Белая птичка
David and Porthos Compared
ThestrongandwickedfearPorthosbutnolittlecreaturefearshim,notthehedgehogsheconveysfromplacetoplaceinhismouth,northesparrowsthatstealhisstrawfromunderhim.
“InproofofwhichgentlenessIadducehisadventurewiththerabbit.HavinggoneforatimetoresideinarabbitcountryPorthoswaselatedtodiscoveratlastsomethingsmallthatranfromhim,anddevelopingatonceintoanecstaticsportsmanhedidpoundhotlyinpursuit,thoughalwaysover-shootingthemarkbyahundredyardsorsoandwonderingverymuchwhathadbecomeoftherabbit.Therewasasteeppath,fromthetopofwhichtherabbitsuddenlycameintoview,andthepracticeofPorthoswastoadvanceupitontiptoe,turningnearthesummittogivemeaknowinglookandthenboundingforward.Therabbitheredidsomethingtrickywithaholeintheground,butPorthostoreonwardsinfullfaiththatthegamewasbeingplayedfairly,andalwaysreturnedpantingandpuzzlingbutglorious.
“Isometimesshudderedtothinkofhisperplexityshouldhecatchtherabbit,whichhoweverwasextremelyunlikely;neverthelesshedidcatchit,Iknownothow,butpresumeittohavebeenanotherthantheoneofwhichhewasinchase.Ifoundhimwithit,hisbrowsfurrowedinthedeepestthought.Therabbit,terrifiedbutuninjured,coweredbeneathhim.Porthosgavemeahappylookandagaindroppedintoaweightyframeofmind.’Whatisthenextthingonedoes?’wasobviouslythepuzzlewithhim,andthepositionwasscarcelylessawkwardfortherabbit,whichseveraltimesmadeamovetoendthisintolerablesuspense.
