"Cory Doctorow - Welcome to Hard Times" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dodd Christina)

stepped aside as Fee staggered by him. The back of
Fee's bald head was bashed and webbed with
blood and he was holding his ears. Little Jimmy
6 E. L. Doctorow
stood next to me watching his father go up the
street. He ran after a few yards, then stopped,
then ran after again. When he caught up to Fee
he took his belt and together they walked into
Fee's door.
Nobody went back into the saloon, we were all
reminded of business we had to do. When I got to
my office door I glanced back and the only one
still standing in the street was Avery, in his apron.
I knew he'd be the first over to see me and he was.
"Blue, that gentleman's in my place, you got to
get him out of there."
"I saw him pay you money Avery."
"I got stock behind that bar, I got window glass
in my windows, I got my grain and still in back.
There's no telling what he'll do."
"Maybe he'll leave soon enough."
"He cracked Fee's skull!"
"A fight's a fight, there's nothing I can do."
"Goddamnit!"
"Well now Avery I'm forty-nine years old."
"Goddamnit!"
I took my gun out of my drawer and shoved it
over the desk toward fat Avery but he didn't
take it. Instead he sat down on my cot and we
waited together. About dusk Jimmy Fee came in
and told me his father was bleeding at the mouth.
I went out and found John Bear; the deaf-and-dumb
Pawnee who served for our doctor, and we went
over to Fee's place but Fee was already dead. The
Indian shrugged and walked out and I was left
to comfort the boy all night.
Once, around midnight, when it got too cold for
me, I walked back to my office to get a blanket.
And on the way I sneaked across the streetтАФ
 Welcome to Hard Times

7
running where there was moonlightтАФto peek into
the window of the Silver Sun. The lights were still
burning. Behind the bar, Florence, with her red
hair unpinned to her shoulders, was crying and
pouring herself a stiff one. I tapped on the win-
dow, but she knew Fee was dead and she
wouldn't come out. I ran around back. The upstairs
was dark and I could hear the, Man from Bodie