Королі та капуста
The Shamrock and the Palm
Ofnightswewouldbuildsmudgesincamptodiscouragethemosquitoes,andsitinthesmoke,withtheguardspacin’allaroundus.Therewastwohundredmenworkin’ontheroad—mostlyDagoes,nigger-men,Spanish-menandSwedes.ThreeorfourwereIrish.
"OneoldmannamedHalloran—amanofHibernianentitlementsanddiscretions,explainedittome.Hehadbeenworkin’ontheroadayear.Mostofthemdiedinlessthansixmonths.Hewasdrieduptogristleandbone,andshookwithchillseverythirdnight.
"‘Whenyoufirstcome,’sayshe,‘yethinkye’llleaverightaway.Buttheyholdoutyourfirstmonth’spayforyourpassageover,andbythattimethetropicshasitsgriponye.Ye’resurroundedbyaragin’forestfullofdisreputablebeasts—lionsandbaboonsandanacondas—waitin’todevourye.Thesunstrikesyehard,andmeltsthemarrowinyourbones.Yegetsimilartothelettuce-eatersthepoetry-bookspeaksabout.Yeforgettheelevatedsintimentsoflife,suchaspatriotism,revenge,disturbancesofthepeaceandthedacintloveofaclaneshirt.Yedoyourwork,andyeswallowthekeroseneileandrubberpipestemsdisheduptoyebytheDagocookforfood.Yelightyourpipeful,andsaytoyoursilf,"NixtweekI’llbreakaway,"andyegotosleepandcallyersilfaliar,foryeknowye’llneverdoit.’
"‘Whoisthisgeneralman,’asksI,‘thatcallshimselfDeVega?’
""Tistheman,’saysHalloran,‘whoistryin’tocompletethefinishin’oftherailroad.
