Волны

           Donotstir;ifthegardenerssawustheywouldshootus.Weshouldbenailedlikestoatstothestabledoor.Look!Donotmove.Graspthefernstightonthetopofthewall.’

           ’Iseetheladywriting.Iseethegardenerssweeping,’saidSusan.’Ifwediedhere,nobodywouldburyus.’

           ’Run!’saidBernard.’Run!Thegardenerwiththeblackbeardhasseenus!Weshallbeshot!Weshallbeshotlikejaysandpinnedtothewall!Weareinahostilecountry.Wemustescapetothebeechwood.Wemusthideunderthetrees.Iturnedatwigaswecame.Thereisasecretpath.Bendaslowasyoucan.Followwithoutlookingback.Theywillthinkwearefoxes.Run!

           ’Nowwearesafe.Nowwecanstanduprightagain.Nowwecanstretchourarmsinthishighcanopy,inthisvastwood.Ihearnothing.Thatisonlythemurmurofthewavesintheair.Thatisawood-pigeonbreakingcoverinthetopsofthebeechtrees.Thepigeonbeatstheair;thepigeonbeatstheairwithwoodenwings.’

           ’Nowyoutrailaway,’saidSusan,’makingphrases.Nowyoumountlikeanair-ball’sstring,higherandhigherthroughthelayersoftheleaves,outofreach.Nowyoulag.Nowyoutugatmyskirts,lookingback,makingphrases.Youhaveescapedme.Hereisthegarden.Hereisthehedge.HereisRhodaonthepathrockingpetalstoandfroinherbrownbasin.’

           ’Allmyshipsarewhite,’saidRhoda.’Idonotwantredpetalsofhollyhocksorgeranium.IwantwhitepetalsthatfloatwhenItipthebasinup.Ihaveafleetnowswimmingfromshoretoshore.Iwilldropatwiginasaraftforadrowningsailor.