"Werewolf" - читать интересную книгу автора (Housman Clarence)

Etext of The Werewolf
by Clemence Housman

Introduction

The great farm hall was ablaze with the fire-light, and noisy with
laughter and talk and many-sounding work. None could be idle but
the very young and the very old: little Rol, who was hugging a
puppy, and old Trella, whose palsied hand fumbled over her
knitting. The early evening had closed in, and the farm-servants,
come from their outdoor work, had assembled in the ample hall,
which gave space for a score or more of workers. Several of the
men were engaged in carving, and to these were yielded the best
place and light; others made or repaired fishing-tackle and harness,
and a great seine net occupied three pairs of hands. Of the women
most were sorting and mixing eider feather and chopping straw to
add to it. Looms were there, though not in present use, but three
wheels whirred emulously, and the finest and swiftest thread of the
three ran between the fingers of the house-mistress. Near her were
some children, busy too, plaiting wicks for candles and lamps.
Each group of workers had a lamp in its centre, and those farthest
from the fire had live heat from two braziers filled with glowing
wood embers, replenished now and again from the generous
hearth. But the flicker of the great fire was manifest to remotest
corners, and prevailed beyond the limits of the weaker lights.

Little Rol grew tired of his puppy, dropped it incontinently, and
made an onslaught on Tyr, the old wolf-hound, who basked
dozing, whimpering and twitching in his hunting dreams. Prone
went Rol beside Tyr, his young arms round the shaggy neck, his
curls against the black jowl. Tyr gave a perfunctory lick, and
stretched with a sleepy sigh. Rol growled and rolled and shoved
invitingly, but could only gain from the old dog placid toleration
and a half-observant blink. 'Take that then!' said Rol, indignant at
this ignoring of his advances, and sent the puppy sprawling against
the dignity that disdained him as playmate. The dog took no
notice, and the child wandered off to find amusement elsewhere.

The baskets of white eider feathers caught his eye far off in a
distant corner. He slipped under the table, and crept along on
all-fours, the ordinary commonplace custom of walking down a
room upright not being to his fancy. When close to the women he
lay still for a moment watching, with his elbows on the floor and
his chin in his palms. One of the women seeing him nodded and
smiled, and presently he crept out behind her skirts and passed,
hardly noticed, from one to another, till he found opportunity to
possess himself of a large handful of feathers. With these he
traversed the length of the room, under the table again, and
emerged near the spinners. At the feet of the youngest he curled
himself round, sheltered by her knees from the observation of the