Дни грёз
The Twenty-first Of October
Haroldwashardlyoldenoughtopossessaspecialsubjectofhisown.Hehadhisinstincts,indeed,andatbird’s-nestingtheyalmostamountedtoprophecy.Whereweothersonlysuspectedeggs,surmisedpossibleeggs,hinteddoubtfullyateggsintheneighbourhood,Haroldwentstraightfortherightbush,bough,orholeasifhecarriedadivining-rod.Butthisfacultybelongedtotheclassofmeregifts,andwasnottoberankedwithEdward’sloreregardingfacings,andmineastothehabitsofprairie-dogs,bothgainedbypainfulstudyandextensivetravelinthose“realmsofgold,”theArmyListandBallantyne.
Selina’ssubject,quiteunaccountably,happenedtobenavalhistory.Thereisnolayingdownrulesastosubjects;youjustpossessthem—orrather,theypossessyou—andtheirgenesisorprotoplasmisrarelytobetrackeddown.Selinahadneversomuchasseenthesea;butforthatmatterneitherhadIeversetfootontheAmericancontinent,theby-waysofwhichIknewsointimately.AndjustasI,ifsetdownwithoutwarninginthemiddleoftheRockyMountains,wouldhavebeenperfectlyathome,soSelina,ifageniehaddroppedhersuddenlyonPortsmouthHard,couldhavegivenpointstomostofitsfrequenters.
