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

convincing. It is impossible to doubt that dragons exist after you look at
this painting depicting their everyday life. However, my friend found that
even if this dragon had been drinking milk and licking its chops...."
"I don't like art," Dogger remarked curtly.
Elma looked at him, then at Ammon, and smiled.
"That's enough of that," she said. "When were you last in the tropics?"
"No, I want to explain," Dogger softly interrupted. "Art is a great evil -
I'm speaking, of course, about real art. The theme of art is beauty, but
nothing causes so much suffering as beauty. Imagine the most perfect
work of art. There is more cruelty lurking in it than a person could bear."
"But there is also beauty in life," Ammon rejoined.
"The beauty of art is more hurtful than the beauty of life."
"What is your conclusion, then?"
"I feel a loathing for art. I have, as they say, the soul of a philistine. I
stand for order in politics, for constancy in love, and for inconspicuous but
useful work in society. And on the whole for industriousness, honesty,
responsibility, serenity, and moderate self-esteem in one's personal life."
"I cannot disagree with you," Ammon said guardedly. Dogger's assured
tone had finally persuaded him that Tonar was right. Dogger was a rare
example of a person who had created a special world of indestructible
normalcy.
Suddenly Dogger laughed merrily.
"There's nothing to discuss," he said. "I'm a cheerful and simple person.
Elma, will you come for a ride with us? I want to show our guest the
kitchen-garden, the meadows, and the surroundings."
"Yes."




VI. THE PIT IN THE FOREST

Except for the pit in the forest Ammon did not learn anything new from
the ride. Dogger rode on the right-hand side of Elma, and Ammon on the
left; Ammon did not make any further mention of Dogger's conviction and
spoke about himself, his meetings, and his observations. He sat in a
simple black saddle atop a beautiful, well-fed, and gentle horse. They came
across several people who were engaged in clearing ditches and in digging
the earth up around the young trees; these were Dogger's workers, stocky
young fellows who took off their hats respectfully. "A beautiful couple,"
Ammon thought, looking at his hosts. "Adam and Eve were probably like
this before the Fall." Impressionable, like all wanderers, he began to be
imbued with their austerely indulgent attitude towards everything that
was not part of their own lives. The inspection of Dogger's holdings
compelled him to utter several compliments: the kitchen-garden, like the
entire estate, was a model. The lush meadow, sown with choice grasses,
was a joy to behold.
 A forest stretched beyond the meadow, which abutted a mountain-side,
and when the riders had reached the edge of the woods they came to a
halt. From this high spot Dogger serenely examined his holdings. He said: