Американские боги
Chapter 10
"MadSweeneygavemeagoldencoin,backwhenheshowedmehowtodothattrick.Fromwhathesaid,hegavemethewrongcoin.Whathegavemewassomethingmorepowerfulthanwhathethoughthewasgivingme.IpasseditontoLaura."
Wednesdaygrunted,loweredhischintohischest,frowned.Thenhesatback."Thatcoulddoit,"hesaid."Andno,Ican’thelpyou.Whatyoudoinyourowntimeisyourownaffair,ofcourse."
"What,"askedShadow,"isthatsupposedtomean?"
"ItmeansthatIcan’tstopyoufromhuntingeaglestonesorthunderbirds.ButIwouldinfinitelypreferthatyouspendyourdaysquietlysequesteredinLakeside,outofsight,and,Ihope,outofmind.Whenthingsgethairywe’llneedallhandstothewheel."
Helookedveryoldashesaidthis,andfragile,andhisskinseemedalmosttransparent,andthefleshbeneathwasgray.
Shadowwanted,wantedverymuch,toreachoutandputhishandoverWednesday’sgrayhand.Hewantedtotellhimthateverythingwouldbeokay—somethingthatShadowdidnotfeel,butthatheknewhadtobesaid.Thereweremeninblacktrainsoutthere.Therewasafatkidinastretchlimoandtherewerepeopleinthetelevisionwhodidnotmeanthemwell.HedidnottouchWednesday.Hedidnotsayanything.
Later,hewonderedifhecouldhavechangedthings,ifthatgesturewouldhavedoneanygood,ifitcouldhaveavertedanyoftheharmthatwastocome