"Yuri Olesha. The three fat men (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

seemed 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
neighbour had told her that a hundred carpenters were making scaffolds for
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