The things we do!

He took no notice of me, only wiped his mouth-organ and went on
playing. This went on for some time; then at last, waiting till he stopped
to wipe his instrument again, I coughed.
"That you, Ingeborg?" he called out. I thought he must be speaking to
someone in the house behind him, and made no answer. "You there, I mean,"
he said again.
I was confused at this. "Can't you see me?" I said.
He did not answer, but fumbled with his hands to either side, as if trying
to get up, and I realized that he was blind, "Sit still; don't be afraid
of me," I said, and set myself down beside him.
We fell into talk: been blind since he was fourteen, it seemed; he would
be eighteen now, and a big, strong fellow he was, with a thick growth of
down on his chin. And, thank Heaven, he said, his health was good. But his
eyesight, I asked; could he remember what the world looked like? Yes,
indeed; there were many pleasant things he could remember from the time
when he could see. He was happy and content enough.


Pages:
190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214