Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія
Chapter V.
”Presleybegantoconceiveofthemanasa“character.”
“Youwait,Mr.Presley,”thesaloon-keeperhadoncesaid,whenPresleyhadprotestedagainsthisradicalideas.“Youdon’tknowtheRailroadyet.Watchitanditsdoingslongenough,andyou’llcomeovertomywayofthinking,too.”
Itwasabouthalf-pastsevenwhenPresleyreachedBonneville.Thebusinesspartofthetownwasasyethardlyastir;hedespatchedhismanuscript,andthenhurriedtotheofficeofthe“Mercury.”Genslinger,ashefeared,hadnotyetputinappearance,butthejanitorofthebuildinggavePresleytheaddressoftheeditor’sresidence,anditwastherehefoundhimintheactofsittingdowntobreakfast.Presleywashardlycourteoustothelittleman,andabruptlyrefusedhisofferofadrink.HedeliveredMagnus’senvelopetohimanddeparted.
IthadoccurredtohimthatitwouldnotdotopresenthimselfatQuienSabeonHilma’sbirthday,empty-handed,and,onleavingGenslinger’shouse,heturnedhispony’sheadtowardthebusinesspartofthetownagainpullingupinfrontofthejeweller’s,justastheclerkwastakingdowntheshutters.
Atthejeweller’s,hepurchasedalittlebroochforHilmaandatthecigarstandinthelobbyoftheYosemiteHouse,aboxofsuperfinecigars,which,whenitwastoolate,herealisedthatthemasterofQuienSabewouldneversmoke,holding,ashedid,withdefiantinconsistency,tomiserableweeds,black,bitter,andflagrantlydoctored,whichhebought,threeforanickel,atGuadalajara.
