Дни грёз

           Theworldwasaglobenolonger,spacewasnomorefilledwithwhirlingcircusesofspheres.Thatdaytheoldbeliefsroseupandassertedthemselves,andtheearthwasflatagain—ditch-riddled,stagnant,anddeadlyflat.Theundeviatingroadscrawledstraightandwhite,elmsdressedthemselvesstifflyalonginflexiblehedges,allnature,centrifugalnolonger,sprawledflatlyinlinesouttoitsfarthestedge,andIfeltjustlikewalkingouttothatterminus,anddroppingquietlyoff.Then,asIsatthere,moroselychewingbitsofstick,therecollectioncamebacktomeofcertainfascinatingadvertisementsIhadspelledoutinthepapers—advertisementsofgreatandhappymen,owningbigshipsoftonnagerunningintofourfigures,whoyetcraved,totheextentofpublicsupplication,forthesympatheticco-operationofyouthsasapprentices.Ididnotrightlyknowwhatapprenticesmightbe,norwhetherIwasyetbigenoughtobestyledayouth;butonethingseemedclear,that,bysomesuchmeansasthis,whatevertheinterveninghardships,Icouldeventuallyvisitallthecircusesoftheworld—thecircusesofmerryFranceandgaudySpain,ofHollandandBohemia,ofChinaandPeru.Herewasaplanworththinkingoutinallitsbearings;forsomethinghadpresentlytobedonetoendthisintolerablestateofthings.

           Mid-day,andevenfeeding-time,passedbygloomilyenough,tillasmalldisturbanceoccurredwhichhadtheeffectofreleasingsomeoftheelectricitywithwhichtheairwascharged.