Дни грёз

           Whenhischeeryvoicewasatlastheardinthekitchenandwehaddescendedwithshouts,firstofallhehadtoexhibithistattooedarms,alwaysasubjectforfreshdelightandenvyandawe;thenhewascalleduponfortricks,jugglings,andstrange,fearfulgymnastics;andlastlycameyarns,andmoreyarns,andyarnstillbedtime.TherehadneverbeenanyonelikeBillyinhisownparticularsphere;andnowhewasdrowned,theysaid,andMarthawasmiserable,and—andIcouldn’tgetanewbootlace.TheytoldmethatBillywouldnevercomebackanymore,andIstaredoutofthewindowatthesunwhichcameback,rightenough,everyday,andtheirnewsconveyednothingwhatevertome.Martha’ssorrowhithomealittle,butonlybecausetheactualsightandsoundofitgavemeadull,badsortofpainlowdowninside—apainnottobeactuallylocated.Moreover,Iwasstillwantingmybootlace.

           Thiswasapoorsortofabeginningtoadaythat,sofarasoutsideconditionswent,hadpromisedsowell.Iriggedupasortofjurymastofabootlacewithabitofoldstring,andwanderedofftolookupthegirls,consciousofajarandadiscordanceintheschemeofthings.ThemomentIenteredtheschoolroomsomethingintheairseemedtotellmethathere,too,matterswerestrainedandawry.Selinawasstaringlistlesslyoutofthewindow,onefootcurledroundherleg.WhenIspoketohershejerkedashouldertestily,butdidnotcondescendtothecivilityofareply.Charlotte,absolutelyunoccupied,sprawledinachair,andthereweresignsofsnifflesabouther,evenatthatearlyhour.