Дні мрій
The Magic Ring
ButHaroldhadreckonedrightlyuponthedisturbingeffectofill-humour,andhadguessed,perhaps,thatIthirstedforcomfortandconsolation,andwouldnotcriticisetoocloselythesourcefromwhichtheycame.UnthinkinglyIgraspedthegoldenfraud,whichcollapsedatmytouch,andsquirteditscontentsintomyeyesandovermycollar,tillthenethermostpartsofmeweredampwiththewaterthathadrundownmyneck.InaninstantIhadHarolddown,and,withalltheenergyofwhichIwascapable,devotedmyselftogrindinghisheadintothegravel;whilehe,realizingthattheclosurewasapplied,andthatthetimefordiscussionorargumentwaspast,sternlyconcentratedhispowersonkickingmeinthestomach.
Somepeoplecanneveralloweventstoworkthemselvesoutquietly.AtthisjunctureoneofThemswoopeddownonthescene,pouringshrill,misplacedabuseonbothofus:onmeforill-treatingmyyoungerbrother,whereasitwasdistinctlyIwhowastheinjuredandthedeceived;onhimforthehighoffenceofassaultandbatteryonacleancollar—acollarwhichIhadmyselfdefloweredanddefaced,shortlybefore,insheerdesperateill-temper.
