Дни грёз
Dies Irae
Woethenforthegardener’sboy,who,unprepared,skippinginprematuretriumph,tooktheclodfullinhisstomach!
He,thefoolishone,witlessonwhosesidethegodswerefightingthatday,dischargedyetothermissiles,waveringandwideofthemark;forhiswindhadbeentakenwiththefirstclod,andheshotwildly,asonealreadydesperateandinflight.Igotanotherclodinatshortrange;weclinchedonthebrowofthehill,androlleddowntothebottomtogether.Whenhehadshakenhimselffreeandregainedhislegs,hetrottedsmartlyoffinthedirectionofhismother’scottage;butoverhisshoulderhedischargedatmebothimprecationanddeprecation,menacemixedupwithanunder-currentoftears.
Butasforme,Imadeoffsmartlyfortheroad,myframetingling,myheadhigh,withneverabackwardlookattheSettlementofsuggestiveaspect,oratmywell-plannedfuturewhichlayinfragmentsaroundit.Lifehaditsjollities,then;lifewasaction,contest,victory!Thepresentwasrosyoncemore,surpriseslurkedoneveryside,andIwasbeginningtofeelvillainouslyhungry.
JustasIgainedtheroadacartcamerattlingby,andIrushedforit,caughtthechainthathungbelow,andswungthrillinglybetweenthedizzywheels,chokedandblindedwithdelicious-smellingdust,theworldslippingbymelikeastreakyribbonbelow,tillthedriverlickedatmewithhiswhip,andIhadtodescendtoearthagain.
