Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter V
“Icametoseeaboutgivingadanceinmynewbarn,”heanswered,scowlingintothedepthsofhishat,asthoughreadingfromnoteshehadconcealedthere.“IwantedtoaskhowIshouldsendouttheinvites.Ithoughtofjustputtinganad.inthe’Mercury.’”
Butashespoke,PresleyhadcomeupbehindAnnixterintimetogetthedriftoftheconversation,andnowobserved:
“That’snonsense,Buck.You’renotgivingapublicball.YouMUSTsendoutinvitations.”
“Hello,Presley,youthere?”exclaimedAnnixter,turninground.Thetwoshookhands.
“Sendoutinvitations?”repeatedAnnixteruneasily.“WhymustI?”
“Becausethat’stheonlywaytodo.”
“Itis,isit?”answeredAnnixter,perplexedandtroubled.NoothermanofhisacquaintancecouldhavesocontradictedAnnixterwithoutprovokingaquarrelupontheinstant.Whytheyoungrancher,irascible,obstinate,belligerent,shouldinvariablydefertothepoet,wasaninconsistencynevertobeexplained.ItwaswithgreatsurprisethatMrs.Derrickheardhimcontinue:
“Well,Isupposeyouknowwhatyou’retalkingabout,Pres.Musthavewritteninvites,hey?”
“Ofcourse.”
“Typewritten?”
“Why,whatanassyouare,Buck,”observedPresleycalmly.“Beforeyougetthroughwithit,youwillprobablyinsultthree-fourthsofthepeopleyouintendtoinvite,andhaveaboutahundredquarrelsonyourhands,andalawsuitortwo.”
However,beforeAnnixtercouldreply,Magnuscameoutontheporch,erect,grave,freshlyshaven.Withoutrealisingwhathewasdoing,Annixterinstinctivelyrosetohisfeet.
