Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter IV
We,thewheat-growersintheSanJoaquin,whereallthewheatisgrown,arerightwherewewerebefore.TheRailroadwon’tloseanickel.ByJingo,boys,”heglancedaroundthetable,“I’dliketoknowwhatthismeans.”
“TheRailroad,ifyoucometothat,”returnedLyman,“hasalreadylodgedaprotestagainstthenewrate.”
Annixterutteredaderisiveshout.
“Aprotest!That’sgood,thatis.WhentheP.andS.W.objectstoratesitdon’t’protest,’m’son.ThefirstyouhearfromMr.Shelgrimisaninjunctionfromthecourtspreventingtheorderfornewratesfromtakingeffect.BytheLord,”hecriedangrily,leapingtohisfeet,“Iwouldliketoknowwhatallthismeans,too.Whydidn’tyoureduceourgrainrates?Whatdidweelectyoufor?”
“Yes,whatdidweelectyoufor?”demandedOstermanandGethings,alsogettingtotheirfeet.
“Order,order,gentlemen,”criedMagnus,rememberingthedutiesofhisofficeandrappinghisknucklesonthetable.“Thismeetinghasbeenallowedtodegeneratetoofaralready.”
“Youelectedus,”declaredLymandoggedly,“tomakeanaveragetenpercent.cutongrainrates.Wehavedoneit.Onlybecauseyoudon’tbenefitatonce,youobject.Itmakesadifferencewhoseoxisgored,itseems.”
“Lyman!”
ItwasMagnuswhospoke.Hehaddrawnhimselftohisfullsixfeet.Hiseyeswereflashingdirectintohisson’s.Hisvoicerangwithseverity.
“Lyman,whatdoesthismean?”
Theotherspreadouthishands.
“Asyousee,sir.Wehavedoneourbest.Iwarnedyounottoexpecttoomuch.
