Веснянки

           Heliftedhishead,waddledfromherafewsteps,awkwardlyambledback,andgavehersuchasimplesortofkissonherbeakthatFrecklesburstintoalaugh,butclappedhishandoverhismouthtostiflethesound.

           Theloverduckedandside-steppedafewfeet.Hespreadhiswingsandslowlyandsoftlywavedthempreciselyasifhewerefanninghischarmer,whichwasindeedtheresultheaccomplished.Thenawaveofuncontrollabletendernessmovedhimsohehobbledtohisbombardmentoncemore.Hefacedhersquarelythistime,andturnedhisheadfromsidetosidewithqueerlittlejerksandindiscriminatepeckingsatherwingsandhead,andsmirkingsthatreallyshouldhavebeenirresistible.Sheyawnedandshuffledawayindifferently.Frecklesreachedup,pulledthequillfromhishat,andlookingfromittothebirds,noddedinsettledconviction.

           “Soyou’remeblackangels,yespalpeens!Nowonderyoudidn’tgetin!ButI’llbackyoutocomecloseritthananyotherbirdseverdid.YouflyhigherthanIcansee.HaveyoupickedtheLimberlostforagoodthingandcometotryit?Well,youcanbemechickensifyouwantto,butI’mblestifyouain’tcoolfornewones.Whydon’tyoutakethisstickforagunandgoskinningamile?”

           Frecklesbrokeintoanunrestrainedlaugh,forthebird-loverwaskeenabouthiscourting,whileevidentlyhismatewasdiffident.Whenheapproachedtooboisterously,sherelievedhimofagoodlytuftoffeathersandsenthimbackwardinaseriesofsquirmylittlejumpsthatgavetheboyanideaofwhathadhappenedup-skytosendthefallingfeatheracrosshispathway.