Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Atfirst,hethoughtthiswasbecausehehadallowedhiswilltoweaken,theconcentratedpowerofhismindtogrowslack.Andoncemoreturningtowardthegrave,hebandedallhisthoughtstogetherinaconsummateeffort,histeethgrindingtogether,hishandspressedtohisforehead.HeforcedhimselftothenotionthatAngelewasalive,andtothiscreatureofhisimaginationheaddressedhimself:

           “Angele!”hecriedinalowvoice;“Angele,Iamcallingyou—doyouhear?Cometome—cometomenow,now.”

           InsteadoftheAnswerhedemanded,thatinexplicablecounter-influencecutacrossthecurrentofhisthought.Striveashewouldagainstit,hemustveertothenorth,towardthepeartrees.Obeyingit,heturned,and,stillwondering,tookastepinthatdirection,thenanotherandanother.Thenextmomenthecameabruptlytohimself,intheblackshadowofthepeartreesthemselves,and,openinghiseyes,foundhimselflookingoffovertheSeedranch,towardthelittlehouseinthecentrewhereAngelehadoncelived.

           Perplexed,hereturnedtothegrave,oncemorecallingupontheresourcesofhiswill,andabruptly,sosoonasthesereachedacertainpoint,thesamecross-currentsetin.Hecouldnolongerkeephiseyesupontheheadstone,couldnolongerthinkofthegraveandwhatitheld.Hemustfacethenorth;hemustbedrawntowardthepeartrees,andthereleftstandingintheirshadow,lookingoutaimlesslyovertheSeedranch,wondering,bewildered.Fartherthanthistheinfluenceneverdrewhim,butuptothispoint—thelineofpeartrees—itwasnottoberesisted.