Белая птичка
William Paterson
ItwasoneofhisqualitiesthatwhenheknewhewasabouttocryheturnedasidetodoitandIalwaysrespectedhisprivacyandwaitedforhim.Ofcoursebeingbutalittleboyhewassoonplayingagain,buthissuddenfloodsoffeeling,ofwhichweneverspoke,weredeartomeinthosedesolatedays.
Wehadafavouritehaunt,calledtheStory-seat,andwewentbacktothat,meaningnottolookatthegrassnearitwherePorthosusedtosquat,butwecouldnothelplookingatitsideways,andtoourdistressamanwassittingontheacquaintedspot.Heroseatourapproachandtooktwostepstowardus,soquickthattheywerealmostjumps,thenashesawthatwewerepassingindignantlyIthoughtIheardhimgivealittlecry.
Iputhimdownforoneofyourgarrulousfellowswhotrytolurestrangersintotalk,butnextday,whenwefoundhimsittingontheStory-seatitself,Ihadalongerscrutinyofhim.Hewasdandiacallydressed,seemedtotellsomethingundertwentyyearsandhadahandsomewistfulfaceatopofaheavy,lumbering,almostcorpulentfigure,whichhoweverdidnotbetokeninactivity;forDavid’spurplehat(aconceitofhismother’sofwhichwewerebothheartilyashamed)blowingoffaswenearedhimheleapttherailingswithouttouchingthemandwasbackwithitinthreeseconds;onlyinsteadofdeliveringitstraightwayheseemedtoexpectDavidtochasehimforit.
YouhaveintroducedyourselftoDavidwhenyoujumptherailingswithouttouchingthem,andWilliamPaterson(asprovedtobehisname)wasatonceourfriend.
