Ветер в ивах
Wayfarers All
Astheguestsonebyonepack,pay,anddepart,andtheseatsatthetable-d’hôteshrinkpitifullyateachsucceedingmeal;assuitesofroomsareclosed,carpetstakenup,andwaiterssentaway;thoseboarderswhoarestayingon,enpension,untilthenextyear’sfullre-opening,cannothelpbeingsomewhataffectedbyalltheseflittingsandfarewells,thiseagerdiscussionofplans,routes,andfreshquarters,thisdailyshrinkageinthestreamofcomradeship.Onegetsunsettled,depressed,andinclinedtobequerulous.Whythiscravingforchange?Whynotstayonquietlyhere,likeus,andbejolly?Youdon’tknowthishoteloutoftheseason,andwhatfunwehaveamongourselves,wefellowswhoremainandseethewholeinterestingyearout.Allverytrue,nodoubt,theothersalwaysreply;wequiteenvyyou—andsomeotheryearperhaps—butjustnowwehaveengagements—andthere’sthebusatthedoor—ourtimeisup!Sotheydepart,withasmileandanod,andwemissthem,andfeelresentful.TheRatwasaself-sufficingsortofanimal,rootedtotheland,and,whoeverwent,hestayed;still,hecouldnothelpnoticingwhatwasintheair,andfeelingsomeofitsinfluenceinhisbones.
Itwasdifficulttosettledowntoanythingseriously,withallthisflittinggoingon.
