"Stevenson_Markheim" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stevenson Robert Louis)

that was bright and interesting that Oswald Everard found himself
becoming reconciled to the whole race of tuners. He was amazed to
learn that she had walked all the way from Z----, and quite alone,
too.

"Oh, I don't think anything of that," she said; "I had a splendid
time, and I caught four rare butterflies. I would not have missed
those for anything. As for the going about by myself, that is a second
nature. Besides, I do not belong to any one. That has its advantages,
and I suppose its disadvantages; but at present I have only discovered
the advantages. The disadvantages will discover themselves!"

"I believe you are what the novels call an advanced young woman," he
said. "Perhaps you give lectures on woman's suffrage, or something of
that sort?"

"I have very often mounted the platform," she answered. "In fact, I am
never so happy as when addressing an immense audience. A most
unfeminine thing to do, isn't it? What would the lady yonder in the
horse-cloth dress and billycock hat say? Don't you think you ought to
go and help her drive away the goat? She looks so frightened. She
interests me deeply. I wonder whether she has written an essay on the
feminine in woman. I should like to read it; it would do me so much
good."

"You are at least a true woman," he said, laughing, "for I see you can
be spiteful. The tuning has not driven that away."

"Ah, I had forgotten about the tuning," she answered, brightly; "but
now you remind me, I have been seized with a great idea."

"Won't you tell it to me?" he asked.

"No," she answered; "I keep my great ideas for myself, and work them
out in secret. And this one is particularly amusing. What fun I shall
have!"

"But why keep the fun to yourself?" he said. "We all want to be amused
here; we all want to be stirred up; a little fun would be a charity."

"Very well, since you wish it, you shall be stirred up," she answered;
"but you must give me time to work out my great idea. I do not hurry
about things, not even about my professional duties; for I have a
strong feeling that it is vulgar to be always amassing riches! As I
have neither a husband nor a brother to support, I have chosen less
wealth, and more leisure to enjoy all the loveliness of life! So you
see I take my time about everything. And to-morrow I shall catch
butterflies at my leisure, and lie among the dear old pines, and work
at my great idea."