Дні мрій
Mutabile Semper
Andarowofbrasscannonsallalongtheterrace!AndeverynowandthenIgivetheorder,andtheyfireoffalltheguns!”
“No,theydon’t,”sheinterruptedhastily.“Iwon’thave’emfireoffanyguns!Youmusttell’emnotto.Ihateguns,andassoonastheybeginfiringIshallrunrightaway!”
“But—butthat’swhatthey’reTHEREfor,”Iprotested,aghast.
“Idon’tcare,”sheinsisted.“Theymustn’tdoit.Theycanwalkaboutbehindmeiftheylike,andtalktome,andcarrythings.Buttheymustn’tfireoffanyguns.”
Iwassadlyconsciousbythistimethatinthisbravepalaceofmine,whereinIwaswonttoswaggerdaily,irresponsibleandunquestioned,Iwasrapidlybecoming—sotospeak—amerelodger.
Theideaofmyfinebigsoldiersbeingtoldoffto“carrythings”!Iwasnotinclinedtotellheranymore,thoughtherestillremainedplentymoretotell.
“Anyotherboysthere?”sheaskedpresently,inacasualsortofway.
“Ohyes,”Iunguardedlyreplied.“Nicechaps,too.We’llhavegreat—”ThenIrecollectedmyself.“We’llplaywiththem,ofcourse,”Iwenton.“ButyouaregoingtobeMYfriend,aren’tyou?Andyou’llcomeinmyboat,andwe’lltravelintheguard’svantogether,andI’llstopthesoldiersfiringofftheirguns!”
Butshelookedmischievouslyaway,and—dowhatIwould—Icouldnotgethertopromise.
Justthenthestrikingofthevillageclockawokewithinmeanotherclamoroustimepiece,remindingmeofmid-daymuttonagoodhalf-mileaway,andofpenaltiesandcurtailmentsattachingtoalateappearance.
