Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Itwaswhenhewaseighteenornineteen,attheformativeandmostimpressionableperiodofhislife,thathehadmetAngeleVarian.Presleybarelyrememberedherasagirlofsixteen,beautifulalmostbeyondexpression,wholivedwithanagedauntontheSeedranchbackoftheMission.Atthismomenthewastryingtorecallhowshelooked,withherhairofgoldhangingintwostraightplaitsoneithersideofherface,makingthree-corneredherround,whiteforehead;herwonderfuleyes,violetblue,heavylidded,withtheirastonishingupwardslanttowardthetemples,theslantthatgaveastrange,orientalcasttoherface,perplexing,enchanting.HerememberedtheEgyptianfulnessofthelips,thestrangebalancingmovementofherheaduponherslenderneck,thesamemovementthatoneseesinasnakeatpoise.Neverhadheseenagirlmoreradiantlybeautiful,neverabeautysostrange,sotroublous,sooutofallacceptedstandards.ItwassmallwonderthatVanameehadlovedher,andlesswonder,still,thathislovehadbeensointense,sopassionate,sopartofhimself.Angelehadlovedhimwithalovenolessthanhisown.Itwasoneofthoselegendarypassionsthatsometimesoccur,idyllic,untouchedbycivilisation,spontaneousasthegrowthoftrees,naturalasdew-fall,strongasthefirm-seatedmountains.

           AtthetimeofhismeetingwithAngele,VanameewaslivingontheLosMuertosranch.Itwastherehehadchosentospendoneofhiscollegevacations.