Білі люди
Chapter X
IwenttothestonebalustradeveryquietlyandleanedagainstitasIturnedtolookathimandspeak.
ThenIstoodquitestillandlookedlong—forsomereasonnotstartled,notanguished,notevenfeelingthathehadgone.HewasmorebeautifulthananyhumancreatureIhadeverseenbefore.ButIthadhappenedastheysaiditwould.Hehadnotceased—butsomethingelsehad.Somethinghadceased.
ItwasthenexteveningbeforeIcameoutontheterraceagain.Thedayhadbeenmoreexquisiteandthesunsetmorewonderfulthanbefore.Mrs.MacNairnwassittingbyherson’ssideinthebedroomwhosewindowslookedoverthemoor.Iamnotgoingtosayonewordofwhathadcomebetweenthetwosunsets.Mrs.MacNairnandIhadclung—andclung.Wehadpromisednevertopartfromeachother.IdidnotquiteknowwhyIwentoutontheterrace;perhapsitwasbecauseIhadalwayslovedtositorstandthere.
ThiseveningIstoodandleaneduponthebalustrade,lookingoutfar,far,faroverthemoor.Istoodandgazedandgazed.IwasthinkingabouttheSecretandtheHillside.Iwasveryquiet—asquietasthetwilight’sself.AndtherecamebacktomethememoryofwhatHectorhadsaidaswestoodonthegoldenpatchofgorsewhenthemisthadforamomentorsoblownaside,whathehadsaidofman’sawakening,and,rememberingalltheagesof—childish,uselessdread,howhewouldstand—Ididnotturnsuddenly,butslowly.Iwasnotstartledinthefaintestdegree.Hestoodthereclosetomeashehadsooftenstood.
Andhestood—andsmiled.
Ihaveseenhimmanytimessince.Ishallseehimmanytimesagain
