Хвилі

           Iamaboyingreyflannelswithabeltfastenedbyabrasssnakeuphere.DowntheremyeyesarethelidlesseyesofastonefigureinadesertbytheNile.Iseewomenpassingwithredpitcherstotheriver;Iseecamelsswayingandmeninturbans.Iheartramplings,tremblings,stirringsroundme.

           ’UphereBernard,Neville,JinnyandSusan(butnotRhoda)skimtheflower-bedswiththeirnets.Theyskimthebutterfliesfromthenoddingtopsoftheflowers.Theybrushthesurfaceoftheworld.Theirnetsarefullofflutteringwings."Louis!Louis!Louis!"theyshout.Buttheycannotseeme.Iamontheothersideofthehedge.Thereareonlylittleeye-holesamongtheleaves.OhLord,letthempass.Lord,letthemlaytheirbutterfliesonapocket-handkerchiefonthegravel.Letthemcountouttheirtortoise-shells,theirredadmiralsandcabbagewhites.Butletmebeunseen.Iamgreenasayewtreeintheshadeofthehedge.Myhairismadeofleaves.Iamrootedtothemiddleoftheearth.Mybodyisastalk.Ipressthestalk.Adropoozesfromtheholeatthemouthandslowly,thickly,growslargerandlarger.Nowsomethingpinkpassestheeyehole.Nowaneye-beamisslidthroughthechink.Itsbeamstrikesme.Iamaboyinagreyflannelsuit.Shehasfoundme.Iamstruckonthenapeoftheneck.Shehaskissedme.Allisshattered.’

           ’Iwasrunning,’saidJinny,’afterbreakfast.Isawleavesmovinginaholeinthehedge.Ithought"Thatisabirdonitsnest."Ipartedthemandlooked;buttherewasnobirdonanest.Theleaveswentonmoving.Iwasfrightened.