Голод
Part I
Hisquietboredme;Iwasexcitedbythesoundofmyownvoiceandspokeinutterseriousness;thestolenarchives,treatieswithsomeforeignpowerorother,nolongeroccupiedmythoughts;thelittleflatbundleofpaperlayontheseatbetweenus,andIhadnolongerthesmallestdesiretoexamineitorseewhatitcontained.Iwasentirelyabsorbedinstoriesofmyownwhichfloatedinsingularvisionsacrossmymentaleye.Thebloodflewtomyhead,andIroaredwithlaughter.
Atthismomentthelittlemanseemedabouttogo.Hestretchedhimself,andinordernottobreakofftooabruptly,added:"Heissaidtoownmuchproperty,thisHappolati?"
Howdaredthisbleary-eyed,disgustingoldmantossabouttherarenameIhadinventedasifitwereacommonnamestuckupovereveryhuckster-shopinthetown?Heneverstumbledoveraletterorforgotasyllable.Thenamehadbittenfastinhisbrainandstruckrootontheinstant.Igotannoyed;aninwardexasperationsurgedupinmeagainstthiscreaturewhomnothinghadthepowertodisturbandnothingrendersuspicious.
Ithereforerepliedshortly,"Iknownothingaboutthat!Iknowabsolutelynothingwhateveraboutthat!LetmeinformyouonceforallthathisnameisJohannArendtHappolati,ifyougobyhisowninitials."
"JohannnArendtHappolati!"repeatedtheman,alittleastonishedatmyvehemence;andwiththathegrewsilent.
"Youshouldseehiswife!"Isaid,besidemyself."Afattercreature...
