Белая птичка
The Runaway Perambulator
Irosehastily,andwasstridingforward,whenIdistinctlynoticedacovertmovementsomewherenearthemiddleofthecarriage,andheardalowgurgle,whichwasinstantlysuppressed.IstoppeddeadatthissharpreminderthatIwasprobablynottheonlycuriouspersonintheroom,andforalongmomentwebothlaylow,afterwhich,Iamgladtoremember,Imadethefirstadvance.EarlierinthedayIhadarrangedsomelikelyarticlesonaside-table:mywatchandchain,mybunchofkeys,andtwowar-medalsforploddingmerit,andwithaglanceatthese(assomethingtofallbackupon),Isteppedforwarddoggedly,looking(Ifearnow)alittlelikeaprofessoroflegerdemain.Davidwassittingup,andheimmediatelyfixedhiseyesonme.
Itwouldillbecomemetoattempttodescribethisdearboytoyou,forofcourseIknowreallynothingaboutchildren,soIshallsayonlythis,thatIthoughthimverylikewhatTimothywouldhavebeenhadheeverhadachance.
ItowhomDavidhadbeenbroughtforjudgment,nowfoundmyselfbeingjudgedbyhim,andthisrearrangementofthepiecesseemedsonaturalthatIfeltnosurprise;IfeltonlyahumblecravingtohearhimsignifythatIwoulddo.Ihavestoodupbeforeotherkeenjudgesanddeceivedthemall,butImadenoefforttodeceiveDavid;Iwantedto,butdarednot.Thoseunblinkingeyesweretoonewtotheworldtobehoodedbyanyofitstricks.InthemIsawmytrueself.
