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

'White Fell, White Fell.'

The Fair face, and soft, beautiful dress pleased Rol. He knelt up,
with his eyes on her face and an air of uncertain determination,
like a robin's on a door-step, and plumped his elbows into her lap
with a little gasp at his own audacity.

'Rol!' exclaimed his aunt; but, 'Oh, let him!' said White Fell,
smiling and stroking his head; and Rol stayed.

He advanced farther, and panting at his own adventurousness in
the face of his aunt's authority, climbed up on to her knees. Her
welcoming arms hindered any protest. He nestled happily,
fingering the axe head, the ivory studs in her girdle, the ivory clasp
at her throat, the plaits of fair hair; rubbing his head against the
softness of her fur-clad shoulder, with a child's full confidence in
the kindness of beauty.

White Fell had not uncovered her head, only knotted the pendant
fur loosely behind her neck. Rol reached up his hand towards it,
whispering her name to himself, 'White Fell, White Fell,' then slid
his arms round her neck, and kissed her once twice. She laughed
delightedly, and kissed him again.

'The child plagues you?' said Sweyn.

'No, indeed,' she answered, with an earnestness so intense as to
seem disproportionate to the occasion.

Rol settled himself again on her lap, and began to unwind the
bandage bound round his hand. He paused a little when he saw
where the blood had soaked through; then went on till his hand
was bare and the cut displayed, gaping and long, though only skin
deep. He held it up towards White Fell, desirous of her pity and
sympathy.

At sight of it, and the blood-stained linen, she drew in her breath
suddenly, clasped Rol to her hard, hard till he began to struggle.
Her face was hidden behind the boy, so that none could see its
expression. It had lighted up with a most awful glee.

Afar, beyond the fir-grove, beyond the low hill behind, the absent
Christian was hastening his return. From daybreak he had been
afoot, carrying notice of a bear hunt to all the best hunters of the
farms and hamlets that lay within a radius of twelve miles.
Nevertheless, having been detained till a late hour, he now broke
into a run, going with a long smooth stride of apparent ease that
fast made the miles diminish.

He entered the midnight blackness of the fir-grove with scarcely