"James E. Gunn - The Witching Hour" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gunn James E)

тАЬPol-ter-geist?тАЭ

тАЬAn old German word. тАШPolterтАЩ means тАШuproarтАЩ and тАШgeistтАЩ means тАШspirit.тАЩ Uproarious spirits.тАЭ

тАЬOh,тАЭ she said wisely. тАЬSpirits.тАЭ As if she knew all about spirits.
тАЬItтАЩs just a superstition,тАЭ Matt said impatiently. тАЬBefore people could find natural explanations for unusual
events, they blamed these things on spirits. There arenтАЩt any ghosts or spirits who knock on tables or
throw things or make noises. When these things happen, someone or something is responsible. ThatтАЩs
what my book is going to prove. But you probably arenтАЩt interested in books.тАЭ

тАЬI like books.тАЭ

тАЬI mean books like this тАФ scholarly books.тАЭ

She nodded. тАЬEven books about pol-ter-geists. Specially books like that.тАЭ

Matt felt unreasonably irritated. тАЬAll right, where do you live?тАЭ

She stopped bouncing and got very quiet. тАЬI cainтАЩt go home.тАЭ

тАЬWhy not?тАЭ he demanded. тАЬAnd donтАЩt tell me тАШI run away,тАЩтАЭ he imitated nasally.

тАЬPawтАЩd beat me again. HeтАЩd purty nigh skin me alive, I guess.тАЭ

тАЬYou mean he hits you?тАЭ

тАЬHe donтАЩt use his fists тАФ not often. He uses his belt mostly. Look!тАЭ She pulled up the hem of her dress
and the leg of a pair of baggy drawers that appeared to be made from some kind of sacking.

Matt looked quickly and glanced away. Across the back of one thigh was an ugly, dark bruise. But the
leg seemed unusually well rounded for a girl of thirteen. Matt frowned. Had he read somewhere that girls
in the hills mature early?

He cleared his throat. тАЬWhy does he do that?тАЭ

тАЬHeтАЩs just mean.тАЭ

тАЬHe must have some reason.тАЭ

тАЬWell,тАЭ she said thoughtfully, тАЬhe beats me when heтАЩs drunk тАЩcause heтАЩs drunk, and he beats me when
heтАЩs sober тАЩcause he ainтАЩt drunk. That covers it mostly.тАЭ

тАЬBut what does he say?тАЭ Matt asked desperately.

She glanced at him shyly. тАЬOh, I cainтАЩt repeat it.тАЭ

тАЬI mean what does he want you to do?тАЭ

тАЬOh, that!тАЭ She brooded over it. тАЬHe thinks I ought to get married. He wants me to catch some strong