Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 5
ButallthisIputtothesideinorderfirsttolearntheirsystemofchangingthecodeinitial.AfterIhadthisclear,wetalked.Itwasagreatday,forthetwolifershadbecomethree,althoughtheyacceptedmeonlyonprobation.Astheytoldmelongafter,theyfearedImightbeastoolplacedtheretoworkaframe-uponthem.Ithadbeendonebefore,toOppenheimer,andhehadpaiddearlyfortheconfidencehereposedinWardenAtherton’stool.
Tomysurprise—yes,tomyelationbeitsaid—bothmyfellow-prisonersknewmethroughmyrecordasanincorrigible.EvenintothelivinggraveOppenheimerhadoccupiedfortenyearshadmyfame,ornotoriety,rather,penetrated.
Ihadmuchtotellthemofprisonhappeningsandoftheoutsideworld.Theconspiracytoescapeofthefortylifers,thesearchfortheallegeddynamite,andallthetreacherousframe-upofCecilWinwoodwasnewstothem.Astheytoldme,newsdidoccasionallydribbleintosolitarybywayoftheguards,buttheyhadhadnothingforacoupleofmonths.Thepresentguardsondutyinsolitarywereaparticularlybadandvindictiveset.
Againandagainthatdaywewerecursedforourknuckletalkingbywhateverguardwason.Butwecouldnotrefrain.Thetwoofthelivingdeadhadbecomethree,andwehadsomuchtosay,whilethemannerofsayingitwasexasperatinglyslowandIwasnotsoproficientastheyattheknucklegame.
