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

Hurry!
Hurry!
Hurry!
Today The Government of the Three Fat Men
PRESENTS
A FAIR FOR THE PEOPLE
Hurry to the 14th Market Place
AMUSEMENTS
SIDESHOWS
FUN FOR ALL
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

"I know what this is all about," Doctor Caspar said. "The rebels are to
be executed on Court Square today. The Three Fat Men have ordered their
executioners to chop off the head of every man who rose against the rule of
the rich and the gluttons. The Three Fat Men want to fool the people.
They're afraid the people might gather on Court Square and break the
scaffolds, kill the executioners, and free their brothers who have been
sentenced to death. That's why they're putting on a show for the people.
They want them to forget all about today's executions."
Doctor Caspar and his black companion came to the Fourteenth Market
Place. There were crowds near the booths, but nowhere did the doctor see a
single fop, a single grand lady in a dress the colour of gold-fish scales
and ripe grapes, a single important-looking old man riding along in a
gold-covered sedan chair, or a single merchant with a huge leather purse on
his side!
There were only the poor people of the slums: workers and craftsmen,
peddlers of oat-cakes, day-labourers, carriers, old women, beggars, and
cripples. The only bright spots among the tattered, old grey clothes were
green cuffs here and there, a bright cape or ribbon.
The wind tore at the old women's grey hair and made their eyes tear.
The beggars' brown rags flapped in the wind.
There were no smiling faces in the crowd. Everyone seemed to be waiting
for something terrible to happen.
"The executions will be held on Court Square," they were saying. "Our
comrades' heads will fall there. But here, clowns that have been paid a lot
of gold by the Three Fat Men will prance around like monkeys."
"Let's go to Court Square!"
"We have no weapons. We have no swords or pistols. And Court Square is
surrounded by three rings of armed Guards."
"The soldiers are still protecting the Three Fat Men. They shot at us.
But sooner or later, they'll join us against their leaders."
"Last night a Guard shot his officer on Star Square. He did it to save
Tibul's life."
"But where is Tibul? Did he escape?"
"Nobody knows. The Guards were burning down the workers* houses all
through the night. They wanted to find him, to smoke him out."
Doctor Caspar and the Negro now reached the booths. The show had not
yet begun. They could hear voices, the jingling of bells, the sound of a
flute and something rustling, growling and squeaking behind the flowery