Голод
Part IV
Itappearstomesomomentousapoint,thatalltherestIhavewrittencountedasnothingincomparison.Iwas,namely,justabouttoweavein,inadownrightprofoundway,thisthought.Itwasnotbooksthatwereburning,itwasbrains,humanbrains;andIintendedtomakeaperfectBartholomew’snightoftheseburningbrains.
Suddenlymydoorwasflungopenwithajerkandinmuchhaste;mylandladycamesailingin.Shecamestraightovertothemiddleoftheroom,shedidnotevenpauseonthethreshold.
Igavealittlehoarsecry;itwasjustasifIhadreceivedablow.
"What?"saidshe,"Ithoughtyousaidsomething.Wehavegotatraveller,andwemusthavethisroomforhim.Youwillhavetosleepdownstairswithustonight.Yes;youcanhaveabedtoyourselftheretoo."Andbeforeshegotmyanswer,shebegan,withoutfurtherceremony,tobundlemypaperstogetheronthetable,andputthewholeofthemintoastateofdireconfusion.
Myhappymoodwasblowntothewinds;Istoodupatonce,inangeranddespair.Ilethertidythetable,andsaidnothing,neverutteredasyllable.Shethrustallthepapersintomyhand.
Therewasnothingelseformetodo.Iwasforcedtoleavetheroom.Andsothispreciousmomentwasspoiltalso.Imetthenewtravelleralreadyonthestairs;ayoungmanwithgreatblueanchorstattooedonthebacksofhishands.Aquayporterfollowedhim,bearingasea-chestonhisshoulders.
