Белая птичка
The Dedication
”
“ItwasneverofmylittlewhitebirdIwantedtowrite,”shesaid.
Ilookedpolitelyincredulous,andthenindeedsheoverwhelmedme.“Itwasofyourlittlewhitebird,”shesaid,“itwasofalittleboywhosenamewasTimothy.”
ShehadaveryprettywayofsayingTimothy,soDavidandIwentintoanotherroomtoleaveheralonewiththemanuscriptofthispoorlittlebook,andwhenwereturnedshehadthegreatestsurpriseofthedayforme.Shewasbothlaughingandcrying,whichwasnosurprise,forallofuswouldlaughandcryoverabookaboutsuchaninterestingsubjectasourselves,butsaidshe,“Howwrongyouareinthinkingthisbookisaboutmeandmine,itisreallyallaboutTimothy.”
AtfirstIdeemedthistobeuncommonnonsense,butasIconsideredIsawthatshewasprobablyrightagain,andIgazedcrestfallenatthisverycleverwoman.
“Andso,”saidshe,clappingherhandsafterthemannerofDavidwhenhemakesagreatdiscovery,“itprovestobemybookafterall.”
“Withallyourprettythoughtsleftout,”Ianswered,properlyhumbled.
ShespokeinalowervoiceasifDavidmustnothear.“Ihadonlyoneprettythoughtforthebook,”shesaid,“Iwastogiveitahappyending.”ShesaidthissotimidlythatIwasabouttomelttoherwhensheaddedwithextraordinaryboldness,“Thelittlewhitebirdwastobearanolive-leafinitsmouth.”
Foralongtimeshetalkedtomeearnestlyofagrandschemeonwhichshehadsetherheart,andeverandanonshetappedonmeasiftogetadmittanceforherideas.
