Дни грёз

           Thegrinningwelkinrangwith“Circus!”“Circus!”shookthewindow-panes;themockingwallsre-echoed“Circus!”Circushewouldhave,andthewholecircus,andnothingbutthecircus.Nocompromiseforhim,noevasions,nofallacious,unsecuredpromisestopay.HehaddrawnhischequeontheBankofExpectation,andithadgottobecashedthenandthere;elsehewouldyell,andyellhimselfintoafit,andcomeoutofitandyellagain.Yellingshouldbehisprofession,hisart,hismission,hiscareer.Hewasqualified,hewasresolute,andhewasinnohurrytoretirefromthebusiness.

           Thenoisyonesoftheworld,iftheydonotalwaysshoutthemselvesintotheimperialpurple,aresureatleastofreceivingattention.Iftheycannotselleverythingattheirownprice,onething—silence—must,atanycost,bepurchasedofthem.Haroldaccordinglyhadtobeconsoledbytheemploymentofeveryspeciousfallacyandbase-borntrickknowntothosewhosedoomitistohandlechildren.Formetheirhollowcajoleryhadnointerest,IcouldplucknoconsolationoutoftheirbankruptthoughprodigalpledgesIonlywaitedtillthathateful,well-known“Someothertime,dear!”toldmethathopewasfinallydead.ThenIlefttheroomwithoutanyremark.Itmadeitworse—ifanythingcould—tohearthatstale,worn-outoldphrase,stillsupposedbythosedullardstohavesomeefficacy.

           Tonature,asusual,Idriftedbyinstinct,andthere,outofthetrackofhumanity,underafriendlyhedge-rowhadmyblackhourunseen.