Короли и капуста
Ships
TheburrsweretheripeAugustproduct,ashardasfilberts,andbristlingwithspinesastoughandsharpasneedles.Johnnywhistledsoftlyalittletune,andwentouttofindBillyKeogh.
Laterinthenight,whenCoraliowassteepedinslumber,heandBillywentforthintothedesertedstreetswiththeircoatsbulginglikeballoons.AllupanddowntheCalleGrandetheywent,sowingthesharpburrscarefullyinthesand,alongthenarrowsidewalks,ineveryfootofgrassbetweenthesilenthouses.Andthentheytookthesidestreetsandby-ways,missingnone.Noplacewherethefootofman,womanorchildmightfallwasslighted.Manytripstheymadetoandfromthepricklyhoard.Andthen,nearlyatthedawn,theylaidthemselvesdowntorestcalmly,asgreatgeneralsdoafterplanningavictoryaccordingtotherevisedtactics,andslept,knowingthattheyhadsowedwiththeaccuracyofSatansowingtaresandtheperseveranceofPaulplanting.
Withtherisingsuncamethepurveyorsoffruitsandmeats,andarrangedtheirwaresinandaroundthelittlemarket-house.Atoneendofthetownneartheseashorethemarket-housestood;andthesowingoftheburrshadnotbeencarriedthatfar.Thedealerswaitedlongpastthehourwhentheirsalesusuallybegan.Nonecametobuy."Quéhay?"theybegantoexclaim,onetoanother.
Attheiraccustomedtime,fromevery‘dobeandpalmhutandgrass-thatchedshackanddimpatioglidedwomen—blackwomen,brownwomen,lemon-coloredwomen,womendunandyellowandtawny.
