Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter I
Alsoheflungasidehisbooksofpoems—Milton,Tennyson,Browning,evenHomer—andaddressedhimselftoMill,Malthus,Young,Poushkin,HenryGeorge,Schopenhauer.HeattackedthesubjectofSocialInequalitywithunboundedenthusiasm.Hedevoured,ratherthanread,andemergedfromtheaffair,hismindaconfusedjumbleofconflictingnotions,sickwithover-effort,ragingagainstinjusticeandoppression,andwithnotonesanesuggestionastoremedyorredress.
Thebuttofhiscigarettescorchedhisfingersandrousedhimfromhisbrooding.Intheactoflightinganother,heglancedacrosstheroomandwassurprisedtoseetwoveryprettilydressedyoungwomeninthecompanyofanoldergentleman,inalongfrockcoat,standingbeforeHartrath’spainting,examiningit,theirheadsupononeside.
Presleyutteredamurmurofsurprise.He,himself,wasamemberoftheclub,andthepresenceofwomenwithinitsdoors,exceptonspecialoccasions,wasnottolerated.HeturnedtoLymanDerrickforanexplanation,butthisotherhadalsoseenthewomenandabruptlyexclaimed:
“Ideclare,Ihadforgottenaboutit.Why,thisisLadies’Day,ofcourse.”
“Why,yes,”interposedCedarquist,glancingatthewomenoverhisshoulder.“Didn’tyouknow?Theylet’emintwiceayear,youremember,andthisisadoubleoccasion.TheyaregoingtoraffleHartrath’spicture,—forthebenefitoftheGingerbreadFair.Why,youarenotuptodate,Lyman.Thisisasacredandreligiousrite,—animportantpublicevent.”
“Ofcourse,ofcourse,”murmuredLyman.HefoundmeanstosurveyHarranandMagnus.
