Белая птичка
William Paterson
Thewhimsy,foritcouldbenothingmore,curtailedmeofmysleepthatnight,andyoumaypicturemetryingbothsidesofthepillow.
IrecalledotherqueerthingsofPaterson,andtheycamebacktomechargedwithnewmeanings.Therewashiswayofshakinghands.Henowdiditintheordinaryway,butwhenfirstweknewhimhisarmhaddescribedacircle,andthehandhadsometimesmissedmineandcomeheavilyuponmychestinstead.Hiswalk,again,mightmorecorrectlyhavebeencalledawaddle.
Therewerehisperfervidthanks.HeseldomdepartedwithoutthankingmewithanintensitythatwasoutofproportiontothelittleIhaddoneforhim.IntheGardens,too,heseemedevertotaketheswardratherthantheseats,perhapsawisepreference,buthehadanunusualwayofsittingdown.Icandescribeitonlybysayingthatheletgoofhimselfandwentdownwithathud.
IrevertedtotheoccasionwhenhelunchedwithmeattheClub.Wehadcutlets,andInoticedthatheatehisinasomewhatfinickingmanner;yethavingleftthetableforamomenttoconsultthesweets-card,Isaw,whenIreturned,thattherewasnownoboneonhisplate.Thewaiterswerelookingathimrathercuriously.
Davidwasverypartialtohim,butshoweditinasomewhatsingularmanner,usedtopathishead,forinstance.Iremembered,also,thatwhileDavidshoutedtomeorIrenetoattractourattention,heusuallywhistledtoPaterson,hecouldnotexplainwhy.
Theseghostsmademetosweatinbed,notmerelythatnight,butoftenwhensomenewshockbroughtthembackinforce,yet,unsupported,theywouldhavedisturbedmelittlebyday.
