Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Howisit,allofasuddenyoutalkabouthonour?Howisitthatallatonceyou’resocleanandstraight?Youweren’tsoparticularatSacramentojustbeforethenominations.HowwastheBoardelected?I’mabribe-eater,amI?IsitanyworsethanGIVINGabribe?AskMagnusDerrickwhathethinksaboutthat.AskhimhowmuchhepaidtheDemocraticbossesatSacramentotoswingtheconvention.”

           Hewentout,slammingthedoor.

           Presleyfollowed.Thewholeaffairmadehimsickatheart,filledhimwithinfinitedisgust,infiniteweariness.Hewishedtogetawayfromitall.Heleftthedining-roomandtheexcited,clamouringmenbehindhimandsteppedoutontheporchoftheranchhouse,closingthedoorbehindhim.Lymanwasnowhereinsight.Presleywasalone.Itwaslate,andafterthelamp-heatedairofthedining-room,thecoolnessofthenightwasdelicious,anditsvastsilence,afterthenoiseandfuryofthecommitteemeeting,descendedfromthestarslikeabenediction.Presleysteppedtotheedgeoftheporch,lookingofftosouthward.

           Andtherebeforehim,mileaftermile,illimitable,coveringtheearthfromhorizontohorizon,laytheWheat.Thegrowth,nowmanydaysold,wasalreadyhighfromtheground.Thereitlay,avast,silentocean,shimmeringapallidgreenunderthemoonandunderthestars;amightyforce,thestrengthofnations,thelifeoftheworld.Thereinthenight,underthedomeofthesky,itwasgrowingsteadily.ToPresley’smind,thesceneintheroomhehadjustleftdwindledtopaltryinsignificancebeforethissight