Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter IX
Thereisverylittlemoneyleft;Magnuscanhardlytakecareofhimself,tosaynothingofme.Imustlookafterhimnow.WearegoingtoMarysville.”
“Whythere?”
“Yousee,”sheexplained,“ithappensthatmyoldplaceisvacantintheSeminarythere.Iamgoingbacktoteach—literature.”Shesmiledwearily.“Itisbeginningalloveragain,isn’tit?Onlythereisnothingtolookforwardtonow.Magnusisanoldmanalready,andImusttakecareofhim.”
“Hewillgowithyou,then,”Presleysaid,“thatwillbesomecomforttoyouatleast.”
“Idon’tknow,”shesaidslowly,“youhavenotseenMagnuslately.”
“Ishe—howdoyoumean?Isn’theanybetter?”
“Wouldyouliketoseehim?Heisintheoffice.Youcangorightin.”
Presleyrose.Hehesitatedamoment,then:
“Mrs.Annixter,”heasked,“Hilma—isshestillwithyou?IshouldliketoseeherbeforeIgo.”“GoinandseeMagnus,”saidMrs.Derrick.“Iwilltellheryouarehere.”
Presleysteppedacrossthestone-pavedhallwaywiththeglassroof,andafterknockingthreetimesattheofficedoorpusheditopenandentered.
MagnussatinthechairbeforethedeskanddidnotlookupasPresleyentered.Hehadtheappearanceofamannearereightythansixty.Alltheold-timeerectnesswasbrokenandbent.Itwasasthoughthemusclesthatoncehadheldthebackrigid,thechinhigh,hadsoftenedandstretched.
