Поворот винта

           Hehadnever,atanyrate,beensuchalittlegentlemanaswhen,afterourearlydinneronthisdreadfulday,hecameroundtomeandaskedifIshouldn’tlikehim,forhalfanhour,toplaytome.DavidplayingtoSaulcouldneverhaveshownafinersenseoftheoccasion.Itwasliterallyacharmingexhibitionoftact,ofmagnanimity,andquitetantamounttohissayingoutright:“Thetrueknightswelovetoreadaboutneverpushanadvantagetoofar.Iknowwhatyoumeannow:youmeanthat—tobeletaloneyourselfandnotfollowedup—you’llceasetoworryandspyuponme,won’tkeepmesoclosetoyou,willletmegoandcome.Well,I‘come,’yousee—butIdon’tgo!There’llbeplentyoftimeforthat.Idoreallydelightinyoursociety,andIonlywanttoshowyouthatIcontendedforaprinciple.”ItmaybeimaginedwhetherIresistedthisappealorfailedtoaccompanyhimagain,handinhand,totheschoolroom.Hesatdownattheoldpianoandplayedashehadneverplayed;andiftherearethosewhothinkhehadbetterhavebeenkickingafootballIcanonlysaythatIwhollyagreewiththem.ForattheendofatimethatunderhisinfluenceIhadquiteceasedtomeasure,Istartedupwithastrangesenseofhavingliterallysleptatmypost.Itwasafterluncheon,andbytheschoolroomfire,andyetIhadn’treally,intheleast,slept:Ihadonlydonesomethingmuchworse—Ihadforgotten.