Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 5
Iwascarefulnevertohurtthem,and,intime,theyknewaspreciselyasdidIwhererantheimaginaryline.Whentheydesiredtoplay,theylightedbelowtheline,andoftenforanhouratatimeasingleflywouldengageinthesport.Whenitgrewtired,itwouldcometorestonthesafeterritoryabove.
Ofthedozenormorefliesthatlivedwithme,therewasonlyonewhodidnotcareforthegame.Herefusedsteadfastlytoplay,and,havinglearnedthepenaltyofalightingbelowtheline,verycarefullyavoidedtheunsafeterritory.Thatflywasasullen,disgruntledcreature.Astheconvictswouldsay,ithada“grouch”againsttheworld.Heneverplayedwiththeotherflieseither.Hewasstrongandhealthy,too;forIstudiedhimlongtofindout.Hisindispositionforplaywastemperamental,notphysical.
Believeme,Iknewallmyflies.ItwassurprisingtomethemultitudeofdifferencesIdistinguishedbetweenthem.Oh,eachwasdistinctlyanindividual—notmerelyinsizeandmarkings,strength,andspeedofflight,andinthemannerandfancyofflightandplay,ofdodgeanddart,ofwheelandswiftlyrepeatorwheelandreverse,oftouchandgoonthedangerwall,oroffeintthetouchandalightelsewherewithinthezone.Theywerelikewisesharplydifferentiatedintheminutestshadesofmentalityandtemperament.
Iknewthenervousones,thephlegmaticones.
