Дни грёз
A Departure
ItwasMoonlightLand,andPast-Ten-o’clockLand,andwewereinitandofit,andallitsotherdenizensfullyunderstood,and,tongue-freeandawakenedatlast,respondedandcomprehendedandknew.Theothertwo,doubtless,hurryingforwardfulloftheirmission,notedlittleofallthis.I,whowasonlyasuper,hadleisuretotakeitallin,and,thoughthelanguageandthemessageofthelandwerenotallcleartomethen,longafterwardsIrememberedandunderstood.
Underthefarthesthedge,atthelooseendofthings,wheretheouterworldbeganwiththepaddock,therewasdarknessonceagain—nottheblacknessthatcrouchedsosolidlyunderthecrowdinglaurels,butaduskinesshungfromfar-spreadarmsofhigh-standingelms.There,wherethesmallgravemadeadarkerspotonthegrey,Iovertookthem,onlyjustintimetoseeRosalaidstifflyout,hercherrycheekspaleinthemoonlight,butherbravesmiletriumphantandundauntedasever.Itwasatinygraveandashallowone,toholdsoverymuch.Rosaoncein,Potiphar,whohadhithertostooderect,stout-necked,throughsomanydaysandsuchvariousweather,mustneedsbowhisheadandliedownmeeklyonhisside.Theelephantandthebeetle,equalnowinasilentlandwhereavertebraandaredcirculationcountedfornothing,hadtosnuggledownwherebesttheymight,onlyalittlelesscrowdedthanintheirnativeArk.
Theearthwasshovelledinandstampeddown,andIwasgladthatnoorisonsweresaidandnospeechifyingtookplace.
