Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter IV
Asthewagonpassedoutfromundertheeucalyptustreesabouttheranchhouse,takingMrs.Dyke,Sidney,andtheone-timeengineerbacktothehopranch,Presleyleaningfromhiswindowheardthelatterremark:
“Caraherisright.Thereisonlyonethingtheylistento,andthat’sdynamite.”
ThefollowingdayPresleydroveMagnusovertoGuadalajaratotakethetrainforSanFrancisco.Butafterhehadsaidgood-byetotheGovernor,hewasmovedtogoontothehopranchtoseetheconditionofaffairsinthatquarter.HereturnedtoLosMuertosoverwhelmedwithsadnessandtremblingwithanger.Thehopranchthathehadlastseeninthefulltideofprosperitywasalmostaruin.Workhadevidentlybeenabandonedlongsince.Weedswerealreadychokingthevines.Everywherethepolessaggedanddrooped.Manyhadevenfallen,draggingthevineswiththem,spreadingthemoverthegroundinaninextricabletangleofdeadleaves,decayingtendrils,andsnarledstring.Thefencewasbroken;theunfinishedstorehouse,whichneverwastoseecompletion,wasalamentablespectacleofgapingdoorsandwindows—amelancholyskeleton.Lastofall,PresleyhadcaughtaglimpseofDykehimself,seatedinhisrockingchairontheporch,hisbeardandhairunkempt,motionless,lookingwithvagueeyesuponhishandsthatlaypalmupwardsandidleinhislap.
MagnusonhiswaytoSanFranciscowasjoinedatBonnevillebyOsterman.UponseatinghimselfinfrontofthemasterofLosMuertosinthesmoking-carofthetrain,thislatter,pushingbackhishatandsmoothinghisbaldhead,observed:
“Governor,youlookallfrazeledout.
