Белые люди

           Weallthreelovedthenightingale,andfeltasthoughitknewthatwewerelisteningtoit.Itisawonderfulthingtositquitestilllisteningtoabirdsinginginthedark,andtodaretofeelthatwhileitsingsitknowshowyoursouladoresit.Itislikeakindofworship.

           Wehadbeensittinglisteningforquitealongtime,andthenightingalehadjustceasedandleftthedarknessanexquisitesilencewhichfellsuddenlybutsoftlyasthelastnotedropped,whenMrs.MacNairnbegantotalkforthefirsttimeofwhatshecalledTheFear.

           Idon’trememberjusthowshebegan,andforafewminutesIdidnotquiteunderstandwhatshemeant.Butasshewenton,andMr.MacNairnjoinedinthetalk,theirmeaningbecameaclearthingtome,andIknewthattheywereonlytalkingquitesimplyofsomethingtheyhadoftentalkedofbefore.TheywerenotasafraidofTheFearasmostpeopleare,becausetheyhadthoughtofandreasonedaboutitsomuch,andalwayscalmlyandwithclearandopenminds.

           ByTheFeartheymeantthatmysterioushorrormostpeoplefeelatthethoughtofpassingoutoftheworldtheyknowintotheonetheydon’tknowatall.

           Howquiet,howstillitwasinsidethewallsoftheoldgarden,aswethreesatundertheboughsandtalkedaboutit!Andwhatsweetnightscentsofleavesandsleepingflowerswereineverybreathwedrew!Andhowone’sheartmovedandliftedwhenthenightingalebrokeoutagain!

           “Ifonehadseenorheardonelittlething,ifone’smortalbeingcouldcatchoneglimpseoflightinthedark,”Mrs.