Короли и капуста
Smith
Butletthecentralsoulsuddenlybecomedominant,andhemay,inthetwinklingofaneye,turnuponthepartnerofhisjoyswithfuriousexecration;hemaychangehispoliticswhileyoucouldsnapyourfingers;hemaydealoutdeadlyinsulttohisdearestfriend;hemaygethim,instanter,toamonasteryoradancehall;hemayelope,orhanghimself—orhemaywriteasongorpoem,orkisshiswifeunasked,orgivehisfundstothesearchofamicrobe.Thentheperipheralsoulwillreturn;andwehaveoursafe,sanecitizenagain.ItisbuttherevoltoftheEgoagainstOrder;anditseffectistoshakeuptheatomsonlythattheymaysettlewheretheybelong.
Geddie’srevulsionhadbeenamildone—nomorethanaswiminasummerseaaftersoingloriousanobjectasadriftingbottle.Andnowhewashimselfagain.Uponhisdesk,readyforthepost,wasalettertohisgovernmenttenderinghisresignationasconsul,tobeeffectiveassoonasanothercouldbeappointedinhisplace.ForBernardBrannigan,whoneverdidthingsinahalf-waymanner,wastotakeGeddieatonceforapartnerinhisveryprofitableandvariousenterprises;andPaulawashappilyengagedinplansforrefurnishinganddecoratingtheupperstoryoftheBranniganhouse.
Theconsulrosefromhishammockwhenhesawtheconspicuousstrangerinhisdoor.
"Keepyourseat,oldman,"saidthevisitor,withanairywaveofhislargehand."Myname’sSmith;andI’vecomeinayacht.Youaretheconsul—isthatright?Abig,coolguyonthebeachdirectedmehere.
