Мхи старой усадьбы
Drowne's Wooden Image
Neverhadamodernmiracleoccurredinsuchbroaddaylight,norinthepresenceofsuchamultitudeofwitnesses.Theairyimage,asifconsciousthatshewastheobjectofthemurmursanddisturbancethatswelledbehindher,appearedslightlyvexedandflustered,yetstillinamannerconsistentwiththelightvivacityandsportivemischiefthatwerewritteninhercountenance.Shewasobservedtoflutterherfanwithsuchvehementrapiditythattheelaboratedelicacyofitsworkmanshipgaveway,anditremainedbrokeninherhand.
ArrivingatDrowne’sdoor,whilethecaptainthrewitopen,themarvellousapparitionpausedaninstantonthethreshold,assumingtheveryattitudeoftheimage,andcastingoverthecrowdthatglanceofsunnycoquetrywhichallrememberedonthefaceoftheoakenlady.Sheandhercavalierthendisappeared.
"Ah!"murmuredthecrowd,drawingadeepbreath,aswithonevastpairoflungs.
"Theworldlooksdarkernowthatshehasvanished,"saidsomeoftheyoungmen.
Buttheaged,whoserecollectionsdatedasfarbackaswitchtimes,shooktheirheads,andhintedthatourforefatherswouldhavethoughtitapiousdeedtoburnthedaughteroftheoakwithfire.
"Ifshebeotherthanabubbleoftheelements,"exclaimedCopley,"Imustlookuponherfaceagain."
Heaccordinglyenteredtheshop;andthere,inherusualcorner,stoodtheimage,gazingathim,asitmightseem,withtheverysameexpressionofmirthfulmischiefthathadbeenthefarewelllookoftheapparitionwhen,butamomentbefore,sheturnedherfacetowardsthecrowd.
