—Seventytimesseventimeshaveyoupreposterouslyforcedmetoresumemyseat.Thefourhundredandninetyfirstistoomuch.Fellow-martyrs,haveathim!Draghimdown,andcrushhimtoatoms,thattheplacewhichknowshimmayknowhimnomore!"
"Thouarttheman!"criedJabes,afterasolemnpause,leaningoverhiscushion."Seventytimesseventimesdidstthougapinglycontortthyvisage—seventytimessevendidItakecounselwithmysoul—Lo,thisishumanweakness:thisalsomaybeabsolved!TheFirstoftheSeventy-Firstiscome.Brethren,executeuponhimthejudgmentwritten.SuchhonourhaveallHissaints!"
Withthatconcludingword,thewholeassembly,exaltingtheirpilgrim’sstaves,rushedroundmeinabody;andI,havingnoweapontoraiseinself-defense,commencedgrapplingwithJoseph,mynearestandmostferociousassailant,forhis.Intheconfluenceofthemultitude,severalclubscrossed;blows,aimedatme,fellonothersconces.Presentlythewholechapelresoundedwithrappingsandcounter-rappings:everyman’shandwasagainsthisneighbour;andBranderham,unwillingtoremainidle,pouredforthhiszealinashowerofloudtapsontheboardsofthepulpit,whichrespondedsosmartlythat,atlast,tomyunspeakablerelief,theywokeme.
