И проиграли бой

           "Theguys’llwanttofight,"Maccontinued."They’llbeallsoreinside.They’llwanttobustsomething.Themvigilantesain’tgotmuchsense;Ihopethey’recrazyenoughtostartsomethingtomorrow."

           BurtonstoodupwearilyfromhisboxandwalkeduptoMac.Hetouchedhimlightlyontheshoulder."Mac,"hesaid,"you’rethecraziestmessofcrueltyandhaus-frausentimentality,ofclearvisionandrose-coloredglassesIeversaw.Idon’tknowhowyoumanagetobeallofthematonce."

           "Nuts,"saidMac.

           Thedoctoryawned."Allright.We’llleaveitatnuts.I’mgoingtobed.Youknowwheretofindmeifyouwantme,onlyIhopeyouwon’twantme."

           Maclookedquicklyatthetentceiling.Fat,lazydropswerefallingonthecanvas.One—two—three,andthenadozen,pattingthetentwithasoftdrumming.Macsighed."Ihopeditwouldn’t.Nowbymorningtheguys’llbedrownedrats.Theywon’thavenomorespiritthanaguineapig."

           "I’mstillgoingtobed,"thedoctorsaid.Hewentoutanddroppedtheflapsbehindhim.

           Macsatdownheavilyonthecoffin.Thedrumminggrewquicker.Outside,themenbegancallingtooneanother,andtheirvoiceswereblurredbytherain."Idon’tsupposethere’satentinthecampthatdon’tleak,"saidMac."Jesus,whycan’twegetabreakwithoutgettingitcancelledout?Whydowealwayshavetotakeitintheneck—always?"

           Jimsatgingerlydownonthelongboxbesidehim."Don’tworryaboutit,Mac.Sometimes,whenaguygetsmiserableenough,he’llfightalltheharder.