Белые люди
Chapter III
IknewIhadfoundafriend,eventhoughtherewasnolikelihoodthatIshouldeverseehisface.Hewasagreatandfamouswriter,andalltheworldhonoredhim;whileI,hiddenawayinmycastleonarockontheedgeofMuircarrie,wassofarfrombeinginterestingorcleverthateveninmygrandesteveningdressandtiaraofjewelsIwasasinsignificantasamouse.Infact,IalwaysfeltrathersillywhenIwasobligedtowearmydiamondsonstateoccasionsascustomsometimesdemanded.
Mr.MacNairnwroteessaysandpoems,andmarvelousstorieswhichwerealwaysrealthoughtheywerecalledfiction.Wheresoeverhisstorywasplaced—howsoeverremoteandunknownthescene—itwasarealplace,andthepeoplewholivedinitwerereal,asifhehadsomemagicpowertocalluphumanthingstobreatheandliveandsetone’sheartbeating.Ireadeverythinghewrote.Ireadeverywordofhisagainandagain.Ialwayskeptsomebookofhisnearenoughtobeabletotouchitwithmyhand;andoftenIsatbythefireinthelibraryholdingoneopenonmylapforanhourormore,onlybecauseitmeantawarm,closecompanionship.Itseemedatthosetimesasifhesatnearmeinthedimglowandweunderstoodeachother’sthoughtswithoutusingwords,asWeeBrownElspethandIhadunderstood—onlythiswasadeeperthing.
Ihadfeltnearhiminthiswayforseveralyears,andeveryyearhehadgrownmorefamous,whenithappenedthatoneJunemyguardian,SirIan,requiredmetogotoLondontoseemylawyersandsignsomeimportantdocumentsconnectedwiththemanagementoftheestate.
