Белая птичка
The Pleasantest Club in London
”Whetherbecauseheknewtoomuch,orbecauseheworeatrickshirt,hewasthemostdepressingpersonIeverencountered;hefeltnoneoftheartist’sjoy,anditwassadtoseeonesowellcalculatedtogivepleasuretothousandsnotcaringadumpaboutit.
Thebarber’spoleIsuccessfullyextractedfromDavid’smouth,butthedifficulty(notforeseen)ofknowinghowtodisposeofabarber’spoleintheKensingtonGardensisconsiderable,therealwaysbeingpolitechildrenhoveringnearwhorunafteryouandrestoreittoyou.Theyoungman,again,hadsaidthatanyonewouldlendmeabottleoralemon,butthoughthesewerearticlesonwhichheseemedeverabletolayhishand,Ifound(whatIhadnevernoticedbefore)thatthereisacuriousdearthofthemintheGardens.Themagicegg-cupIusuallycarriedaboutwithme,andwithitsconnivanceIdidsomeastonishingthingswithpennies,buteventhepennythatcostssixpenceisuncertain,andjustwhenyouaresayingtriumphantlythatitwillbefoundintheegg-cup,itmayclattertotheground,whereonsomeungenerousspectator,suchasIrene,accusesyouoffibbingandcorruptingyouthfulminds.Itwasuselesstotellher,throughclenchedteeth,thatthewholethingwasajoke,forsheunderstoodnojokesexceptherown,ofwhichshehadthemostimmoderatelyhighopinion,andthatwouldhavematteredlittletomehadnotDavidlikedthemalso.ThereweretimeswhenIcouldnotbutthinklessoftheboy,seeinghimrockconvulsedoveranticsofIrenethathavebeenknowntoeverynursemaidsincetheyearOne.
