Белая птичка
The Little Nursery Governess
Helaughssuddenlyhawfromaneagerexultingface,thenhawagain,andthen,whenyouarethankingheaventhatitisatlastover,comesafinalhaw,louderthantheothers.ItakethemtoberoarsofjoybecauseMaryishis,andtheyhavearingofyouthaboutthemthatishardtobear.Icouldforgivehimeverythingsavehisyouth,butitissoaggressivethatIhavesometimestoorderWilliamtestilytoclosethewindow.
Howmuchmoredeceitfulthanherloveristhelittlenurserygoverness.Themomentshecomesintosightshelooksatthepost-officeandseeshim.Thenshelooksstraightbeforeher,andnowsheisobserved,andherushesacrosstoherinaglory,andshestarts—positivelystarts—asifhehadtakenherbysurprise.Observeherhandrisingsuddenlytoherwickedlittleheart.ThisisthemomentwhenIstirmycoffeeviolently.Hegazesdownatherinsuchrapturethatheisineverybody’sway,andasshetakeshisarmshegivesitalittlesqueeze,andthenawaytheystrut,Marydoingnine-tenthsofthetalking.Ifalltowonderingwhattheywilllooklikewhentheygrowup.
Whataludicrousdifferencedothesetwonobodiesmaketoeachother.Youcanseethattheyaretobemarriedwhenhehastwopence.
ThusIhavenotanatomofsympathywiththisgirl,towhomLondonisfamousonlyastheresidenceofayoungmanwhomistakesherforsomeoneelse,butherhappinesshadbecomepartofmyrepastattwoP.M.,andwhenonedayshewalkeddownPallMallwithoutgraduallypostingaletterIwasmostindignant.ItwasasifWilliamhaddisobeyedorders.
