Страна слепых

           "Thegoodmanwhodidthat,"hethought,"musthavebeenasblindasabat." 

           Hedescendedasteepplace,andsocametothewallandchannelthatranaboutthevalley,nearwherethelatterspoutedoutitssurpluscontentsintothedeepsofthegorgeinathinandwaveringthreadofcascade. Hecouldnowseeanumberofmenandwomenrestingonpiledheapsofgrass,asiftakingasiesta,intheremoterpartofthemeadow,andnearerthevillageanumberofrecumbentchildren,andthennearerathandthreemencarryingpailsonyokesalongalittlepaththatranfromtheencirclingwalltowardsthehouses. Theselatterwerecladingarmentsofllamaclothandbootsandbeltsofleather,andtheyworecapsofclothwithbackandearflaps. Theyfollowedoneanotherinsinglefile,walkingslowlyandyawningastheywalked,likemenwhohavebeenupallnight. Therewassomethingsoreassuringlyprosperousandrespectableintheirbearingthatafteramoment’shesitationNunezstoodforwardasconspicuouslyaspossibleuponhisrock,andgaveventtoamightyshoutthatechoedroundthevalley. 

           Thethreemenstopped,andmovedtheirheadsasthoughtheywerelookingaboutthem. Theyturnedtheirfacesthiswayandthat,andNunezgesticulatedwithfreedom. Buttheydidnotappeartoseehimforallhisgestures,andafteratime,directingthemselvestowardsthemountainsfarawaytotheright,theyshoutedasifinanswer. Nunezbawledagain,andthenoncemore,andashegesturedineffectuallytheword"blind"cameuptothetopofhisthoughts.