Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VIII
DoyouthinkIcouldgetthatone?”
Thegroupturnedandfixedher—soevidentlyacountrygirl—withasuperciliousindifference.
“Well,youmighttry,”saidoneofthem.“Gotgoodreferences?”
“References?”repeatedMinnablankly.Shedidnotknowwhatthismeant.
“Oh,Mrs.Fieldain’tthekindtostickaboutreferences,”spokeuptheother,“she’sthatsoft.Why,anybodycouldworkher.”
“I’llgothere,”saidMinna.“Haveyoutheaddress?”Itwastoldtoher.
“Lorin,”shemurmured.“Isthatoutoftown?”
“Well,it’sacrosstheBay.”
“AcrosstheBay.”
“Um.You’refromthecountry,ain’tyou?”
“Yes.How—howdoIgetthere?Isitfar?”
“Well,youtaketheferryatthefootofMarketStreet,andthenthetrainontheotherside.No,itain’tveryfar.Justaskanyonedownthere.They’lltellyou.”
Itwasachance;butMinna,afterwalkingdowntotheferryslips,foundthattheroundtripwouldcosthertwentycents.Ifthejourneyprovedfruitless,onlyadimewouldstandbetweenherandtheendofeverything.Butitwasachance;theonlyonethathad,asyet,presenteditself.Shemadethetrip.
Anduponthestreet-railwaycars,upontheferryboats,onthelocomotivesandway-coachesofthelocaltrains,shewasremindedofherfather’sdeath,andofthegiantpowerthathadreducedhertoherpresentstraits,bytheletters,P.andS.W.R.R.Tohermind,theyoccurredeverywhere.Sheseemedtoseethemineverydirection.Shefanciedherselfsurroundeduponeveryhandbythelongarmsofthemonster.
