Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter V.
Ifhe’sgotbrains,he’sgottothinkforthepoorducksthathaven’t’em,andnotgive’emabootinthebacksidesbecausetheyhappentobestupid;andifhe’sgotmoney,he’sgottohelpthosethatarebusted,andifhe’sgotahouse,he’sgottothinkofthosethatain’tgotanywheretogo.I’vegotawholelotofideassinceIbegantoloveHilma,andjustassoonasIcan,I’mgoingtogetinandHELPpeople,andI’mgoingtokeeptothatideatherestofmynaturallife.Thatain’tmuchofareligion,butit’sthebestI’vegot,andHenryWardBeechercouldn’tdoanymorethanthat.Andit’sallcomeaboutbecauseofHilma,andbecausewecaredforeachother.”
Presleyjumpedup,andcaughtAnnixterabouttheshoulderswithonearm,grippinghishandhard.Thisabsurdfigure,withdanglingsilksuspenders,latheredchin,andtearfuleyes,seemedtobesuddenlyinvestedwithtruenobility.Besidethisblunderingstruggletodoright,tohelphisfellows,Presley’sownvagueschemes,glitteringsystemsofreconstruction,collapsedtoruin,andhehimself,withallhisrefinement,withallhispoetry,culture,andeducation,stood,abunglerattheworld’sworkbench.
“You’reallRIGHT,oldman,”heexclaimed,unabletothinkofanythingadequate.“You’reallright.That’sthewaytotalk,andhere,bytheway,Ibroughtyouaboxofcigars.”
AnnixterstaredasPresleylaidtheboxontheedgeofthewashstand.
“Oldfool,”heremarked,“whatinhelldidyoudothatfor?”
“Oh,justforfun.
