Заборонений ліс
II. The Road to Calidon
Comeforrit,sir,andtak’alookonherthat’sgane.Therewasnaedeid-thrawswi’Mirren,andshe’slyin’aspeacefu’asabairn.Herfaceissairfaunin,butImindwhenitwasthebonniestfaceina’Roodwater."
Thedeadwomanlaywithcheekslikewax,acoinoneacheye,sothatforthemomentherfacehadthelookofaskull.Diseasehadsculpturedittoanextremefineness,andthenose,thejaw,andthelinesoftheforeheadseemedchiselledoutofivory.Davidhadrarelylookedondeath,andthesightgavehimasensefirstofrepulsionandthenofanintolerablepathos.Hescarcelyheardtheclatteroftheshepherd’swife.
"She’sbeendeein’thismonyaday,andnowshe’sganejoyfullytomeetherLord.Eh,butshewasblithetoganginthehinnerend.TherewasatimewhenshewassweirtoleaveRichie.’Elspet,’shesaystome,’whatwillthatpuirmano’minedaehisleelane?’andIayesaystoher,’Mirren,mywumman,theLord’sagrandprovider,andRichiewillhaudfastbyHim.Arenottwasparrows,’Isays--"
Davidwentovertothehusbandonthecreepiebythefireside,andlaidhishandonhisshoulder.Themansathunchedinastuporofmisery.
"Richie,"hesaid,"ifI’mtoolatetopraywithMarion,Icanpraywithyou."
Heprayed,ashealwaysprayed,notinamosaicofScripturetexts,butinsimplewords;andashespokehefelttheman’sshoulderunderhishandshakeaswithasob.Heprayedwithasincereemotion,forhehadbeenridingthroughaliving,colouredworld,andnowfeltlikeanicyblastthechillandpallorofdeath.