Мхи старої садиби
The Artist of the Beautiful
Fromthisperilousstatehewasredeemedbyanincidentwhichmorethanonepersonwitnessed,butofwhichtheshrewdestcouldnotexplainorconjecturetheoperationonOwenWarland’smind.Itwasverysimple.Onawarmafternoonofspring,astheartistsatamonghisriotouscompanionswithaglassofwinebeforehim,asplendidbutterflyflewinattheopenwindowandflutteredabouthishead.
"Ah,"exclaimedOwen,whohaddrankfreely,"areyoualiveagain,childofthesunandplaymateofthesummerbreeze,afteryourdismalwinter’snap?Thenitistimeformetobeatwork!"
And,leavinghisunemptiedglassuponthetable,hedepartedandwasneverknowntosipanotherdropofwine.
Andnow,again,heresumedhiswanderingsinthewoodsandfields.Itmightbefanciedthatthebrightbutterfly,whichhadcomesospirit-likeintothewindowasOwensatwiththeruderevellers,wasindeedaspiritcommissionedtorecallhimtothepure,ideallifethathadsoetheralizedhimamongmen.Itmightbefanciedthathewentforthtoseekthisspiritinitssunnyhaunts;forstill,asinthesummertimegoneby,hewasseentostealgentlyupwhereverabutterflyhadalighted,andlosehimselfincontemplationofit.Whenittookflighthiseyesfollowedthewingedvision,asifitsairytrackwouldshowthepathtoheaven.Butwhatcouldbethepurposeoftheunseasonabletoil,whichwasagainresumed,asthewatchmanknewbythelinesoflamplightthroughthecrevicesofOwenWarland’sshutters?Thetowns-peoplehadonecomprehensiveexplanationofallthesesingularities.
