Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           AtSolotari’s,therestaurantonthePlaza,diagonallyacrossfromthehotel,Presleyatehislong-deferredMexicandinner—anomeletteinSpanish-Mexicanstyle,frijolesandtortillas,asalad,andaglassofwhitewine.Inacorneroftheroom,duringthewholecourseofhisdinner,twoyoungMexicans(oneofwhomwasastonishinglyhandsome,afterthemelodramaticfashionofhisrace)andanoldfellow!thecentenarianofthetown,decrepitbeyondbelief,sanganinterminablelove-songtotheaccompanimentofaguitarandanaccordion.

           TheseSpanish-Mexicans,decayed,picturesque,vicious,andromantic,neverfailedtointerestPresley.AfewofthemstillremainedinGuadalajara,driftingfromthesaloontotherestaurant,andfromtherestauranttothePlaza,relicsofaformergeneration,standingforadifferentorderofthings,absolutelyidle,livingGodknewhow,happywiththeircigarette,theirguitar,theirglassofmescal,andtheirsiesta.ThecentenarianrememberedFremontandGovernorAlvarado,andthebanditJesusTejeda,andthedayswhenLosMuertoswasaSpanishgrant,averitableprincipality,leaguesinextent,andwhentherewasneverafencefromVisaliatoFresno.Uponthisoccasion,Presleyofferedtheoldmanadrinkofmescal,andexcitedhimtotalkofthethingsheremembered.TheirtalkwasinSpanish,alanguagewithwhichPresleywasfamiliar.

           “DeLaCuestaheldthegrantofLosMuertosinthosedays,”thecentenariansaid;“agrandman.Hehadthepoweroflifeanddeathoverhispeople,andtherewasnolawbuthisword.Therewasnothoughtofwheatthen,youmaybelieve.