Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter II
Youcoulddoit,too,ifyourbellywasfed,ifyourpropertywassafe,ifyourwifehadnotbeenmurderedifyourchildrenwerenotstarving.Easyenoughthentopreachlaw-abidingmethods,legalredress,andallsuchrot.ButhowaboutUS?”hevociferated.“Ah,yes,I’maloud-mouthedrum-seller,ain’tI?I’mawild-eyedstriker,ain’tI?I’mablood-thirstyanarchist,ain’tI?Waittillyou’veseenyourwifebroughthometoyouwiththefaceyouusedtokisssmashedinbyahorse’shoof—killedbytheTrust,asithappenedtome.Thentalkaboutmoderation!Andyou,Dyke,black-listedengineer,dischargedemployee,ruinedagriculturist,waittillyouseeyourlittletadandyourmotherturnedoutofdoorswhenS.Behrmanforecloses.Waittillyousee’emgettingthinandwhite,andtillyouhearyourlittlegirlaskyouwhyyoualldon’teatalittlemoreandthatshewantsherdinnerandyoucan’tgiveittoher.Waittillyousee—atthesametimethatyourfamilyisdyingforlackofbread—ahundredthousandacresofwheat—millionsofbushelsoffood—grabbedandgobbledbytheRailroadTrust,andthentalkofmoderation.ThattalkisjustwhattheTrustwantstohear.Itain’tfrightenedofthat.There’sonethingonlyitdoeslistento,onethingitisfrightenedof—thepeoplewithdynamiteintheirhands,—sixinchesofpluggedgaspipe.THATtalks.”
Dykedidnotreply.Hefilledanotherponyofwhiskeyanddrankitintwogulps.
