"R. A. Lafferty - Narrow Valley" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lafferty R A)

тАЬWhy wonтАЩt I?тАЭ Rampart demanded. тАЬIsnтАЩt the land description
accurate?тАЭ

тАЬOh, I suppose so. But nobodyтАЩs ever been able to get to the land.
ItтАЩs become a sort of joke.тАЭ

тАЬWell, I intend to get to the bottom of that joke,тАЭ Rampart insisted. тАЬI
will occupy the land, or I will find out why not.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm not sure about that,тАЭ the beefy man said. тАЬThe last man to file on
the land, about a dozen years ago, wasnтАЩt able to occupy the land. And he
wasnтАЩt able to say why he couldnтАЩt. ItтАЩs kind of interesting, the look on their
faces after they try it for a day or two, and then give it up.тАЭ

The Ramparts left the courthouse, loaded into their camper, and
drove out to find their land. They stopped at the house of a cattle and wheat
farmer named Charley Dublin. Dublin met them with a grin which indicated
he had been tipped off.

тАЬCome along if you want to, folks,тАЭ Dublin said. тАЬThe easiest way is on
foot across my short pasture here. Your landтАЩs directly west of mine.тАЭ
 They walked the short distance to the border.

тАЬMy name is Tom Rampart, Mr Dublin.тАЭ Six-year-old Tom made
conversation as they walked. тАЬBut my name is really Ramires, and not Tom.
I am the issue of an indiscretion of my mother in Mexico several years
ago.тАЭ

тАЬThe boy is a kidder, Mr Dublin,тАЭ said the mother Nina Rampart,
defending herself. тАЬI have never been in Mexico, but sometimes I have the
urge to disappear there forever.тАЭ

тАЬAh yes, Mrs Rampart. And what is the name of the youngest boy
here?тАЭ Charley Dublin asked.

тАЬFatty,тАЭ said Fatty Rampart.

тАЬBut surely that is not your given name?тАЭ

тАЬAudifax,тАЭ said five-year-old Fatty.

тАЬAh well, Audifax, Fatty, are you a kidder too?тАЭ

тАЬHeтАЩs getting better at it, Mr Dublin,тАЭ Mary Mabel said. тАЬHe was a twin
till last week. His twin was named Skinny. Mama left Skinny unguarded while
she was out tippling, and there were wild dogs in the neighborhood. When
Mama got back, do you know what was left of Skinny? Two neck bones and
an ankle bone. That was all.тАЭ

тАЬPoor Skinny,тАЭ Dublin said. тАЬWell, Rampart, this is the fence and the