Страна слепых

           Amonghishearerswasagirl,witheyelidslessredandsunkenthantheothers,sothatonecouldalmostfancyshewashidingeyes,whomespeciallyhehopedtopersuade. Hespokeofthebeautiesofsight,ofwatchingthemountains,oftheskyandthesunrise,andtheyheardhimwithamusedincredulitythatpresentlybecamecondemnatory. Theytoldhimtherewereindeednomountainsatall,butthattheendoftherockswherethellamasgrazedwasindeedtheendoftheworld;thencesprangacavernousroofoftheuniverse,fromwhichthedewandtheavalanchesfell;andwhenhemaintainedstoutlytheworldhadneitherendnorroofsuchastheysupposed,theysaidhisthoughtswerewicked. Sofarashecoulddescribeskyandcloudsandstarstothemitseemedtothemahideousvoid,aterribleblanknessintheplaceofthesmoothrooftothingsinwhichtheybelieved—itwasanarticleoffaithwiththemthatthecavernroofwasexquisitelysmoothtothetouch. Hesawthatinsomemannerheshockedthem,andgaveupthataspectofthematteraltogether,andtriedtoshowthemthepracticalvalueofsight. OnemorninghesawPedrointhepathcalledSeventeenandcomingtowardsthecentralhouses,butstilltoofaroffforhearingorscent,andhetoldthemasmuch. "Inalittlewhile,"heprophesied,"Pedrowillbehere." AnoldmanremarkedthatPedrohadnobusinessonpathSeventeen,andthen,asifinconfirmation,thatindividualashedrewnearturnedandwenttransverselyintopathTen,andsobackwithnimblepacestowardstheouterwall.