Белая птичка
William Paterson
Day,however,haditsreflections,andtheycametomewhileIwasshaving,thattenminuteswhen,broughtfacetofacewiththeharsherrealitiesoflife,weseethingsmostclearlyastheyare.ThenthebeautifulnatureofPatersonloomedoffensively,andhishonesteyesinsultedoverme.Noonecometonightwentyyearshadarighttosuchfaithinhisfellow-creatures.Hecouldnotbackbite,norenvy,norprevaricate,norjumpatmeanmotivesforgenerousacts.Hehadnotasinglebasestoryaboutwomen.Itallseemedinhuman.
Whatcreatureswebe!IwasmorethanhalfashamedofPaterson’sfaithinme,butwhenIsawitbegintoshrinkIfoughtforit.Aneasytask,youmaysay,butitwasahardone,forgraduallyachangehadcomeovertheyouth.Iamnowarrivedatatimewhenthelight-heartednesshadgoneoutofhim;hehadlosthiszestforfun,anddubietysatintheeyesthatwereoncesocertain.Hewasnotdoubtfulofme,notthen,butofhumannatureingeneral;thatwhilomnobleedificewastottering.HemixedwithboysintheGardens;ah,mothers,itishardtosay,buthowcouldheretainhisinnocencewhenhehadmixedwithboys?Heheardyourtalkofyourselves,andso,ladies,thatpartoftheedificewentdown.Ihavenotthehearttofollowhiminallhisdiscoveries.Sometimeshewentinflameatthem,butforthemostparthestoodlookingon,bewilderedandnumbed,likeonemoaninginwardly.
Hesawall,asonefreshtotheworld,beforehehadtimetobreatheupontheglass.
