Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Itwastrickeryofthemostcontemptibleorder,athinghebelievedtobeunknowntotheoldschoolofpoliticsandstatesmanshiptowhichhewasproudtobelong;butsinceHarran,evenforonemoment,consideredit,he,Magnus,whotrustedHarranimplicitly,woulddolikewise—ifitwasonlytoopposeanddefeatitinitsverybeginnings.

           Andabruptlythediscussionbegan.GraduallyOsterman,bydintofhisclamour,hisstridentreiteration,theplausibilityofhisglib,readyassertions,theeasewithwhichheextricatedhimselfwhenapparentlydriventoacorner,completelywonoveroldBrodersontohiswayofthinking.Ostermanbewilderedhimwithhisvolubility,thelightningrapiditywithwhichheleapedfromonesubjecttoanother,garrulous,witty,flamboyant,terrifyingtheoldmanwithpicturesoftheswiftapproachofruin,theimminenceofdanger.

           Annixter,wholedtheargumentagainsthim—lovingargumentthoughhedid—appearedtopooradvantage,unabletopresenthissideeffectively.HecalledOstermanafool,agoat,asenseless,crazy-headedjackass,butwasunabletorefutehisassertions.Hisdebatewastheclumsyheavingofbrickbats,brutal,direct.HecontradictedeverythingOstermansaidasamatterofprinciple,madeconflictingassertions,declarationsthatwereabsolutelyinconsistent,andwhenOstermanorHarranusedtheseagainsthim,couldonlyexclaim:

           “Well,inawayit’sso,andthenagaininawayitisn’t.”

           ButsuddenlyOstermandiscoveredanewargument.“Ifweswingthisdeal,”hecried,“we’vegotoldjelly-bellyBehrmanrightwherewewanthim.