Дни грёз
A Departure
TakethecaseofToys.Itishardlyrightorfitting—andinthisthechildquiteacquiesces—thatasheapproachesthereverendperiodofnineorsaytenyears,heshouldstillbetheunabashedandproclaimedpossessorofahoopandaNoah’sArk.Thechildwillquiteseethereasonablenessofthis,and,thegoalofhisambitionbeingnowacatapult,apistol,orevenasword-stick,willbesatisfiedthatthetitularownershipshouldlapsetohisjuniors,sofarbelowhimintheirkiltedorpetticoatedincompetence.Afterall,thethingsarestillthere,andifrelapsesofspiritoccur,onwetafternoons,onecanstill(nominally)borrowthemandbehappyonthefloorasofold,withoutthereproachofbeingahabitualbabytoy-caresser.Alsoonecanpretendit’sbeingdonetoamusetheyoungerones.
Noneofus,therefore,grumbledwheninthenaturalcourseofthingsthenominalownershipofthetoysslippeddowntoHarold,andfromhiminturndevolveduponCharlotte.Thetoyswerestillthere;theyalwayshadbeenthereandalwayswouldbethere,andwhenthenurserydoorwasfastshuttherewerenoKingsorQueensorFirstEstatesinthatsmallRepubliconthefloor.Charlotte,tobesure,chin-tilted,atlastanownerofrealestate,mightpatronizealittleattimes;butitwastacitlyunderstoodthather“title”wasonlyadrawing-roomone.
