Белая птичка
A Confirmed Spinster
Irememberherspeakingofmysmile,tellingmeitwasmyoneadornment,andtakingitfromme,sotospeak,foramomenttoletmeseehowshelookedinit;shedelightedtomakesportofmewhenshewasinawaywardmood,andtoshowmeallmyungainlytricksofvoiceandgesture,exaggeratedandglorifiedinherentrancingself,likeastarcallingtotheearth:“See,Iwillshowyouhowyouhobbleround,”andalwaystherewasachallengetomeinhereyestostopherifIdared,anduponthem,whenshewasmostaudacious,layasweetmist.
Theyallcametohercourt,asisthebusinessofyoungfellows,totellherwhatloveis,andshelistenedwithanoblefrankness,having,indeed,thefriendliestfaceforallengagedinthispursuitthatcaneverhavesatonwoman.Ihaveheardladiescallhercoquette,notunderstandingthatsheshonesoftlyuponallwhoenteredthelistsbecause,withtherarestintuition,sheforesawthattheymustgoawaybrokenmenandalreadysympathisedwiththeirdearwounds.Allwoundsincurredforloveweredeartoher;ateverytrueutteranceaboutlovesheexultedwithgraveapproval,oritmightbeawithalittle“ah!”or“oh!”likeonedrinkingdeliciously.Nothingcouldhavebeenmorefair,forshewasforthefirstcomerwhocouldhitthetarget,whichwasherheart.
Sheadoredallbeautifulthingsintheireverycurveandfragrance,sothattheybecamepartofher.Daybyday,shegatheredbeauty;hadshehadnoheart(shewhowasthebosomofwomanhood)herthoughtswouldstillhavebeenaslilies,becausethegoodisthebeautiful.
