Ветер в ивах
Wayfarers All
Veryanxiousinmind,theMolelefthimforatimeandbusiedhimselfwithhouseholdmatters;anditwasgettingdarkwhenhereturnedtotheparlourandfoundtheRatwherehehadlefthim,wideawakeindeed,butlistless,silent,anddejected.Hetookonehastyglanceathiseyes;foundthem,tohisgreatgratification,clearanddarkandbrownagainasbefore;andthensatdownandtriedtocheerhimupandhelphimtorelatewhathadhappenedtohim.
PoorRattydidhisbest,bydegrees,toexplainthings;buthowcouldheputintocoldwordswhathadmostlybeensuggestion?Howrecall,foranother’sbenefit,thehauntingseavoicesthathadsungtohim,howreproduceatsecond-handthemagicoftheSeafarer’shundredreminiscences?Eventohimself,nowthespellwasbrokenandtheglamourgone,hefounditdifficulttoaccountforwhathadseemed,somehoursago,theinevitableandonlything.Itisnotsurprising,then,thathefailedtoconveytotheMoleanyclearideaofwhathehadbeenthroughthatday.
TotheMolethismuchwasplain:thefit,orattack,hadpassedaway,andhadlefthimsaneagain,thoughshakenandcastdownbythereaction.Butheseemedtohavelostallinterestforthetimeinthethingsthatwenttomakeuphisdailylife,aswellasinallpleasantforecastingsofthealtereddaysanddoingsthatthechangingseasonwassurelybringing