Chapter XX

           

           DirkStroeveagreedtofetchmeonthefollowingeveningandtakemetothecafeatwhichStricklandwasmostlikelytobefound.IwasinterestedtolearnthatitwasthesameasthatatwhichStricklandandIhaddrunkabsinthewhenIhadgoneovertoParistoseehim.Thefactthathehadneverchangedsuggestedasluggishnessofhabitwhichseemedtomecharacteristic.

           "Thereheis,"saidStroeve,aswereachedthecafe.

           ThoughitwasOctober,theeveningwaswarm,andthetablesonthepavementwerecrowded.Iranmyeyesoverthem,butdidnotseeStrickland.

           "Look.Overthere,inthecorner.He’splayingchess."

           Inoticedamanbendingoverachess-board,butcouldseeonlyalargefelthatandaredbeard.Wethreadedourwayamongthetablestillwecametohim.

           "Strickland."

           Helookedup.

           "Hulloa,fatty.Whatdoyouwant?"

           "I’vebroughtanoldfriendtoseeyou."

           Stricklandgavemeaglance,andevidentlydidnotrecogniseme.Heresumedhisscrutinyofthechess-board.

           "Sitdown,anddon’tmakeanoise,"hesaid.

           Hemovedapieceandstraightwaybecameabsorbedinthegame.PoorStroevegavemeatroubledlook,butIwasnotdisconcertedbysolittle.Iorderedsomethingtodrink,andwaitedquietlytillStricklandhadfinished.Iwelcomedtheopportunitytoexaminehimatmyease.Icertainlyshouldneverhaveknownhim.Inthefirstplacehisredbeard,raggedanduntrimmed,hidmuchofhisface,andhishairwaslong;butthemostsurprisingchangeinhimwashisextremethinness.Itmadehisgreatnoseprotrudemorearrogantly;itemphasizedhischeekbones;itmadehiseyesseemlarger.

Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 90 из 284