По эту сторону рая
Narcissus Off Duty
’"
"Whatofit?"Ferrenbybegantolookalarmed."OliverCromwellsaidit,didn’the?orwasitWashington,oroneofthesaints?GoodLord,I’veforgotten."
Burneroaredwithlaughter.
"Oh,Jesse,oh,good,kindJesse."
"Whosaidit,forPete’ssake?"
"Well,"saidBurne,recoveringhisvoice,"St.MatthewattributesittoChrist."
"MyGod!"criedJesse,andcollapsedbackwardintothewaste-basket.
AMORYWRITESAPOEM
Theweekstoreby.AmorywanderedoccasionallytoNewYorkonthechanceoffindinganewshininggreenauto-bus,thatitsstick-of-candyglamourmightpenetratehisdisposition.Onedayheventuredintoastock-companyrevivalofaplaywhosenamewasfaintlyfamiliar.Thecurtainrose—hewatchedcasuallyasagirlentered.Afewphrasesranginhisearandtouchedafaintchordofmemory.Where—?When—?
Thenheseemedtohearavoicewhisperingbesidehim,averysoft,vibrantvoice:"Oh,I’msuchapoorlittlefool;dotellmewhenIdowrong."
Thesolutioncameinaflashandhehadaquick,gladmemoryofIsabelle.
Hefoundablankspaceonhisprogramme,andbegantoscribblerapidly:
"HereinthefigureddarkIwatchoncemore,
There,withthecurtain,rolltheyearsaway;
Twoyearsofyears—therewasanidleday
Ofours,whenhappyendingsdidn’tbore
Ourunfermentedsouls;Icouldadore
Youreagerfacebesideme,wide-eyed,gay,
Smilingarepertoirewhilethepoorplay
Reachedmeasafaintripplereachesshore.
"Yawningandwonderinganeveningthrough,
Iwatchalone...