Білі люди
Chapter X
Notplacestoshrinkbackfrom—ohno!no!Onecouldbesure,then—SURE!Feargushadliftedhisbonnetwiththatextraordinarytriumphinhislook—evenFeargus,whohadbeenratherdour.
“YoucalledthemtheWhitePeople,”HectorMacNairnsaid.
AngusandJeanhadknownallmylife.AveryoldshepherdwhohadlookedinmyfacewhenIwasababyhadsaidIhadtheeyeswhich“SAW.”ItwasonlythesayingofanoldHighlander,andmightnothavebeenremembered.LaterthetwobegantobelieveIhadasighttheyhadnot.ThenightbeforeWeeBrownElspethhadbeenbroughttomeAngushadreadforthefirsttimethestoryofDarkMalcolm,andastheysatnearmeonthemoortheyhadbeentalkingaboutit.ThatwaswhyheforgothimselfwhenIcametoaskthemwherethechildhadgone,andtoldhimofthebig,darkmanwiththescaronhisforehead.Afterthattheyweresure.
Theyhadalwayshiddentheirknowledgefrommebecausetheywereafraiditmightfrightenmetobetold.Ihadnotbeenastrongchild.Theykeptthesecretfrommyrelativesbecausetheyknewtheywoulddisliketohearitandwouldnotbelieve,andalsowoulddislikemeasaqueer,abnormalcreature.Angushadfearsofwhattheymightdowithdoctorsandsevereeffortstoobliteratefrommymindmy“nonsense,”astheywouldhavebeensuretocallit.Thetwowisesoulshadshieldedmeoneveryside.
“Itwasbetterthatyoushouldgoonthinkingitonlyasimple,naturalthing,”Angussaid.“Andastonatural,whatISnaturalandwhatisnot?Manhasnotlearnedallthelawsofnatureyet.
