Дни грёз
The Twenty-first Of October
ThatitshouldhavebeenSelina,too,whoshouldbreakoutthisway—Selina,whohadjustbecomearegularsubscribertothe“YoungLadies’Journal,”andwhoallowedherselftobetakenouttostrangeteaswithanairofresignationpalpablyassumed—thiswasaspecialjoy,andservedtoremindmethatmuchofthisdreadedconventionthatwascreepingoverusmightbe,afterall,onlyveneer.Edwardalsowasabsent,gettinglickedintoshapeatschool;buttohimthelosswasnothing.Withhissternpracticalbenthewouldn’thaveseenanysenseinit—torecalloneofhisfavouriteexpressions.ToHarold,however,forwhomthegodshadalwayscherishedaspecialtenderness,itwasgranted,notonlytowitness,butalso,priestlike,tofeedthesacredfireitself.Andifatthetimehepaidthepenaltyexactedbythesordidunimaginativeoneswhotemporarilyruletheroast,hemusteverafter,onefeelssure,havecarriedinsidehimsomeofthewhitegladnessoftheacolytewho,greatlyprivileged,hasbeenpermittedtoswingacenseratthesacringoftheveryMass.
Octoberwasmellowingfast,andwithittheyearitself;fulloftenderhints,inwoodlandandhedgerow,ofacoursewell-nighcompleted.Fromallsidesthatstillafternoonyoucaughtthequickbreathingandsoboftherunnernearingthegoal.Preoccupiedandpossessed,Selinahadstrayeddownthegardenandoutintothepasturebeyond,where,onabitofrisinggroundthatdominatedthegardenononesideandthedownswiththeoldcoach-roadontheother,shehadcastherselfdowntochewthecudoffancy.
