The Magic Ring

           Grown-uppeoplereallyoughttobemorecareful.Amongthemselvesitmayseembutasmallthingtogivetheirwordandtakebacktheirword.Forthemtherearesomanycompensations.Lifeliesattheirfeet,aparty-colouredindia-rubberball;theymaykickitthiswayorkickitthat,itturnsupblue,yellow,orgreen,butalwayscolouredandglistening.Thusoneseesithappenalmosteveryday,and,withajestandalaugh,thethingisover,andthedisappointedoneturnstofreshpleasure,lyingreadytohishand.Butwiththosewhoarebelowthem,whoselittleglobeisswayedbythem,whorushtobuildstar-pointingalhambrasontheirmostcasualword,theyreallyoughttobemorecareful.

           Inthiscaseofthecircus,forinstance,itwasnotasifwehadleduptothesubject.Itwastheywhobeganitentirely—promptedtheretobythelocalnewspaper.“What,acircus!”saidthey,intheirirritating,casualway:“thatwouldbenicetotakethechildrento.Wednesdaywouldbeagoodday.SupposewegoonWednesday.Oh,andpleatsarebeingwornagain,withrowsofdeepbraid,”etc.

           WhattheothersthoughtIknownot;whattheysaid,iftheysaidanything,Ididnotcomprehend.Formethehousewasbursting,wallsseemedtocrampandtostifle,theroofwasjumpingandlifting.Escapewastheimperativething—toescapeintotheopenair,toshakeoffbricksandmortar,andtowanderintheunfrequentedplacesoftheearth,themoreproperlytotakeinthepassionandthepromiseofthegiddysituation.