Білі люди
Chapter I
Myshynessandfearofitsstrangenessmadeusbothdumb.NodoubtIseemedlikeanewbreedofinoffensivelittlebarbarian,knowingnotonguebutitsown.
Acertainclannishetiquettemadeitseemnecessarythatarelationshouldpaymeavisitsometimes,becauseIwasinawayimportant.Thehuge,frowningfeudalcastlestandinguponitsbattlementedrockwasmine;Iwasagreatheiress,andIwas,sotospeak,thechieftainessoftheclan.ButIwasaplain,undersizedlittlechild,andhadnoattractionforanyonebutJeanBraidfute,adistantcousin,whotookcareofme,andAngusMacayre,whotookcareofthelibrary,andwhowasadistantrelativealso.Theywerebothlikemeinthefactthattheywerenotgiventospeech;butsometimeswetalkedtooneanother,andIknewtheywerefondofme,asIwasfondofthem.TheywerereallyallIhad.
WhenIwasalittlegirlIdidnot,ofcourse,understandthatIwasanimportantperson,andIcouldnothaverealizedthesignificanceofbeinganheiress.Ihadalwayslivedinthecastle,andwasusedtoitshugeness,ofwhichIonlyknewcorners.UntilIwassevenyearsold,Ithink,Iimaginedallbutverypoorpeoplelivedincastlesandweresalutedbyeveryonetheypassed.Itseemedprobablethatalllittlegirlshadapiperwhostrodeupanddowntheterraceandplayedonthebagpipeswhenguestswereservedinthedining-hall.
Mypiper’snamewasFeargus,andintimeIfoundoutthattheguestsfromLondoncouldnotendurethenoisehemadewhenhemarchedtoandfro,proudlyswinginghiskiltsandtreadinglikeastagonahillside.
