Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія
Chapter VII
AttheinstanthewasthePresidentoftheLeagueonly,thechief,themaster.Aroyalangersurgedwithinhim,awide,toweringscornofopposition.Hewouldcrushthisdisaffectioninitsincipiency,wouldvindicatehimselfandstrengthenthecauseatoneandthesametime.Hesteppedforwardandstoodinthespeaker’splace,turningpartlytowardtheaudience,partlytowardtheassembledLeaguers.
“GentlemenoftheLeague,”hebegan,“citizensofBonneville”
ButatoncethesilenceinwhichtheGovernorhadbeguntospeakwasbrokenbyashout.Itwasasthoughhiswordshadfurnishedasignal.Inacertainquarterofthegallery,directlyopposite,amanarose,andinavoicepartlyofderision,partlyofdefiance,criedout:
“HowaboutthebriberyofthosetwodelegatesatSacramento?Tellusaboutthat.That’swhatwewanttohearabout.”
Agreatconfusionbrokeout.Thefirstcrywasrepeatednotonlybytheoriginalspeaker,butbyawholegroupofwhichhewasbutapart.Othersintheaudience,however,seeinginthedisturbanceonlytheclamourofafewRailroadsupporters,attemptedtohowlthemdown,hissingvigorouslyandexclaiming:
“Put’emout,put’emout.”
“Order,order,”calledGarnett,poundingwithhisgavel.ThewholeOperaHousewasinanuproar.
ButtheinterruptionoftheGovernor’sspeechwasevidentlynotunpremeditated.Itbegantolooklikeadeliberateandplannedattack.Persistently,doggedly,thegroupinthegalleryvociferated:“TellushowyoubribedthedelegatesatSacramento.BeforeyouthrowmudattheRailroad,let’sseeifyouarecleanyourself.
