Поворот гвинта

           Iwasawareafresh,withher,aswewent,ofhow,likeherbrother,shecontrived—itwasthecharmingthinginbothchildren—toletmealonewithoutappearingtodropmeandtoaccompanymewithoutappearingtosurround.Theywereneverimportunateandyetneverlistless.Myattentiontothemallreallywenttoseeingthemamusethemselvesimmenselywithoutme:thiswasaspectacletheyseemedactivelytoprepareandthatengagedmeasanactiveadmirer.Iwalkedinaworldoftheirinvention—theyhadnooccasionwhatevertodrawuponmine;sothatmytimewastakenonlywithbeing,forthem,someremarkablepersonorthingthatthegameofthemomentrequiredandthatwasmerely,thankstomysuperior,myexaltedstamp,ahappyandhighlydistinguishedsinecure.IforgetwhatIwasonthepresentoccasion;IonlyrememberthatIwassomethingveryimportantandveryquietandthatFlorawasplayingveryhard.Wewereontheedgeofthelake,and,aswehadlatelybegungeography,thelakewastheSeaofAzof.

           Suddenly,inthesecircumstances,Ibecameawarethat,ontheothersideoftheSeaofAzof,wehadaninterestedspectator.Thewaythisknowledgegatheredinmewasthestrangestthingintheworld—thestrangest,thatis,excepttheverymuchstrangerinwhichitquicklymergeditself.Ihadsatdownwithapieceofwork—forIwassomethingorotherthatcouldsit—ontheoldstonebenchwhichoverlookedthepond;andinthispositionIbegantotakeinwithcertitude,andyetwithoutdirectvision,thepresence,atadistance,ofathirdperson.