Волны

           ’

           ’Bubblesformonthefloorofthesaucepan,’saidJinny.’Thentheyrise,quickerandquicker,inasilverchaintothetop.’

           ’NowBillyscrapesthefish-scaleswithajaggedknifeontoawoodenboard,’saidNeville.

           ’Thedining-roomwindowisdarkbluenow,’saidBernard,’andtheairripplesabovethechimneys.’

           ’Aswallowisperchedonthelightning-conductor,’saidSusan.’AndBiddyhassmackeddownthebucketonthekitchenflags.’

           ’Thatisthefirststrokeofthechurchbell,’saidLouis.’Thentheothersfollow;one,two;one,two;one,two.’

           ’Lookatthetable-cloth,flyingwhitealongthetable,’saidRhoda.’Nowthereareroundsofwhitechina,andsilverstreaksbesideeachplate.’

           ’Suddenlyabeeboomsinmyear,’saidNeville.’Itishere;itispast.’

           ’Iburn,Ishiver,’saidJinny,’outofthissun,intothisshadow.’

           ’Nowtheyhaveallgone,’saidLouis.’Iamalone.Theyhavegoneintothehouseforbreakfast,andIamleftstandingbythewallamongtheflowers.Itisveryearly,beforelessons.Flowerafterflowerisspeckedonthedepthsofgreen.Thepetalsareharlequins.Stalksrisefromtheblackhollowsbeneath.Theflowersswimlikefishmadeoflightuponthedark,greenwaters.Iholdastalkinmyhand.Iamthestalk.Myrootsgodowntothedepthsoftheworld,throughearthdrywithbrick,anddampearth,throughveinsofleadandsilver.Iamallfibre.Alltremorsshakeme,andtheweightoftheearthispressedtomyribs.Upheremyeyesaregreenleaves,unseeing.