Страна слепых

           "Awildman—usingwildwords,"saidPedro. "Didyouhearthat—Bogota? Hismindishardlyformedyet. Hehasonlythebeginningsofspeech." 

           Alittleboynippedhishand. "Bogota!"hesaidmockingly. 

           "Ay! Acitytoyourvillage. Icomefromthegreatworld—wheremenhaveeyesandsee." 

           "Hisname’sBogota,"theysaid. 

           "Hestumbled,"saidCorrea,"stumbledtwiceaswecamehither." 

           "Bringhimtotheelders." 

           Andtheythrusthimsuddenlythroughadoorwayintoaroomasblackaspitch,saveattheendtherefaintlyglowedafire. Thecrowdclosedinbehindhimandshutoutallbutthefaintestglimmerofday,andbeforehecouldarresthimselfhehadfallenheadlongoverthefeetofaseatedman. Hisarm,outflung,struckthefaceofsomeoneelseashewentdown; hefeltthesoftimpactoffeaturesandheardacryofanger,andforamomenthestruggledagainstanumberofhandsthatclutchedhim. Itwasaone-sidedfight. Aninklingofthesituationcametohim,andhelayquiet. 

           "Ifelldown,"hesaid;"Icouldn’tseeinthispitchydarkness." 

           Therewasapauseasiftheunseenpersonsabouthimtriedtounderstandhiswords. ThenthevoiceofCorreasaid: "Heisbutnewlyformed. Hestumblesashewalksandmingleswordsthatmeannothingwithhisspeech." 

           Othersalsosaidthingsabouthimthatheheardorunderstoodimperfectly. 

           "MayIsitup?"heasked,inapause. "Iwillnotstruggleagainstyouagain." 

           Theyconsultedandlethimrise.