Голод
Part I
Eh?what?Perhapsyoudon’tevenbelievesheisreallyfat?"
Well,indeedhedidnotseehiswaytodenythatsuchamanmightperhapshavearatherstoutwife.Theoldfellowansweredquitegentlyandmeeklytoeachofmyassertions,andsoughtforwordsasifhefearedtooffendandperhapsmakemefurious.
"Hellandfire,man!DoyouimaginethatIamsittingherestuffingyouchock-fulloflies?"Iroaredfuriously."Perhapsyoudon’tevenbelievethatamanofthenameofHappolatiexists!Ineversawyourmatchforobstinacyandmaliceinanyoldman.Whatthedevilailsyou?Perhaps,too,intothebargain,youhavebeenallthiswhilethinkingtoyourselfIamapoverty-strickenfellow,sittinghereinmySunday-bestwithoutevenacasefullofcigarettesinmypocket.LetmetellyousuchtreatmentasyoursisathingIamnotaccustomedto,andIwon’tendureit,theLordstrikemedeadifIwill—neitherfromyounoranyoneelse,doyouknowthat?"
Themanhadrisenwithhismouthagape;hestoodtongue-tiedandlistenedtomyoutbreakuntiltheend.Thenhesnatchedhisparcelfromofftheseatandwent,ay,nearlyran,downthepatch,withtheshort,totteringstepsofanoldman.
Ileantbackandlookedattheretreatingfigurethatseemedtoshrinkateachstepasitpassedaway.
