Поворот гвинта

           Ifhehadbeenwickedhewouldhave“caught”it,andIshouldhavecaughtitbytherebound—Ishouldhavefoundthetrace.Ifoundnothingatall,andhewasthereforeanangel.Heneverspokeofhisschool,nevermentionedacomradeoramaster;andI,formypart,wasquitetoomuchdisgustedtoalludetothem.OfcourseIwasunderthespell,andthewonderfulpartisthat,evenatthetime,IperfectlyknewIwas.ButIgavemyselfuptoit;itwasanantidotetoanypain,andIhadmorepainsthanone.Iwasinreceiptinthesedaysofdisturbinglettersfromhome,wherethingswerenotgoingwell.Butwithmychildren,whatthingsintheworldmattered?ThatwasthequestionIusedtoputtomyscrappyretirements.Iwasdazzledbytheirloveliness.

           TherewasaSunday—togeton—whenitrainedwithsuchforceandforsomanyhoursthattherecouldbenoprocessiontochurch;inconsequenceofwhich,asthedaydeclined,IhadarrangedwithMrs.Grosethat,shouldtheeveningshowimprovement,wewouldattendtogetherthelateservice.Therainhappilystopped,andIpreparedforourwalk,which,throughtheparkandbythegoodroadtothevillage,wouldbeamatteroftwentyminutes.Comingdownstairstomeetmycolleagueinthehall,Irememberedapairofglovesthathadrequiredthreestitchesandthathadreceivedthem—withapublicityperhapsnotedifying—whileIsatwiththechildrenattheirtea,servedonSundays,byexception,inthatcold,cleantempleofmahoganyandbrass,the“grown-up”diningroom.