Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 5
Therewasalittleundersizedonethatwouldflyintorealrages,sometimeswithme,sometimeswithitsfellows.Haveyoueverseenacoltoracalfthrowupitsheelsanddashmadlyaboutthepasturefromsheerexcessofvitalityandspirits?Well,therewasonefly—thekeenestplayerofthemall,bytheway—who,whenithadalightedthreeorfourtimesinrapidsuccessiononmytaboowallandsucceededeachtimeineludingthevelvet-carefulswoopofmyhand,wouldgrowsoexcitedandjubilantthatitwoulddartaroundandaroundmyheadattopspeed,wheeling,veering,reversing,andalwayskeepingwithinthelimitsofthenarrowcircleinwhichitcelebrateditstriumphoverme.
Why,Icouldtellwellinadvancewhenanyparticularflywasmakingupitsmindtobegintoplay.ThereareathousanddetailsinthisonematteralonethatIshallnotboreyouwith,althoughthesedetailsdidservetokeepmefrombeingboredtooutterlyduringthatfirstperiodinsolitary.ButonethingImusttellyou.Tomeitismostmemorable—thetimewhentheonewithagrouch,whoneverplayed,alightedinamomentofabsent-mindednesswithinthetabooprecinctandwasimmediatelycapturedinmyhand.Doyouknow,hesulkedforanhourafterward.
Andthehourswereverylonginsolitary;norcouldIsleepthemallaway;norcouldIwhilethemawaywithhouse-flies,nomatterhowintelligent.
