Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Assheoncemoreresumedherinterminablewalk,sherealisedshewasweak,faint;andsheknewthatitwastheweaknessofcompleteexhaustion,andthefaintnessofapproachingstarvation.Wasthistheendcomingon?Terrorofdeatharousedher.

           “IMUST,IMUSTdosomething,oh,anything.Imusthavesomethingtoeat.”

           Atthislatehour,theideaofpawningherlittlejacketoccurredtoher,butnowshewasfarawayfromthecityanditspawnshops,andtherewasnogettingback.

           Shewalkedon.Anhourpassed.Shelosthersenseofdirection,becameconfused,knewnotwhereshewasgoing,turnedcornersandwentupby-streetswithoutknowingwhy,anythingtokeepmoving,forshefanciedthatsosoonasshestoodstill,theratinthepitofherstomachgnawedmoreeagerly.

           Atlast,sheenteredwhatseemedtobe,ifnotapark,atleastsomesortofpublicenclosure.Thereweremanytrees;theplacewasbeautiful;well-keptroadsandwalksledsinuouslyandinvitinglyunderneaththeshade.Throughthetreesupontheothersideofawideexpanseofturf,brownandsearunderthesummersun,shecaughtaglimpseoftallbuildingsandaflagstaff.Thewholeplacehadavaguelypublic,educationalappearance,andMinnaguessed,fromcertainnoticesaffixedtothetrees,warningthepublicagainstthepickingofflowers,thatshehadfoundherwayintothegroundsoftheStateUniversity.Shewentonalittlefurther.Thepathshewasfollowingledher,atlength,intoagroveofgiganticliveoaks,whoselowerbranchesallbutswepttheground.Herethegrasswasgreen,thefewflowersinbloom,theshadeverythick.