Ветер в ивах
Dulce Domum
"Youdon’tunderstand!It’smyhome,myoldhome!I’vejustcomeacrossthesmellofit,andit’sclosebyhere,reallyquiteclose.AndImustgotoit,Imust,Imust!Oh,comeback,Ratty!Please,pleasecomeback!"
TheRatwasbythistimeveryfarahead,toofartohearclearlywhattheMolewascalling,toofartocatchthesharpnoteofpainfulappealinhisvoice.Andhewasmuchtakenupwiththeweather,forhetoo,couldsmellsomething—somethingsuspiciouslylikeapproachingsnow.
"Mole,wemustn’tstopnow,really!"hecalledback."We’llcomeforitto-morrow,whateveritisyou’vefound.ButIdaren’tstopnow—it’slate,andthesnow’scomingonagain,andI’mnotsureoftheway!AndIwantyournose,Mole,socomeonquick,there’sagoodfellow!"AndtheRatpressedforwardonhiswaywithoutwaitingforananswer.
PoorMolestoodaloneintheroad,hishearttornasunder,andabigsobgathering,gathering,somewherelowdowninsidehim,toleapuptothesurfacepresently,heknew,inpassionateescape.Butevenundersuchatestasthishisloyaltytohisfriendstoodfirm.Neverforamomentdidhedreamofabandoninghim.Meanwhile,thewaftsfromhisoldhomepleaded,whispered,conjured,andfinallyclaimedhimimperiously.Hedarednottarrylongerwithintheirmagiccircle.
