Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія

           Hewaswealthy.Onlyayearprevioustothishisfather—awidower,whohadamassedafortuneinlandspeculation—haddied,andAnnixter,theonlyson,hadcomeintotheinheritance.

           ForPresley,Annixterprofessedagreatadmiration,holdingindeeprespectthemanwhocouldrhymewords,deferringtohimwhenevertherewasquestionofliteratureorworksoffiction.Nodoubt,therewasnotmuchuseinpoetry,andasfornovels,tohismind,therewereonlyDickens’sworks.Everythingelsewasalotoflies.Butjustthesame,ittookbrainstogrindoutapoem.Itwasn’teveryonewhocouldrhyme“brave”and“glaive,”andmakesenseoutofit.Surenot.

           ButPresley’scasewasanotableexception.OnnooccasionwasAnnixterpreparedtoacceptanotherman’sopinionwithoutreserve.Inconversationwithhim,itwasalmostimpossibletomakeanydirectstatement,howevertrivial,thathewouldacceptwithouteithermodificationoropencontradiction.Hehadapassionforviolentdiscussion.Hewouldargueuponeverysubjectintherangeofhumanknowledge,fromastronomytothetariff,fromthedoctrineofpredestinationtotheheightofahorse.Neverwouldheadmithimselftobemistaken;whencornered,hewouldintrenchhimselfbehindtheremark,“Yes,that’sallverywell.Insomeways,itis,andthen,again,insomeways,itISN’T.”

           Singularlyenough,heandPresleywerethebestoffriends.Morethanonce,Presleymarvelledatthisstateofaffairs,tellinghimselfthatheandAnnixterhadnothingincommon.