Голод
Part I
Ipassedthemandthoughttomyselfthattheyweresuretoaccostme,suretoflingsometauntorotheratme,playmesometrick;andasIgotnearenough,oneofthemcalledoutandaskedwhatIhadundermyarm?
"Ablanket!"
"Whato’clockisit?"heaskedthen.
"Idon’tknowrightly;aboutthree,Ithink!"Whereupontheybothlaughedanddroveon.Ifeltatthesamemomentthelashofawhipcurlroundoneofmyears,andmyhatwasjerkedoff.Theycouldn’tletmepasswithoutplayingmeatrick.Iraisedmyhandtomyheadmoreorlessconfusedly,pickedmyhatoutoftheditch,andcontinuedonmyway.DownatSt.Han’sHillImetamanwhotoldmeitwaspastfour.Pastfour!alreadypastfour!Imendedmypace,nearlyrandowntothetown,turnedofftowardsthenewsoffice.Perhapstheeditorhadbeentherehoursago,andhadlefttheofficebynow.Iran,jostledagainstfolk,stumbled,knockedagainstcars,lefteverybodybehindme,competedwiththeveryhorses,struggledlikeamadmantoarrivethereintime.Iwrenchedthroughthedoor,tookthestairsinfourbounds,andknocked.
Noanswer.
"Hehasleft,hehasleft,"Ithink.Itrythedoorwhichisopen,knockonceagain,andenter.Theeditorissittingathistable,hisfacetowardsthewindow,peninhand,abouttowrite.Whenhehearsmybreathlessgreetingheturnshalfround,stealsaquicklookatme,shakeshishead,andsays:
"Oh,Ihaven’tfoundtimetoreadyoursketchyet.
