a dYg jMzd t ran ap kwFitli t H hIlz v evrIwan h met, n t bFt Hem wiTQt nOtis. hz mAstar saspendd a bel abQt hz nek s Ht H dYg mFt giv nOtis v hz prezans `Erevar h went. TiNkN i a myrk v distiNkSn, H dYg grM prQd v hz bel n went tiNklN i Yl Ovar H myrkitplEs. wan dE an Old hQnd sed t him: `F d jM mEk sac an eksabiSn v jYrself? Ht bel Ht jM kEri z not, bilIv mI, eni Yrdar v mErit, bt on H koncrEri a myrk v disgrEs, a pablik nOtis t Yl men t avqd jM Az an il mAnard dYg."
-- nOtarFiti z ofan mistEkan f fEm. --
a mFzar sOld Yl Ht h hAd n bYt a lamp v gOld, `ic h bErId in a hOl in H grQnd bF H sFd v an Old wYl n went t lUk At dEli. wan v hz warkmen abzarvd hz frIkwent vizits t H spot n disFdd t wYc hz mMvmants. h sMn diskavard H sIkrit v H hidan creZar, n digN dQn, kEm t H lamp v gOld, n stOl i. H mFzar, on hz nekst vizit, fQnd H hOl empti n bigAn t tEr hz hEr n t mEk lQd lamentESnz. a nEbar, sIiN him Ovarkam wiT grIf n larnN H kYz, sed, "prE d not grIv sO; bt gO n tEk a stOn, n plEs i in H hOl, n fAnsi Ht H gOld z stil lFiN HEr. i wil d jM kwFt H sEm sarvis; f `en H gOld waz HEr, jM hAd i not, Az jM did not mEk H slFtist jMs v i."
a mOl, a krIcar blFnd fram barT, wans sed t hz maHar: "F Am Sar Ht F kn sI, maHar!" in H dizFr t prMv t him hz mistEk, hz maHar plEsd bifYr him a fjM grEnz v frANkansens, n Askd, "`at z i?" H jaN mOl sed, "i z a pebl." hz maHar eksklEmd: "mF san, F Am afrEd Ht jM r not Onli blFnd, bt Ht jM hAv lost jYr sens v smel."
H bIsts v H fYrist gEv a splendid entartEnmant At `ic H maNki stUd ap n dAnsd. hAvN vAstli dilFtd H asembli, h sAt dQn amidst jMnivarsl aplYz. H kAml, envias v H prEzz bistOd on H maNki n dizFrN t dFvart t himself H fEvar V H gests, prapOzd t stAnd ap in hz tarn n dAns f HEr amjMzmant. h mMvd abQt in sO atarli ridikjMlas a mAnar Ht H bIsts, in a fit v indignASn, set apon him wiT klabz n JrOv him Qt v H asembli.
-- i z absard t Ep Qr betarz. --
a sElar, bQnd on a loN vqiJ, tUk wiT him a maNki t amjMz him `Fl on SipbYrd. Az h sEld of H kOst v /grIs, a vFalant tempast arOz in `ic H Sip waz rekd n f, hz maNki, n Yl H krM war ablFJd t swim f HEr lFvz. a dolfin sY H maNki kntendN wiT H wEvz, n sapOzN him t b a mAn (hMm h z YlwEz sed t bifrend), kEm n plEsd himself andar him, t knvE hm on hz bAk in sEfti t H SYr. `en H dolfin arFvd wiT hz bardan in sFt v lAnd not fyr fram ATinz, h Askd H maNki if h war an aTInian. H lAtar riplFd Ht h waz, n Ht h waz disendd fram wan v H mOst nObl fAmalIz in Ht siti. H dolfin Hn inkwFrd if h nM H pFrIas (H fEmas hyrbar v ATinz. sapOzN Ht a mAn waz ment, H maNki Ansard Ht h nM hm vEri wel n Ht h waz an intimat frend. H dolfin, indignant At HIz fYlshUdz, dipd H maNki andar H wotar n JrQnd hm.
a maNki parcd apon a lofti crI sY sam fiSarmen kAstN HEr nets intM a rivar, n nErOli wocd HEr prasIdNz. H fiSarmen Aftar a `Fl gEv ap fiSN, n on gOiN hOm t dinar left HEr nets apon H bANk. H maNki, hM z H mOst imitEtiv v Anamlz, disendd fram H crItop n endevard t d Az HE hAd dan. hAvN hAndld H net, h TrM i intM H rivar, bt bikEm entANgld in H meSz n jrQnd. wiT hz lAst breT h sed t himself, "F Am rFtli sarvd; f `at biznis hAd F hM hAd nevar hAndld a net t crF n kAc fiS?"
H maNki, i z sed, hAz tM jaN wanz At Ic barT. H maHar fondlz wan n narcarz i wiT H grEtist afekSn n kEr, bt hEts n niglekts H aHar. i hApand wans Ht H jaN wan `ic waz karesd n lavd waz smaHard bF H tM grEt afekSn v H maHar, `Fl H dispFzd wan waz narcard n rIrd in spFt v H niglekt t `ic i waz ikspOzd.
-- H best intenSnz wil not YlwEz enSar sakses. --
H mQntan waz wans grEtli AJitEtd. lQd grOnz n nqzz war hard, n krQdz v pIpl kEm fram Yl pyrts t sI `at waz H mAtar. `Fl HE war asembld in ANkSas ekspektESn v sam tErabl kalAmiti, Qt kEm a mQs.
-- dOnt mEk mac adM abQt naHiN. --
a bUl waz bitan bF a mQs n, ANgard bF H wMnd, crFd t kAcar hm. bt H mQs rIcd hz hOl in sEfti. HO H bUl dag intM H wYlz wiT hz hYrnz, h tFrd bifYr h kUd rQt Qt H mQs, n krQcN dQn, went t slIp QtsFd H hOl. H mQs pIpd Qt, krept fartivli ap hz flANk, n agen bFtN hm, ricrItd t hz hOl. H bUl rFzN ap, n not nOiN `at t d, waz sAdli parpleksd. At `ic H mQs sed, "H grEt d not YlwEz privEl. HEr r tFmz `en H smYl n lOli r H scroNist t d miscif."
a mQs hM YlwEz livd on H lAnd, bF an anlaki cAns fYrmd an intimat akwEntans wiT a frog, hM livd f H mOst pyrt in H wotar. H frog, wan dE intent on miscif, bQnd H fUt v H mQs tFtli t hz On. Has Jqnd tageHar, H frog farst v Yl led hz frend H mQs t H medO `Er HE war akastamd t fFnd HEr fUd. Aftar Hs, h grAJMali led him tYrdz H pMl in `ic h livd, antil rIcN H vEri briNk, h sadanli Jampd in, JrAgN H mQs wiT hm. H frog enJqd H wotar amEzNli, n swAm krOkN abQt, Az if h hAd dan a gUd dId. H anhApi mQs waz sMn safakEtd bF H wotar, n hz ded bodi flOtd abQt on H sarfis, tFd t H fUt f H frog. a hYk abzarvd i, n pQnsN apon i wiT hz tAlanz, kErId i aloft. H frog, bIiN stil fAsand t H leg v H mQs, waz YlsO kErId of a prizanar, n waz Itan bF H hYk.
-- hyrm hAc, hyrm kAc. --
a fAmiSd wUlf waz prQlN abQt in H mYrnN in sarc v fUd. Az h pAsd H dYr v a kotiJ bilt in H fYrist, h hard a maHar sE t har cFld, "b kwFit, Yr F wil TrO jM Qt v H windO, n H wUlf SAl It jM." H wUlf sAt Yl dE wEtN At H dYr. in H IvnN h hard H sEm wUman sE t har cFld: "jM r kwFit nQ, n if H wUlf SAl kam, wI wil kil hm." H wUlf, hIrN HIz wardz, went hOm, gAspN wiT kOld n haNgar. `en h rIcd hz den, miscris wUlf inkwFrd v hm `F h ritarnd wIrId n saparlis, sO kncrEri t hz wont. h riplFd: "`F, fYrsMT! jMz F gEv krIdans t H wardz v a wUman!"
a mjMl, froliksam fram lAk v wark n fram tM mac kYrn, gAlopd abQt in a vEri ikscrAvagant mAnar, n sed t himself: "mF fYHar Sarli waz a hF-metld rEsar, n F Am hz On cFld in spId n spIrit." on H nekst dE, bIiN Jrivan a loN Jarni, n fIlN vEri wIrId, h eksklEmd in a diskonsalit tOn: "F mast hAv mEd a mistEk; mF fYHar, Aftar Yl, kUd hAv bin Onli an As."
tM mjMlz wel-lEdan wiT pAks war craJN aloN. wan kErId sAks fild wiT mani, H aHar sAks wEtd wiT grEn. H mjMl kErIiN H creZar wYkd wiT hed arekt, Az if konSas v H vAljM v hz bardan, n tosd ap n dQn H klIr-tOnd belz fAsand t hz nek. hz kmpAnjan folOd wiT kwFit n Izi step. Yl v a sadan robarz raSd apon Hem fram HEr hFdN-plEsz, n in H skafl wiT HEr Onarz, wMndd wiT a sYrd H mjMl kErIiN H creZar, `ic HE grIdili sIzd `Fl tEkN nO nOtis v H grEn. H mjMl `ic hAd bin robd n wQndd biwEld hz misfYrcanz. H aHar riplFd, "F Am indId glAd Ht F waz TYt sO litl v, f F hAv lost naTiN, nYr Am F hart wiT eni wMnd."
H nYrT wind n H /san dispjMtd Az t `ic waz H mOst pQrfal, n agrId Ht h SUd b diklErd H viktar hM kUd farst scrip a wEffErN mAn v hz kOt. H nYrT wind farst crFd hz pQr n blM wiT Yl hz mFt, bt H kInar hz blAsts, H klOsar H crAvalar rApd hz klOk arQnd hm, antil At lAst, rizFnN Yl hOp v viktari, H wind kYld apon H /san t sI `at h kUd d. H /san sadanli SOn Qt wiT Yl hz wYrmT. H crAvalar nO sMnar felt hz JInial rEz Hn h tUk of hz kOt.
-- parswEZn z betar Hn fYrs. --
"b kwFit nQ," sed an Old nars t a cFld sitN on har lAp. "if jM mEk Ht nqz agen F wil TrO jM t H wUlf."
nQ i cAnsd Ht a wUlf waz pAsN klOs andar H windO Az Hs waz sed. sO h krQcd dQn bF H sFd v H hQs n wEtd. "F Am in gUd lak tadE," TYt h. "i z Sar t krF sMn, n a dEntiar mYrsl F hAvnt hAd f meni a loN dE." sO h wEtd, n h wEtd, til At lAst H cFld bigAn t krF, n H wUlf kEm fYrward bifYr H windO, n lUkd ap t H nars, wAgN hz tEl. bt Yl H nars did waz t Sat dQn H windO n kYl f help, n H dYgz v H hQs kEm raSN Qt. "Y," sed H wUlf Az h gAlapd awE...
-- enamIz promisz war mEd t b brOkan. --
a vEri lyrJ Ok waz aprMtd bF H wind n TrOn akros a scrIm. i fel amaN sam rIdz, `ic i Has aJresd: "F wandar hQ jM, hM r sO lFt n wIk, r not entFrli kraSd bF HIz scroN windz." HE riplFd, "jM fFt n kntend wiT H wind, n konsakwentli jM r discrqd; `Fl wI on H koncrEri bend bifYr H lIst breT v Er, n HErfYr rimEn anbrOkan, n eskEp."
-- stMp t koNkar. --
H wUdkatar kat dQn a mQntan Ok n split i in pIsz mEkN weJz v its On brAncz f divFdN H craNk. H Ok sed wiT a sF, "F d not kEr abQt H blOz v H Aks Emd At mF rMts, bt F d grIv At bIiN tYrn in pIsz bF HIz weJz mEd fram mF On brAncz."
-- mifYrcanz spriNN fram Qrselvz r H hyrdist t bEr. --
H Oks prizentd a kmplEnt t JMpitar, sEiN, "wI bEr f nO parpas H bardan v lFf, Az v Yl H crIz Ht grO wI r H mOst kntinjMali in pEral v H Aks." JMpitar mEd Ansar: "jM hAv Onli t TANk jYrselvz f H misfYrcanz t `ic jM r ekspOzd: f if jM did not mEk sac eksalant pilarz n pOsts, n prMv jYrselvz sO sarvisabl t H kyrpantarz n H fyrmarz, H Aks wUd not sO frIkwantli b lEd t jYr rMts."
a hQnd, hM in H dEz v hz jMT n screNkT hAd nevar jIldd t eni bIst v H fYrist, enkQntard in hz Old EJ a bYr in H cEs. h sIzd hm bOldli bF H Ir, bt kUd not ritEn hz hOld bikYz v H dilE v hz tIT, sO Ht H bYr eskEpd. hz mAstar, kwikli kamN ap, waz vEri mac disapqntd, n fIrsli abjMzd H dYg. H hQnd lUkd ap n sed, "i waz not mF fYlt, mAstar: mF spIrit waz Az gUd Az evar, bt F kUd not help mF infarmitIz. F rAHar dizarv t b prEzd f `at F hAv bin, Hn t b blEmd f `at F Am."
a lFan, wYrn Qt wiT jIrz n pQrlis fram dizIz, lE on H grQnd At H pqnt v deT. a bYr raSd apon hm, n avenJd wiT a scrOk v hz tasks a loN-rimembard inJari. SYrtli Aftarwardz H bUl wiT hz hYrnz gYrd hm Az if h war an enami. `en H doNki sY Ht H hjMJ bIst kUd b asEld wiT impjMniti, h let JrFv At hz fYrhed wiT hz hIlz. H ekspFrN lFan sed, "F hAv rilaktantli brUkd H insalts v H brEv, bt t b kmpeld t endar sac crItmant fram HI, a disgrEs t nEcar, z indId t dF a dabl deT."
an Old lEbarar, bent dabl wiT EJ n tql, waz gAHarN stiks in a fYrist. At lAst h grM sO tFrd n hOplis Ht h TrM dQn H bandl v stiks, n krFd Qt: "F kn not bEr Hs lFf eni loNgar. y, F wiS deT wUd Onli kam n tEk mI."
Az h spOk, deT, a grizli skelitan, apIrd n sed t hm: "`at wUdst HQ, mYrtl? F hard HI kYl mI."
"plIz, sar," riplFd H wUdkatar, "wUd jM kFndli help mI t lift Hs bandl v stiks on t mF SOldar?"
-- wI wUd ofan b sori if Qr wiSz war grAntd. --
an Old wUman hAvN lost H jMs v har Fz, kYld in a fiziSn t hIl Hem, n mEd Hs byrgin wiT hm in H prezans v witnisz: Ht if h SUd kjar har blFndnis, h SUd risIv fram har a sam v mani; bt if har infariti rimEnd, S SUd giv hm naTiN. Hs agrImant bIiN mEd, H fiziSn, tFm Aftar tFm, aplFd hz sAv t har Fz, n on evri vizit tUk samTiN awE, stIlN Yl har proparti litl bF litl. n `en h hAd got Yl S hAd, h hIld har n dimAndd H promisd pEmant. H Old wUman, `en S rikavard har sFt n sY nan v har gUdz in har hQs, wUd giv hm naTiN. H fiziSn insistd on hz klEm, n, Az S stil rifjMzd, samand har bifYr H JaJ. H Old wUman, stAndN ap in H kYrt, yrgjMd: "Hs mAn hIr spIks H crMT in `at h sez; f F did promis t giv hm a sam v mani if F SUd rikavar mF sFt: bt if F kntinjMd blFnd, F waz t giv hm naTiN. nQ h diklErz Ht F Am hIld. F on H koncrEri afarm Ht F Am stil blFnd; f `en F lost H jMs v mF Fz, F sY in mF hQs vErias vAljabl gUdz: bt nQ, HO h swErz F Am kjard v mF blFndnis, F Am not Ebl t sI a siNgl TiN in i."
an Old wUman fQnd an empti Jyr `ic hAd lEtli bin fUl v prFm Old wFn n `ic stil ritEnd H frEgrant smel v its fYrmar kontents. S grIdili plEsd i sevral tFmz t har nOz, n JrYiN i bAkwdz n fYrwdz sed, "O mOst diliSas! hQ nFs mast H wFn itself hAv bin, `en i lIvz bihFnd in H vEri vesl `ic kntEnd i sO swIt a parfjMm!"
-- H memari v a gUd dId livz. --
H oliv-crI ridikjMld h fig-crI bikYz, `Fl S waz grIn Yl jIr rQnd, H fig-crI cEnJd its lIvz wiT H sIzanz. a SQr v snO fel apon Hem, n fFndN H oliv fUl v fOlIiJ, i setlf apon its brAncz n brOk Hem dQn wiT its wEt, At wans dispqlN i v its bjMti n kilN H crI. bt fFndN H fig-crI wiTQt lIvz, H snO fel TrM t H grQnd, n did not inJar i At Yl.
a dO wans hAd H misfYrcan t lMz wan v har Fz, n kUd not sI eni wan aprOcN har on Ht sFd. sO t avqd eni dEnJar S YlwEz jMzd t fId on a hF klif nIr H sI, wiT har sQnd F lUkN tYrdz H lAnd. bF Hs mInz S kUd sI `enevar H hantarz aprOcd har on lAnd, n ofan eskEpd bF Hs mInz. bt H hantarz fQnd Qt Ht S waz blFnd v wan F, n hFrN a bOt rOd andar H klif `Er S jMzd t fId n shot har fram H sI. "y," krFd S wiT har dFiN vqs...
-- jM kn not eskEp jYr fEt. --
a hevi wAgan waz bIiN JrAgd aloN a kancri lEn bF a tIm v oksan. H Akslz grOnd n krIkd tErabli; `Erapon H oksan, tarnN rQnd, Has aJresd H `Ilz: "helO HEr! `F d jM mEk sO mac nqz? w bIr Yl H lEbar, n w, not jM, Yt t krF Qt."
-- HOz hM safar mOst krF Qt H lIst. --
H oksan wans apon a tFm sYt t discrq H bUcarz, hM prAktisd a crEd discraktiv t HEr rEs. HE asebld on a sartan dE t kEri Qt HEr parpas, n Syrpand HEr hYrnz f H kontest. bt wan v Hem hM waz eksIdNli Old (f meni a fIld hAd h plQd) Has spOk: "HIz bUcarz, i z crM, slYtar as, bt HE d sO wiT skilfal hAndz, n wiT nO annesasEri pEn. if w get rid v Hem, w SAl fYl intM H hAndz v anskild oparEtarz, n Has safar a dabl deT: f jM mE b aSUrd Ht, HO Yl H bUcarz SUd pEriS, jet wil men nevar wont bIf."
-- d not b in a hari t cEnJ wan Ivl f anaHar. --
an Ql, in har wizdam, kQnsld H bardz Ht `en H EkYrn farst bigAn t sprQt, t pUl i Yl ap Qt v H grQnd n not alQ i t grO. S sed EkYrnz wUd pradMs misaltO, fram `ic a pqzan, H bard-lFm, wUd b ikscrAktd n bF `ic HE wUd b kApcard. H Ql nekst AdvFzd Hem t plak ap H sId v H flAks, `ic men hAd sOn, Az i waz a plAnt `ic bOdd nO gUd t Hem. n, lAstli, H Ql, sIiN an yrcar aprOc, pridiktd Ht Hs mAn, bIiN on fUt, wUd kncrFv dyrts yrmd wiT feHarz `ic wUd flF fAstar Hn H wiNz Hemselvz. H bardz gEv nO krIdans t HIz wYrnN wardz, bt knsidard H Ql t b bisFd harself n sed Ht S waz mAd. bt Aftarwdz, fFndN har wardz war crM, HE wandard At har noliJ n dImd har t b H wFzist v bardz. hens i z Ht `en S apIrz HE lUk t har Az nOiN Yl TiNz, `Fl S nO loNgar givz Hem AdvFs, bt in solitMd laments HEr pAst foli.
a fQlar kYt a pyrcriJ n waz abQt t kil i. H pyrcriJ arnistli begd hm t spEr hz lFf, sEiN, "prE, mAstar, parmit m t liv n F wil entFs meni pyrcriJz t jM in rikompans f jYr marsi t m." H fQlar riplFd, "F SAl nQ wiT les skrMpl tEk jYr lFf, bikYz jM r wilN t sEv i At H kost v bicrEiN jYr frendz n rilESnz."
a pIkok wans plEsd a pitiSn bifYr JMnO dizFrN t hAv H vqs v a nFtangEl in adiSn t hz aHar acrAkSnz; bt JMnO rifjMzd hz rikwest. `en H pIkok parsistd, JMnO pqntd Qt Ht H pIkok waz har fEvarit bard n sed:
-- b kntent w jYr lot; wan kn not b farst in evrITiN. --