dream days(恂知議晩徨)-及9准
梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ● 辛指欺云匈競何
!!!!隆堋響頼紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響
off in search of a pencil。
The tempest within´doors had kept my attention off the condition of
things without。 But now a glance through the window told me that the
rain had entirely ceased察 and that everything was bathed instead in a
radiant glow of sunlight察 more golden than any gamboge of mine could
possibly depict。 Leaving Selina and Harold to settle their feud by a
mutual disinheritance察I slipped from the room and escaped into the open
air察eager to pick up the loose end of my new friendship just where I had
dropped it that morning。 In the glorious reaction of the sunshine after the
downpour察 with its moist warm smells察 bespanglement of greenery察 and
inspiriting touch of rain´washed air察 the parks and palaces of the
imagination glowed with a livelier iris察 and their blurred beauties shone
out again with fresh blush and palpitation。 As I sped along to the tryst察
again I accompanied my new comrade along the corridors of my pet
palace into which I had so hastily introduced her察and on reflection I began
to see that it wouldn't work properly。 I had made a mistake察and those
were not the surroundings in which she was most fitted to shine。
However察it really did not matter much察I had other palaces to place at her
disposalplenty of 'em察and on a further acquaintance with and knowledge
of her tastes察no doubt I could find something to suit her。
There was a real Arabian one察for instance察which I visited but rarely
only just when I was in the fine Oriental mood for it察 a wonder of silk
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hangings察 fountains of rosewater察 pavilions察 and minarets。 Hundreds of
silent察 well´trained slaves thronged the stairs and alleys of this
establishment察ready to fetch and carry for her all day察if she wished it察and
my brave soldiers would be spared the indignity。 Also there were
processions through the bazaar at odd momentsprocessions with camels察
elephants察 and palanquins。 Yes察 she was more suited for the East察 this
imperious young person察 and I determined that thither she should be
personally conducted as soon as ever might be。
I reached the fence and climbed up two bars of it察and leaning over I
looked this way and that for my twin´souled partner of the morning。 It
was not long before I caught sight of her察only a short distance away。 Her
back was towards me andwell察one can never foresee exactly how one
will find thingsshe was talking to a Boy。
Of course there are boys and boys察 and Lord knows I was never
narrow。 But this was the parson's son from an adjoining village察a red´
headed boy and as common a little beast as ever stepped。 He cultivated
ferretshis only good point察and it was evidently through the medium of
this art that he was basely supplanting me察 for her head was bent
absorbedly over something he carried in his hands。 With some
trepidation I called out察 Hi ─ But answer there was none。 Then again I
called察 Hi ─but this time with a sickening sense of failure and of doom。
She replied only by a complex gesture察 decisive in import if not easily
described。 A petulant toss of the head察a jerk of the left shoulder察and a
backward kick of the left foot察all delivered at oncethat was all察and that
was enough。 The red´headed boy never even condescended to glance my
way。 Why察 indeed察 should he拭 I dropped from the fence without
another effort察and took my way homewards along the weary road。
Little inclination was left to me察 at first察 for any solitary visit to my
accustomed palace察 the pleasures of which I had so recently tasted in
company察 and yet after a minute or two I found myself察 from habit察
sneaking off there much as usual。 Presently I became aware of a certain
solace and consolation in my newly´recovered independence of action。
Quit of all female whims and fanciful restrictions察 I rowed察 sailed察 or
punted察just as I pleased察in the Chocolate´room I cracked and nibbled the
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hard sticks察 with a certain contempt for those who preferred the soft察
veneered article察and I mixed and quaffed countless fizzy drinks without
dread of any prohibitionist。 Finally察I swaggered into the park察paraded
all my soldiers on the terrace察and察bidding them take the time from me察
gave the order to fire off all the guns。
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THE MAGIC RING
Grown´up people really ought to be more careful。 Among
themselves it may seem but a small thing to give their word and take back
their word。 For them there are so many compensations。 Life lies at
their feet察a party´coloured india´rubber ball察they may kick it this way or
kick it that察 it turns up blue察 yellow察 or green察 but always coloured and
glistening。 Thus one sees it happen almost every day察and察with a jest and
a laugh察the thing is over察and the disappointed one turns to fresh pleasure察
lying ready to his hand。 But with those who are below them察whose little
globe is swayed by them察 who rush to build star´pointing alhambras on
their most casual word察they really ought to be more careful。
In this case of the circus察for instance察it was not as if we had led up to
the subject。 It was they who began it entirely prompted thereto by the
local newspaper。 ;What察 a circus ─ said they察 in their irritating察 casual
way此 that would be nice to take the children to。 Wednesday would be a
good day。 Suppose we go on Wednesday。 Oh察 and pleats are being
worn again察with rows of deep braid察─etc。
What the others thought I know not察 what they said察 if they said
anything察 I did not comprehend。 For me the house was bursting察 walls
seemed to cramp and to stifle察the roof was jumping and lifting。 Escape
was the imperative thingto escape into the open air察to shake off bricks
and mortar察 and to wander in the unfrequented places of the earth察 the
more properly to take in the passion and the promise of the giddy
situation。
Nature seemed prim and staid that day and the globe gave no hint that
it was flying round a circus ring of its own。 Could they really be true察I
wondered察all those bewildering things I had heard tell of circuses拭 Did
long´tailed ponies really walk on their hind´legs and fire off pistols拭 Was
it humanly possible for clowns to perform one´half of the bewitching
drolleries recorded in history拭 And how察 oh察 how dare I venture to
believe that察from off the backs of creamy Arab steeds察ladies of more than
earthly beauty discharged themselves through paper hoops拭 No察 it was
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not altogether possible察there must have been some exaggeration。 Still察I
would be content with very little察I would take a low percentagea very
small proportion of the circus myth would more than satisfy me。 But
again察even supposing that history were察once in a way察no liar察could it be
that I myself was really fated to look upon this thing in the flesh and to
live through it察to survive the rapture拭 No察it was altogether too much。
Something was bound to happen察 one of us would develop measles察 the
world would blow up with a loud explosion。 I must not dare察I must not
presume察 to entertain the smallest hope。 I must endeavour sternly to
think of something else。