Королі та капуста

           Therewasalawthatnocivilianmightcomesoneartheheadquartersofthatcitadelofwarafternineo’clock,butGoodwinwasalwaysforgettingtheminorstatutes.

           "Quiénvive?"shriekedthesentinel,wrestlingprodigiouslywithhislengthymusket.

           "Americano,"growledGoodwin,withoutturninghishead,andpassedon,unhalted.

           Totherightheturned,andtotheleftupthestreetthatultimatelyreachedthePlazaNacional.WhenwithinthetossofacigarstumpfromtheintersectingStreetoftheHolySepulchre,hestoppedsuddenlyinthepathway.

           Hesawtheformofatallman,clothedinblackandcarryingalargevalise,hurrydownthecross-streetinthedirectionofthebeach.AndGoodwin’ssecondglancemadehimawareofawomanattheman’selbowonthefartherside,whoseemedtourgeforward,ifnoteventoassist,hercompanionintheirswiftbutsilentprogress.TheywerenoCoralians,thosetwo.

           Goodwinfollowedatincreasedspeed,butwithoutanyoftheartfultacticsthataresodeartotheheartofthesleuth.TheAmericanwastoobroadtofeeltheinstinctofthedetective.HestoodasanagentforthepeopleofAnchuria,andbutforpoliticalreasonshewouldhavedemandedthenandtherethemoney.Itwasthedesignofhispartytosecuretheimperilledfund,torestoreittothetreasuryofthecountry,andtodeclareitselfinpowerwithoutbloodshedorresistance.

           ThecouplehaltedatthedooroftheHoteldelosEstranjeros,andthemanstruckuponthewoodwiththeimpatienceofoneunusedtohisentrybeingstayed.