Крамка старожитностей

Chapter 53

           Fortyyearago,youhadonlytoletdownthebuckettillthefirstknotintheropewasfreeofthewindlass,andyouhearditsplashinginthecolddullwater.Bylittleandlittlethewaterfellaway,sothatintenyearafterthat,asecondknotwasmade,andyoumustunwindsomuchrope,orthebucketswungtightandemptyattheend.Intenyears’time,thewaterfellagain,andathirdknotwasmade.Intenyearsmore,thewelldriedup;andnow,ifyoulowerthebuckettillyourarmsaretired,andletoutnearlyallthecord,you’llhearit,ofasudden,clankingandrattlingonthegroundbelow;withasoundofbeingsodeepandsofardown,thatyourheartleapsintoyourmouth,andyoustartawayasifyouwerefallingin.’

           ‘Adreadfulplacetocomeoninthedark!’exclaimedthechild,whohadfollowedtheoldman’slooksandwordsuntilsheseemedtostanduponitsbrink.

           ‘Whatisitbutagrave!’saidthesexton.‘Whatelse!Andwhichofouroldfolks,knowingallthis,thought,asthespringsubsided,oftheirownfailingstrength,andlesseninglife?Notone!’

           ‘Areyouveryoldyourself?’askedthechild,involuntarily.

           ‘Ishallbeseventy-ninenextsummer.’

           ‘Youstillworkwhenyouarewell?’

           ‘Work!Tobesure.Youshallseemygardenshereabout.Lookatthewindowthere.Imade,andhavekept,thatplotofgroundentirelywithmyownhands.BythistimenextyearIshallhardlyseethesky,theboughswillhavegrownsothick.Ihavemywinterworkatnightbesides.

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