Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Hehadnothelpedthemnortheircauseintheleast;heneverwould.

           Disappointed,bewildered,ashamed,hemadehiswayslowlyfromtheOperaHouseandstoodonthestepsoutside,thoughtful,hisheadbent.

           Hehadfailed,thushetoldhimself.Inthatmomentofcrisis,thatatthetimehebelievedhadbeenaninspiration,hehadfailed.Thepeoplewouldnotconsiderhim,wouldnotbelievethathecoulddothemservice.Thensuddenlyheseemedtoremember.Theresolutesetofhislipsreturnedoncemore.Pushinghiswaythroughthecrowdedstreets,hewentontowardsthestablewherehehadlefthispony.

           Meanwhile,intheOperaHouse,agreatcommotionhadoccurred.MagnusDerrickhadappeared.

           Onlyasenseofenormousresponsibility,ofgravestdutycouldhaveprevaileduponMagnustohavelefthishouseandthedeadbodyofhissonthatday.ButhewasthePresidentoftheLeague,andneversinceitsorganisationhadameetingofsuchimportanceasthisonebeenheld.Hehadbeenincommandattheirrigatingditchthedaybefore.ItwashewhohadgatheredthehandfulofLeaguerstogether.Itwashewhomustbeartheresponsibilityofthefight.

           WhenhehadenteredtheOperaHouse,makinghiswaydownthecentralaisletowardsthestage,alouddisturbancehadbrokenout,partlyapplause,partlyameaninglessuproar.