Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Butontheothersideofthefountain,anddirectlyoppositethedooroftheMission,rangedagainstthewall,wereninegraves—threewithheadstones,therestwithslabs.TwoofSarria’spredecessorswereburiedhere;threeofthegraveswerethoseofMissionIndians.OnewasthoughttocontainaformeralcaldeofGuadalajara;twomoreheldthebodiesofDeLaCuestaandhisyoungwife(takingwithhertothegravetheillusionofherhusband’slove),andthelastone,theninth,attheendoftheline,nearestthepeartrees,wasmarkedbyalittleheadstone,thesmallestofany,onwhich,togetherwiththeproperdates—onlysixteenyearsapart—wascutthename“AngeleVarian.”

           Butthequiet,therepose,theisolationofthelittlecloistergardenwasinfinitelydelicious.Itwasatinycornerofthegreatvalleythatstretchedinalldirectionsaroundit—shutoff,discreet,romantic,agardenofdreams,ofenchantments,ofillusions.Outsidethere,faroff,thegreatgrimworldwentclashingthroughitsgrooves,butinhereneveranechoofthegrindingofitswheelsenteredtojaruponthesubduedmodulationofthefountain’suninterruptedmurmur.

           SarriaandVanameefoundtheirwaytoastonebenchagainstthesidewalloftheMission,nearthedoorfromwhichtheyhadjustissued,andsatdown,Sarrialightingacigar,VanameerollingandsmokingcigarettesinMexicanfashion.

           Allaboutthemwidenedthevastcalmnight.Allthestarswereout.Themoonwascomingup.Therewasnowind,nosound.