Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Atlongintervals,wereisolatedliveoaks.Inthecanyonsandarroyos,thechaparralandmanzanitagrewindarkolive-greenthickets.Thegroundwashoney-combedwithgopher-holes,andthegophersthemselveswereeverywhere.Occasionallyajackrabbitboundedacrosstheopen,fromonegrowthofchaparraltoanother,takinglongleaps,hisearserect.Highoverhead,ahawkortwoswungatanchor,andonce,withastartlingrushofwings,acoveyofquailflushedfromthebrushatthesideofthetrail.

           Onthehillsides,inthinlyscatteredgroupswerethecattle,grazingdeliberately,workingslowlytowardthewater-holesfortheireveningdrink,thehorseskeepingtothemselves,thecoltsnuzzlingattheirmothers’bellies,whiskingtheirtails,stampingtheirunshodfeet.Butonceinaremoterfield,solitary,magnificent,enormous,theshorthaircurlingtightuponhisforehead,hissmallredeyestwinkling,hisvastneckheavywithmuscles,Presleycameuponthemonarch,theking,thegreatDurhambull,maintaininghislonelystate,unapproachable,austere.

           Presleyfoundtheone-timeshepherdbyawater-hole,inafardistantcorneroftherange.Hehadmadehissimplecampforthenight.Hisblue-greyarmyblanketlayspreadunderaliveoak,hishorsegrazednearathand.Hehimselfsatonhisheelsbeforealittlefireofdeadmanzanitaroots,cookinghiscoffeeandbacon.NeverhadPresleyconceivedsokeenanimpressionoflonelinessashiscrouchingfigurepresented.Thebald,barelandscapewidenedabouthimtoinfinity.