Дни грёз
A Departure
Wherethe“res”is“angusta,”andtheweeklybooksaresimplyaseriesofstiffhurdlesateachofwhichinsuccessionthepaternallegsfalterwithgrowingsuspicionoftheirpowerstocleartheflight,itisintheaffairofCLOTHESthattherightofsuccessiontells,and“thehardheirstridesabouttheland”introuserslongagoframedforfraternallimbs—frondesnovasetnonsuapoma.Abitterthingindeed!Ofthoseprettysilkenthreadsthatknithumanitytogether,highandlow,pastandpresent,noneistougher,morepervading,ormoreiridescent,thanthehonest,simplepleasureofnewclothes.
Ittugsatthemanasittugsatthewoman;thesmirkofthewell-fittedprinceisnodifferentfromthesmirkoftheSunday-cladpeasant;andtheveinsoftheelderstinglewiththesamethrillthatsetstheirfresh-frockedgrandchildrenskipping.Nevertrustpeoplewhopretendthattheyhavenojoyintheirnewclothes.
Letnotoursoulsbewrung,however,atcontemplationofthelucklessurchincutoffbyparentalpenuryfromtheraptureofnewclothes.Justastheheroesofhisdreamsarehisimmediateseniors,sohisheroes’clothessharetheglamour,andthereversionofthemcarriesahighprivilege—aspecialthingnotsoldbySwearsandWells.TheswordofGalahad—andofmanyanotherhero—arrivedonthescenealreadyhoarywithhistory,andtheboyratherprefershistrouserstobelegendary,famous,haloedbyhishero’srenown—eventhoughthenapmayhavealtogethervanishedintheprocess.
But,puttingclothesaside,thereareothermattersinwhichthisreversedheirshipcomesintoplay.
