Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           CanyourMr.DerrickstoptheWheatgrowing?Hecanburnhiscrop,orhecangiveitaway,orsellitforacentabushel—justasIcouldgointobankruptcy—butotherwisehisWheatmustgrow.CananyonestoptheWheat?Well,thennomorecanIstoptheRoad.”

           Presleyregainedthestreetstupefied,hisbraininawhirl.Thisnewidea,thisnewconceptiondumfoundedhim.Somehow,hecouldnotdenyit.Itrangwiththeclearreverberationoftruth.Wasnoone,then,toblameforthehorrorattheirrigatingditch?Forces,conditions,lawsofsupplyanddemand—werethesethentheenemies,afterall?Notenemies;therewasnomalevolenceinNature.Colossalindifferenceonly,avasttrendtowardappointedgoals.Naturewas,then,agiganticengine,avastcyclopeanpower,huge,terrible,aleviathanwithaheartofsteel,knowingnocompunction,noforgiveness,notolerance;crushingoutthehumanatomstandinginitsway,withnirvaniccalm,theagonyofdestructionsendingneverajar,neverthefaintesttremourthroughallthatprodigiousmechanismofwheelsandcogs.Hewenttohisclubandatehissupperalone,ingloomyagitation.Hewassombre,brooding,lostinadarkmazeofgloomyreflections.However,justashewasrisingfromthetableanincidentoccurredthatforthemomentrousedhimandsharplydivertedhismind.

           Histablehadbeenplacednearawindowandashewassippinghisafter-dinnercoffee,hehappenedtoglanceacrossthestreet.Hiseyewasatoncecaughtbythesightofafamiliarfigure.