Таинственный сад
XXV. The Curtain
Heseemedveryfondofwalkingbuthehadawayofsittingorlyingdownforawhileandthengettingupinadisconcertingmannertobeginagain.
Onedaytherobinrememberedthatwhenhehimselfhadbeenmadetolearntoflybyhisparentshehaddonemuchthesamesortofthing.Hehadtakenshortflightsofafewyardsandthenhadbeenobligedtorest.Soitoccurredtohimthatthisboywaslearningtofly—orrathertowalk.HementionedthistohismateandwhenhetoldherthattheEggswouldprobablyconductthemselvesinthesamewayaftertheywerefledgedshewasquitecomfortedandevenbecameeagerlyinterestedandderivedgreatpleasurefromwatchingtheboyovertheedgeofhernest—thoughshealwaysthoughtthattheEggswouldbemuchclevererandlearnmorequickly.ButthenshesaidindulgentlythathumanswerealwaysmoreclumsyandslowthanEggsandmostofthemneverseemedreallytolearntoflyatall.Younevermetthemintheairorontree-tops.
Afterawhiletheboybegantomoveaboutastheothersdid,butallthreeofthechildrenattimesdidunusualthings.Theywouldstandunderthetreesandmovetheirarmsandlegsandheadsaboutinawaywhichwasneitherwalkingnorrunningnorsittingdown.Theywentthroughthesemovementsatintervalseverydayandtherobinwasneverabletoexplaintohismatewhattheyweredoingortyingtodo.HecouldonlysaythathewassurethattheEggswouldneverflapaboutinsuchamanner;butastheboywhocouldspeakrobinsofluentlywasdoingthethingwiththem,birdscouldbequitesurethattheactionswerenotofadangerousnature.
