Голод
Part IV
Inthemeantime,thetwosmallfoescontinuedtorevileoneanother.
Wordslikegreatbuzzingnoxiousinsectsswarmoutoftheirchildishmouths;frightfulnicknames,thieves’slang,sailors’oaths,thattheyperhapshadlearntdownonthewharf;andtheyarebothsoengagedthattheydonotnoticemylandlady,whorushesouttoseewhatisgoingon.
"Yes,"explainsherson,"hecatchedmebythethroat;Icouldn’tbreathsforeversolong,"andturninguponthelittlemanwhoisthecauseofthequarrel,andwhoisstandinggrinningmaliciouslyathim,hegetsperfectlyfurious,andyells,"Gotohell,Chaldeanassthatyouare!Tothinksuchverminasyoushouldcatchfolkbythethroat.Iwill,maytheLord...."
Andthemother,thispregnantwoman,whodominatesthewholestreetwithhersize,answerstheten-year-oldchild,assheseizeshimbythearmandtriestodraghimin:
"Sh—sh.Holdyourjaw!Ijustliketohearthewayyouswear,too,asifyouhadbeeninabrothelforyears.Now,inwithyou."
"No,Iwon’t."
"Yes,youwill."
"No,Iwon’t."
Istandupinthewindowandseethatthemother’stemperisrising;thisdisagreeablesceneexcitesmefrightfully.Ican’tendureitanylonger.Icalldowntotheboytocomeuptomeforaminute;Icalltwice,justtodistractthem—tochangethescene.ThelasttimeIcallveryloudly,andthemotherturnsroundflurriedlyandlooksupatme.
