"Лорд Дансени. The Glittering Gate (Блистающие врата) (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

:
You shall see her again, Jim.

{Jim takes no interest in this remark; he lowers his
eyes and goes on with his work.}
:
Jim, you shall see her again. You want to get into
Heaven, don't you?
: {not raising his eyes}
Want!
:
Jim. Do you know what I've got, Jim?

{Jim makes no answer, goes on wearily with his work.}
:
You remember those iron safes, Jim, how we used to
knock them open like walnuts with "Old Nut-cracker"?
: {at work, wearily}
Empty again.
:
Well, I've got Old Nut-cracker. I had him in my hand
at the time, and they let me keep him. They thought it
would be a nice proof against me.
:
Nothing is any good here.
:
I'll get in to Heaven, Jim. And you shall come with me
because you taught me a livelihood. I could n't be
happy there, like those angels, if I knew of anyone
being outside. I'm not like that.

{Jim goes on with his work.}
:
Jim, Jim. You'll see Jane there.
:
You'll never get through those gates, Bill. You'll
never do it.
:
They're only gold, Jim. Gold's soft like lead. Old
Nut-cracker would do it if they were steel.
:
You'll never do it, Bill.

{Bill puts a rock against the gates, stands on it to
reach the lock and gets to work on the lock. A good
instrument to use is an egg-whipper. Jim goes on
wearily with his work. As Bill works away, fragments
and golden screws begin to fall on the floor.}
:
Jim! Old Nut-cracker thinks nothing of it. It's just