Короли и капуста
The Shamrock and the Palm
Revolutions?DidIspeakofr-r-revolutions?Notoneword.Isay,big,strongmansisneedinGuatemala.So.Themistakeisofyou.Youhavelookedinthoseoneboxcontainingthosegunfortheguard.Youthinkallboxesiscontaingun?No.
"‘ThereisnotwarinGuatemala.Butwork?Yes.Good.T’irtydollarinthemonth.Youshallshoulderonepickaxe,señor,anddigforthelibertyandprosperityofGuatemala.Offtoyourwork.Theguardwaitsforyou.’
"‘Little,fat,poodledogofabrownman,’saysI,quiet,butfullofindignationsanddiscomforts,‘thingsshallhappentoyou.Maybenotrightaway,butassoonasJ.Clancycanformulatesomethin’inthewayofrepartee.’
"Thebossofthegangordersustowork.ItrampsoffwiththeDagoes,andIhearsthedistinguishedpatriotandkidnapperlaughin’heartyaswego.
"’Tisasorrowfulfact,foreightweeksIbuiltrailroadsforthatmisbehavin’country.Ifilibusteredtwelvehoursadaywithaheavypickandaspade,choppin’awaytheluxuriouslandscapethatgrewupontherightofway.Weworkedinswampsthatsmelledliketherewasaleakinthegasmains,trampin’downafineassortmentofthemostexpensivehothouseplantsandvegetables.Thescenewastropicalbeyondthewildestimaginationofthegeographyman.Thetreeswasallsky-scrapers;theunderbrushwasfullofneedlesandpins;therewasmonkeysjumpin’aroundandcrocodilesandpink-tailedmockin’-birds,andyestoodknee-deepintherottenwaterandgrabbledrootsfortheliberationofGuatemala.
