Короли и капуста
The Remnants of the Code
Hehadexhaustedhiscredittothelastreal.WiththeminutekeennessoftheshamelessspongerhewasawareofeverysourceinCoraliofromwhichaglassofrum,amealorapieceofsilvercouldbewheedled.Marshallingeachsuchsourceinhismind,heconsidereditwithallthethoroughnessandpenetrationthathungerandthirstlenthimforthetask.Allhisoptimismfailedtothreshagrainofhopefromthechaffofhispostulations.Hehadplayedoutthegame.Thatonenightintheopenhadshakenhisnerves.Untilthentherehadbeenlefttohimatleastafewgroundsuponwhichhecouldbasehisunblushingdemandsuponhisneighbours’stores.Nowhemustbeginsteadofborrowing.Themostbrazensophistrycouldnotdignifybythenameof"loan"thecoincontemptuouslyflungtoabeachcomberwhosleptonthebareboardsofthepublicmarket.
Butonthismorningnobeggarwouldhavemorethankfullyreceivedacharitablecoin,forthedemonthirsthadhimbythethroat—thedrunkard’smatutinalthirstthatrequirestobeslakedateachmorningstationontheroadtoTophet.
Blythewalkedslowlyupthestreet,keepingawatchfuleyeforanymiraclethatmightdropmannauponhiminhiswilderness.AshepassedthepopulareatinghouseofMadamaVasquez,Madama’sboarderswerejustsittingdowntofreshly-bakedbread,aguacates,pinesanddeliciouscoffeethatsentforthodorousguaranteeofitsqualityuponthebreeze.
