Вітер у вербах
Wayfarers All
O,Veniceisafinecity,whereinaratcanwanderathiseaseandtakehispleasure!Or,whenwearyofwandering,cansitattheedgeoftheGrandCanalatnight,feastingwithhisfriends,whentheairisfullofmusicandtheskyfullofstars,andthelightsflashandshimmeronthepolishedsteelprowsoftheswayinggondolas,packedsothatyoucouldwalkacrossthecanalonthemfromsidetoside!Andthenthefood—doyoulikeshell-fish?Well,well,wewon’tlingeroverthatnow."
Hewassilentforatime;andtheWaterRat,silenttooandenthralled,floatedondream-canalsandheardaphantomsongpealinghighbetweenvaporousgreywave-lappedwalls.
"Southwardswesailedagainatlast,"continuedtheSeaRat,"coastingdowntheItalianshore,tillfinallywemadePalermo,andthereIquittedforalong,happyspellonshore.Ineversticktoolongtooneship;onegetsnarrow-mindedandprejudiced.Besides,Sicilyisoneofmyhappyhunting-grounds.Iknoweverybodythere,andtheirwaysjustsuitme.Ispentmanyjollyweeksintheisland,stayingwithfriendsupcountry.WhenIgrewrestlessagainItookadvantageofashipthatwastradingtoSardiniaandCorsica;andverygladIwastofeelthefreshbreezeandthesea-sprayinmyfaceoncemore."
"Butisn’titveryhotandstuffy,downinthe—hold,Ithinkyoucallit?"askedtheWaterRat.
Theseafarerlookedathimwiththesuspicionofawink."I’manoldhand,"heremarkedwithmuchsimplicity.
