Мхи старой усадьбы
Drowne's Wooden Image
Andwhatismore,asthereisasecretinthematter,youmustpledgeyourcreditnottobetrayit."
"Certainly,"saidDrowne,marvelling,however,whatpossiblemysterytherecouldbeinreferencetoanaffairsoopen,ofnecessity,totheinspectionofalltheworldasthefigure-headofavessel."Youmaydepend,captain,onmybeingassecretasthenatureofthecasewillpermit."
CaptainHunnewellthentookDrownebythebutton,andcommunicatedhiswishesinsolowatonethatitwouldbeunmannerlytorepeatwhatwasevidentlyintendedforthecarver’sprivateear.Weshall,therefore,taketheopportunitytogivethereaderafewdesirableparticularsaboutDrownehimself.
HewasthefirstAmericanwhoisknowntohaveattempted—inaveryhumbleline,itistrue—thatartinwhichwecannowreckonsomanynamesalreadydistinguished,orrisingtodistinction.Fromhisearliestboyhoodhehadexhibitedaknack—foritwouldbetooproudawordtocallitgenius—aknack,therefore,fortheimitationofthehumanfigureinwhatevermaterialcamemostreadilytohand.ThesnowsofaNewEnglandwinterhadoftensuppliedhimwithaspeciesofmarbleasdazzinglywhite,atleast,astheParianortheCarrara,andiflessdurable,yetsufficientlysotocorrespondwithanyclaimstopermanentexistencepossessedbytheboy’sfrozenstatues.Yettheywonadmirationfrommaturerjudgesthanhisschool-fellows,andwereindeed,remarkablyclever,thoughdestituteofthenativewarmththatmighthavemadethesnowmeltbeneathhishand.
