Читать книгу The Complete Works of Algernon Blackwood. Novels, Short Stories, Horror Classics, Occult & Supernatural Tales, Plays онлайн

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'The woods are very busy—this evening,' she said at length.

'I'm sure they are,' he answered, before he quite realised what he was saying. Then he pulled himself together with an effort.

'But does Mile. Fleury know, and approve—?' he asked a little stiffly, glancing down at her bare legs and splashed white frock.

'Oh, no,' she laughed wickedly, 'but then Mile, only understands what she sees with her eyes! She is much too mixed-up and educated to know all this kind of thing! 'She made a gesture to include the woods about them. 'Her sort of knowledge is so stuffing, you know.'

'Rather,' he exclaimed. 'I would far sooner know the trees themselves than know their Latin names.'

It slipped out in spite of himself. The next minute he could have bitten his tongue off. But Nixie took no advantage of him. She let his words pass as something taken for granted.

'I mean—it's better to learn useful things while you can,' he said hurriedly, blushing in his confusion like a child.

Nixie peered steadily down into the water for several minutes before she said anything more.