Королі та капуста
The Shamrock and the Palm
Helookedatmewithtearsinhiseyes,andfromtimetotimehewouldemittheremark,‘Ah!big,strong,bravemans!Thatiswhatmycountryneed.’
"GeneralDeVega,aswasthenamebywhichhedenouncedhimself,broughtoutadocumentformetosign,whichIdid,makin’afineflourishandcurlycuewiththetailofthe‘y.’
"‘Yourpassage-money,’saysthegeneral,business-like,‘shallfromyourpaybededuct.’
"’Twillnot,’saysI,haughty.‘I’llpaymyownpassage.’AhundredandeightydollarsIhadinmyinsidepocket,and’twasnocommonfilibusterIwasgoin’tobe,filibusterin’formeboardandclothes.
"Thesteamerwastosailintwohours,andIwentashoretogetsomethingstogetherI’dneed.WhenIcameaboardIshowedthegeneralwithpridetheoutfit.’TwasafineChinchillaovercoat,Arcticovershoes,furcapandearmuffs,withelegantfleece-linedglovesandwoolenmuffler.
"‘Carrambos!’saysthelittlegeneral.‘Whatclothesarethesethatshallgotothetropic?’Andthenthelittlespalpeenlaughs,andhecallsthecaptain,andthecaptaincallsthepurser,andtheypipeupthechiefengineer,andthewholegangleansagainstthecabinandlaughsatClancy’swardrobeforGuatemala.
"Ireflectsabit,serious,andasksthegeneralagaintodenominatethetermsbywhichhiscountryiscalled.Hetellsme,andIseethenthat’twasthet’otherone,Kamchatka,Ihadinmind.SincethenI’vehaddifficultyinseparatin’thetwonationsinname,climateandgeographicdisposition.
