Волны

           AlsoIwishtoaddtomycollectionofvaluableobservationsuponthetruenatureofhumanlife.Mybookwillcertainlyruntomanyvolumes,embracingeveryknownvarietyofmanandwoman.Ifillmymindwithwhateverhappenstobethecontentsofaroomorarailwaycarriageasonefillsafountain-peninaninkpot.Ihaveasteadyunquenchablethirst.NowIfeelbyimperceptiblesigns,whichIcannotyetinterpretbutwilllater,thathisdefianceisabouttothaw.Hissolitudeshowssignsofcracking.Hehaspassedaremarkaboutacountryhouse.Asmokeringissuesfrommylips(aboutcrops)andcircleshim,bringinghimintocontact.Thehumanvoicehasadisarmingquality--(wearenotsingle,weareone).Asweexchangethesefewbutamiableremarksaboutcountryhouses,Ifurbishhimupandmakehimconcrete.Heisindulgentasahusbandbutnotfaithful;asmallbuilderwhoemploysafewmen.Inlocalsocietyheisimportant;isalreadyacouncillor,andperhapsintimewillbemayor.Hewearsalargeornament,likeadoubletoothtornupbytheroots,madeofcoral,hangingathiswatch-chain.WalterJ.Trumbleisthesortofnamethatwouldfithim.HehasbeeninAmerica,onabusinesstripwithhiswife,andadoubleroominasmallishhotelcosthimawholemonth’swages.Hisfronttoothisstoppedwithgold.

           ’ThefactisthatIhavelittleaptitudeforreflection.Irequiretheconcreteineverything.ItissoonlythatIlayhandsupontheworld.Agoodphrase,however,seemstometohaveanindependentexistence.YetIthinkitislikelythatthebestaremadeinsolitude.