Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter I
“Canweraisewheatatalegitimateprofitwithatariffoffourdollarsatonformovingittwohundredmilestotide-water,withwheatateighty-sevencents?Whynotholdusupwithaguninourfaces,andsay,’handsup,’andbedonewithit?”
Hedughisboot-heelintothegroundandturnedawaytothehouseabruptly,cursingbeneathhisbreath.
“Bytheway,”Presleycalledafterhim,“Hoovenwantstoseeyou.HeaskedmeaboutthisideaoftheGovernor’sofgettingalongwithoutthetenantsthisyear.Hoovenwantstostaytotendtheditchandlookafterthestock.Itoldhimtoseeyou.”
Harran,hismindfullofotherthings,noddedtosayheunderstood.Presleyonlywaitedtillhehaddisappearedindoors,sothathemightnotseemtooindifferenttohistrouble;then,remounting,struckatonceintoabriskpace,and,turningoutfromthecarriagegate,heldonswiftlydowntheLowerRoad,goinginthedirectionofGuadalajara.Thesematters,theseeternalfiercebickeringsbetweenthefarmersoftheSanJoaquinandthePacificandSouthwesternRailroadirritatedhimandweariedhim.Hecaredfornoneofthesethings.Theydidnotbelongtohisworld.InthepictureofthathugeromanticWestthathesawinhisimagination,thesedissensionsmadetheonenoteofharshcolourthatrefusedtoenterintothegreatschemeofharmony.Itwasmaterial,sordid,deadlycommonplace.But,howeverhestrovetoshuthiseyestoitorhisearstoit,thethingpersistedandpersisted.Theromanceseemedcompleteuptothatpoint.
