Короли и капуста
The Shamrock and the Palm
InthenighttoPortBarriosIcame.Idispossessmyselfofthatmountainofmuleandhastenalongthewatershore.Ifindalittleboattobetied.Ilaunchmyselfandrowtothesteamer.Icannotseeanymansonboard,soIclimbedoneropewhichhangattheside.Ithenmyselfhideinthebananas.Surely,Isay,iftheshipcaptainsviewme,theyshallthrowmeagaintothoseGuatemala.Thosethingsarenotgood.GuatemalawillshootGeneralDeVega.Therefore,Iamhideandremainsilent.Lifeitselfisglorious.Liberty,itisprettygood;butsogoodaslifeIdonotthink.’
"Threedays,asIsaid,wasthetriptoNewOrleans.Thegeneralmanandmegottobecroniesofthedeepestdye.Bananasweateuntiltheyweredistastefultothesightandaneyesoretothepalate,buttobananasalonewasthebilloffarereduced.AtnightIcrawlsout,careful,onthelowerdeck,andgetsabucketoffreshwater.
"ThatGeneralDeVegawasamaninhabitedbyanengorgementofwordsandsentences.Headdedtothemonotonyofthevoyagebydivestin’himselfofconversation.HebelievedIwasarevolutionistofhisownparty,therebein’,ashetoldme,agoodmanyAmericansandotherforeignersinitsranks.’Twasabraggartandaconceitedlittlegabbleritwas,thoughheconsideredhimselfahero.’Twasonhimselfhewastedallhisregretsatthefailin’ofhisplot.Notaworddidthelittleballoonhavetosayabouttheothermisbehavin’idiotsthathadbeenshot,orrunthemselvestodeathinhisrevolution.
