Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Presleywouldhaveabhorredit—thisfeedingofthePeople,thisgorgingofthehumananimal,eagerforitsmeat.Vanamee,simple,uncomplicated,livingsoclosetonatureandtherudimentarylife,understooditssignificance.Heknewverywellthatwithinashorthalf-hourafterthismealthemenwouldthrowthemselvesdownintheirbunkstosleepwithoutmoving,inertandstupefiedwithfatigue,tillthemorning.Work,food,andsleep,alllifereducedtoitsbareessentials,uncomplex,honest,healthy.Theywerestrong,thesemen,withthestrengthofthesoiltheyworked,intouchwiththeessentialthings,backagaintothestartingpointofcivilisation,coarse,vital,real,andsane.

           Forabriefmomentimmediatelyafterthemeal,pipeswerelit,andtheairgrewthickwithfragranttobaccosmoke.Onacornerofthedining-roomtable,agameofpokerwasbegun.Oneofthedrivers,aSwede,producedanaccordion;agrouponthestepsofthebunk-houselistened,withalternategravityandshoutsoflaughter,totheacknowledgedstory-tellerofthegang.Butsoonthemenbegantoturnin,stretchingthemselvesatfulllengthonthehorseblanketsintheracklikebunks.Thesoundsofheavybreathingincreasedsteadily,lightswereputout,andbeforetheafterglowhadfadedfromthesky,thegangwasasleep.

           Vanamee,however,remainedawake.Thenightwasfine,warm;theskysilver-greywithstarlight.Byandbytherewouldbeamoon.Inthefirstwatchafterthetwilight,afaintpuffofbreezecameupoutofthesouth.