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

his clear knowledge by the density of flesh. Since he knew his own
body to be linked to the complex and antagonistic forces that
constitute one soul, it seemed to him not impossibly strange that
one spiritual force should possess divers forms for widely various
manifestation. Nor, to him, was it great effort to believe that as
pure water washes away all natural foulness, so water, holy by
consecration, must needs cleanse God's world from that
supernatural evil Thing. Therefore, faster than ever man's foot had
covered those leagues, he sped under the dark, still night, over the
waste, trackless snow-ridges to the far-away church, where
salvation lay in the holy-water stoup at the door. His faith was as
firm as any that wrought miracles in days past, simple as a child's
wish, strong as a man's will.

He was hardly missed during these hours, every second of which
was by him fulfilled to its utmost extent by extremest effort that
sinews and nerves could attain. Within the homestead the while,
the easy moments went bright with words and looks of unwonted
animation, for the kindly, hospitable instincts of the inmates were
roused into cordial expression of welcome and interest by the
grace and beauty of the returned stranger.

But Sweyn was eager and earnest, with more than a host's
courteous warmth. The impression that at her first coming had
charmed him, that had lived since through memory, deepened now
in her actual presence. Sweyn, the matchless among men,
acknowledged in this fair White Fell a spirit high and bold as his
own, and a frame so firm and capable that only bulk was lacking
for equal strength. Yet the white skin was moulded most smoothly,
without such muscular swelling as made his might evident. Such
love as his frank self-love could concede was called forth by an
ardent admiration for this supreme stranger. More admiration than
love was in his passion, and therefore he was free from a lover's
hesitancy and delicate reserve and doubts. Frankly and boldly he
courted her favour by looks and tones, and an address that came of
natural ease, needless of skill by practice.

Nor was she a woman to be wooed otherwise. Tender whispers and
sighs would never gain her ear; but her eyes would brighten and
shine if she heard of a brave feat, and her prompt hand in
sympathy fall swiftly on the axe-haft and clasp it hard. That
movement ever fired Sweyn's admiration anew; he watched for it,
strove to elicit it, and glowed when it came. Wonderful and
beautiful was that wrist, slender and steel-strong; also the smooth
shapely hand, that curved so fast and firm, ready to deal instant
death.

Desiring to feel the pressure of these hands, this bold lover
schemed with palpable directness, proposing that she should hear
how their hunting songs were sung, with a chorus that signalled