Дни грёз
Its Walls Were As Of Jasper
Tomewasallottedthesubsidiarycharacterofthefriendwhohadsucceededinbringingdownacow;whileHaroldhadtobecontenttoholdEdward’ssparerifleinthebackground,withevidentsignsofuneasiness.Fartheron,again,wherethemagnificentchamoissprangrigidintomid-air,Edward,croucheddizzilyagainsttheprecipice-face,wasthesportsmanfromwhoseweaponapuffofwhitesmokewasfloatingaway.Abare-kneedguidewasallthatfelltomyshare,whilepoorHaroldhadtotaketheboywiththehaversack,orabandon,forthisoccasionatleast,allAlpineambitions.
Ofcoursethegirlsfaredbadlyinthisbook,anditwasnotsurprisingthattheypreferredthe“Pilgrim’sProgress”(forinstance),wherewomenhadafairshow,andtherewasgenerallyenoughof’emtogoround;oragoodfairystory,whereinprincessesmetwithahealthyappreciation.Butindeedwewereallbestpleasedwithapicturewhereinthecharactersjustfittedus,innumber,sex,andqualifications;andthis,tous,stoodforartisticmerit.
AlltheChristmasnumbers,intheirgiltframesonthenursery-wall,hadbeengonethroughandallottedlongago;andinthese,soonerorlater,eachoneofusgotachancetofigureinsomesatisfactoryandbrightlycolouredsituation.Fewoftheotherpicturesaboutthehouseaffordedequalfacilities.Theyweregenerallywantinginfigures,andevenwhenthesewerepresenttheylackeddramaticinterest.
