Веснянки

           “I’vebeenthroughsomuchthatI’mscarcelymyself,orIwouldn’tbeherebotheringyouwhenyoushouldbesleeping.Ofcourseyoucouldn’t!Iknewitallthetime!Iwasjustscared!Iwasforgettingthatyouwereyou!You’retoogoodaknighttorememberathinglikethat.Ofcourseyouare!Andwhenyoudon’tremember,why,thenit’sthesameasifitneverhappened.IwasalmostkilledbecauseI’dgoneandspoiledeverything,butnowitwillbeallright.Nowyoucangoonanddothingslikeothermen,andIcanhavesomeflowers,andletters,andmysweetheartcoming,andwhenyouareSURE,why,thenYOUcantellMEthings,can’tyou?Oh,Freckles,I’msoglad!Oh,I’msohappy!It’sdearofyounottoremember,Freckles;perfectlydear!It’snowonderIloveyouso.ThewonderwouldbeifIdidnot.Oh,IshouldliketoknowhowI’mevergoingtomakeyouunderstandhowmuchIloveyou!”

           Pillowandall,shecaughthimtoherbreastonelongsecond;thenshewasgone.

           Freckleslaydazedwithastonishment.Atlasthisamazedeyessearchedtheroomforsomethingapproachingthehumantowhichhecouldappeal,andfallingonhismother’sportrait,hesetitbeforehim.

           “Fortheloveoflife!Melittlemother,”hepanted,“didyouhearthat?Didyouhearit!Tellme,amIliving,oramIdeadandallheavencometruethisminute?Didyouhearit?”

           Heshooktheframeinhisimpatienceatreceivingnoanswer