Страна слепых

           Everything,yousee,hadbeenmadetofittheirneeds;eachoftheradiatingpathsofthevalleyareahadaconstantangletotheothers,andwasdistinguishedbyaspecialnotchuponitskerbing; allobstaclesandirregularitiesofpathormeadowhadlongsincebeenclearedaway;alltheirmethodsandprocedurearosenaturallyfromtheirspecialneeds. Theirsenseshadbecomemarvellouslyacute;theycouldhearandjudgetheslightestgestureofamanadozenpacesaway—couldheartheverybeatingofhisheart. Intonationhadlongreplacedexpressionwiththem,andtouchesgesture,andtheirworkwithhoeandspadeandforkwasasfreeandconfidentasgardenworkcanbe. Theirsenseofsmellwasextraordinarilyfine;theycoulddistinguishindividualdifferencesasreadilyasadogcan,andtheywentaboutthetendingofthellamas,wholivedamongtherocksaboveandcametothewallforfoodandshelter,witheaseandconfidence. ItwasonlywhenatlastNunezsoughttoasserthimselfthathefoundhoweasyandconfidenttheirmovementscouldbe. 

           Herebelledonlyafterhehadtriedpersuasion. 

           Hetriedatfirstonseveraloccasionstotellthemofsight. "Lookyouhere,youpeople,"hesaid. "Therearethingsyoudonotunderstandinme." 

           Onceortwiceoneortwoofthemattendedtohim; theysatwithfacesdowncastandearsturnedintelligentlytowardshim,andhedidhisbesttotellthemwhatitwastosee.