Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           Theinsistentflowingofthefountainseemedonlyasthesymbolofthepassingoftime,athingthatwasunderstoodratherthanheard,inevitable,prolonged.Atlongintervals,afaintbreeze,hardlymorethanabreath,founditswayintothegardenovertheenclosingwalls,andpassedoverhead,spreadingeverywherethedelicious,mingledperfumeofmagnoliablossoms,ofmignonette,ofmoss,ofgrass,andallthecalmgreenlifesilentlyteemingwithintheenclosureofthewalls.

           Fromwherehesat,Vanamee,turninghishead,couldlookoutunderneaththepeartreestothenorth.Closeathand,alittlevalleylaybetweenthehighgroundonwhichtheMissionwasbuilt,andthelineoflowhillsjustbeyondBrodersonCreekontheQuienSabe.InherewastheSeedranch,whichAngele’speoplehadcultivated,auniqueandbeautifulstretchoffivehundredacres,plantedthickwithroses,violets,lilies,tulips,iris,carnations,tube-roses,poppies,heliotrope—allmanneranddescriptionofflowers,fivehundredacresofthem,solid,thick,exuberant;bloomingandfading,andleavingtheirseedorslipstobemarketedbroadcastallovertheUnitedStates.ThishadbeenthevocationofAngele’sparents—raisingflowersfortheirseeds.AlloverthecountrytheSeedranchwasknown.Nowitwasarid,almostdry,butwheninfullflower,towardthemiddleofsummer,thesightofthesehalf-thousandacresroyalwithcolour—vermilion,azure,flamingyellow—wasamarvel.