Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 5
Wenttolibrary.Triedtoreadthreereviews.Useless.Sheisnotoutyet.AmIalarmed?Aboutwhat?Thatshewillneverbeoutagain.
Blakewrote:
IwonderifWilliamBondwilldie
Forassuredlyheisveryill.
Alas,poorWilliam!
IwasonceatadioramainRotunda.Attheendwerepicturesofbignobs.AmongthemWilliamEwartGladstone,justthendead.OrchestraplayedOWILLIE,WEHAVEMISSEDYOU.
Araceofclodhoppers!
MARCH25,MORNING.Atroublednightofdreams.Wanttogetthemoffmychest.
Alongcurvinggallery.Fromthefloorascendpillarsofdarkvapours.Itispeopledbytheimagesoffabulouskings,setinstone.Theirhandsarefoldedupontheirkneesintokenofwearinessandtheireyesaredarkenedfortheerrorsofmengoupbeforethemforeverasdarkvapours.
Strangefiguresadvanceasfromacave.Theyarenotastallasmen.Onedoesnotseemtostandquiteapartfromanother.Theirfacesarephosphorescent,withdarkerstreaks.Theypeeratmeandtheireyesseemtoaskmesomething.Theydonotspeak.
MARCH30.ThiseveningCranlywasintheporchofthelibrary,proposingaproblemtoDixonandherbrother.AmotherletherchildfallintotheNile.Stillharpingonthemother.Acrocodileseizedthechild.Motheraskeditback.Crocodilesaidallrightifshetoldhimwhathewasgoingtodowiththechild,eatitornoteatIt.