Дні мрій

           Thepresentswereverywellintheirway—verynice,andsoon—butlifewasaseriousmatter,andthecontestcalledforcakesandhalfcrownstocarryiton,notgew-gawsandknittedmittensandthelike.Thegirls,however,intheirobstinateway,persistedintakingtheirownviewoftheslight.HenceitwasthatIreceivedmysecondrebuffofthemorning.

           Somewhatdisheartened,Imademywaydownstairsandoutintothesunlight,whereIfoundHaroldplayingconspiratorsbyhimselfonthegravel.Hehaddugasmallholeinthewalkandhadlaidanimaginarytrainofpowderthereto;and,ashesoughtrefugeinthelaurelsfromtheinevitableexplosion,Iheardhimmurmur:“`MyGod!’saidtheCzar,`myplansarefrustrated!’”Itseemedanexcellentoccasionforbeingablackpuma.Haroldlikedblackpumas,onthewhole,aswellasanyanimalwewerefamiliarwith.

           SoIlaunchedmyselfonhim,withtheappropriatehowl,rollinghimoveronthegravel.

           Lifemaybesaidtobecomposedofthingsthatcomeoffandthingsthatdon’tcomeoff.Thisthing,unfortunately,wasoneofthethingsthatdidn’tcomeoff.FrombeneathmeIheardashrillcryof,“Oh,it’smysoreknee!”AndHaroldwriggledhimselffreefromthepuma’sclutches,bellowingdismally.Now,Ihonestlydidn’tknowhehadasoreknee,and,what’smore,heknewIdidn’tknowhehadasoreknee.Accordingtoboyethics,therefore,hisattitudewaswrong,sorekneeornot,andnoapologywasduefromme.