"Alexander Green - The Seeker Of Adventure" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Alexander)

"I salute you with all my heart," he uttered slowly, in order that he
might detain Dogger's hand a while longer. But Dogger, smiling
ingenuously, likewise pressed Ammon's hand and did so without a trace of
impatience-even willingly.
"Now let's go have lunch," said Dogger, as he walked out of the shed.
"We'll be able to look at the rest this evening, if you're interested: the
meadow, the kitchen-garden, the greenhouse, and the seedbeds."
They returned along the same road. On the way Dogger said:
"Those who seek ugliness and disease in nature, rather than health and
beauty, lose a great deal."
No words could have been more appropriate than these amidst the
sweetbriar and jasmine that lined the fragrant pathways, along which
Ammon Root walked and observed Dogger out of the corner of his eye.




V. THE DRAGON AND THE SPLINTER


Ammon Root had rarely experienced so robust and pure and simple a
life as that with which fate had brought him into contact at Dogger's
estate. A remnant of suspiciousness stayed with him until the end of
lunch, but the Doggers' affable manner and the natural simplicity of their
movements, smiles, and glances enveloped Root with a winning aroma of
happiness. The hearty lunch consisted of butter, milk, cheese, ham, and
eggs. Ammon also liked the servant who brought in and cleared away the
food; she was a sedate woman and, like everyone in the house, healthy.
At Elma's request Ammon spoke a little about his travels. Through a
sense of inner opposition that a born city person characteristically
experiences in the country, where he is somewhat of an alien, he then
began to speak of the season's novelties.
"There's a new operetta by Rastrelli - The Pink Gnome - which is worse
than his last piece. Rastrelli is repeating himself. But Sedir's concerts are
enchanting. His violin-playing is powerful, and I think that a violinist like
Sedir could rule an entire kingdom with the help of his bow."
"I don't like music," said Dogger, breaking an egg. "May I offer you
some goat's-milk cheese?"
Ammon bowed.
"And you, madam?" he said.
"My tastes coincide with those of my husband," Elma answered,
reddening a little. "I don't like music either; I'm indifferent to it."
Ammon did not immediately find anything to say in reply, since he
believed what he had heard. These calm and self-possessed people had no
reason to pose for effect. But Ammon began to feel a little like he did when
he was sitting in the cafeteria that served vegetarian food.
"Well, there's no point in arguing the matter," he said. "A small
painting by Alar, 'The Dragon with a Splinter in His Paw', fascinated me
at an exhibition in the spring. The efforts which the dragon makes while
rolling on his back like a dog in order to get rid of the wood sliver are very