"Yuri Olesha. The three fat men (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автораseemed black against the bright light, crouched on the iron ring and turned
a lever. Something clicked, clanged- and the lamp went out! This took everyone by surprise. The square became as still and as dark as the inside of a trunk. The next moment something clanged very high up. A light patch appeared in the dark top. Everyone saw a little bit of sky with two twinkling stars. Then a small black figure climbed through the hatch, and there was the sound of running feet across the glass top. Tibul the Acrobat had escaped. The horses had been frightened by all the shooting and the sudden darkness. The doctor's carriage nearly turned over. The driver reined in the horses and took another road. Thus, after a most unusual day and a most unusual evening, Doctor Caspar Arnery finally returned home. His housekeeper, Auntie Ganimed, met him on the porch. She was very worried, and no wonder, for the doctor had been gone so long! Auntie Ganimed clasped her hands, clucked her tongue and shook her head. "Where are your spectacles? Did you break them? Ah, Doctor! Oh, Doctor! Where is your cape? Did you lose it? My, my!" "Auntie Ganimed, I also broke the heels of my shoes." "What a shame!" "Something much worse than that happened today. Prospero the Gunsmith was captured. He's been put in an iron cage." Auntie Ganimed had no idea what had happened during the day. She had heard the cannons booming, she had seen the red glow over the rooftops. A the rebels on Court Square. "I was very frightened. I locked the shutters and decided to stay indoors. I waited for you all day long. I was so worried. Your lunch got cold and supper got cold," she said. The night was ending. Doctor Caspar made ready for bed. Among the hundred different sciences he had studied was History. The doctor had a large leather-bound book. In it he wrote down his thoughts about important events. "One must always keep things in good order," said the doctor raising his finger. And so, even though he was very tired, he pulled a chair over to the table, opened his leather-bound book and began to write: "The workers, the miners, the sailors, all the poor working people of the town, rose up against the rule of the Three Fat Men. The Guards won the battle. Prospero the Gunsmith has been captured, but Tibul the Acrobat escaped. A Guard shot his officer on Star Square. That means all the soldiers will soon refuse to fight against the people and defend the Three Fat Men. But I am worried about Tibul." The doctor heard a scraping noise behind his back. He turned around and faced the fire-place. A tall man in a green cape had just climbed down the chimney and stepped into the room. It was Tibul the Acrobat. CHAPTER FOUR |
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