Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Acertainfatness,theobesityofinertia,hungheavyaroundthehipsandabdomen,theeyewaswateryandvague,thecheeksandchinunshavenandunkempt,thegreyhairhadlostitsforwardcurltowardsthetemplesandhungthinandraggedaroundtheears.Thehawk-likenoseseemedhookedtomeetthechin;thelipswereslack,themouthhalf-opened.

           WhereoncetheGovernorhadbeenamodelofneatnessinhisdress,thefrockcoatbuttoned,thelinenclean,henowsatinhisshirtsleeves,thewaistcoatopenandshowingthesoiledshirt.Hishandswerestainedwithink,andthese,theonlymembersofhisbodythatyetappearedtoretaintheiractivity,werebusywithagreatpileofpapers,—oblong,legaldocuments,thatlitteredthetablebeforehim.Withoutamoment’scessation,thesehandsoftheGovernor’scameandwentamongthepapers,deft,nimble,dexterous.

           Magnuswassortingpapers.Fromtheheapuponhislefthandheselectedadocument,openedit,glancedoverit,thentieditcarefully,andlaiditawayuponasecondpileonhisrighthand.Whenallthepaperswereinonepile,hereversedtheprocess,takingfromhisrighthandtoplaceuponhisleft,thenbackfromlefttorightagain,thenoncemorefromrighttoleft.Hespokenoword,hesatabsolutelystill,evenhiseyesdidnotmove,onlyhishands,swift,nervous,agitated,seemedalive.

           “Why,howareyou,Governor?”saidPresley,comingforward.Magnusturnedslowlyaboutandlookedathimandatthehandinwhichheshookhisown.

           “Ah,”hesaidatlength,“Presley...yes.