И проиграли бой

           "Thatdon’tmeananything.Wedonewhatwecametodo.Thethinggoesrighton,Al.Youjustmakepeacean’pretendyouain’tevergoin’togetburnednomore."Helistened."Isthatsomebodycoming?"Heranthroughthekitchenandintothefrontofthehouse,andlookedoutawindow.

           "It’smyoldman,Irecognizehisstep,"saidAl.

           Macreturned."Iwantedtoseeifanybodywaswithhim.He’sallalone.Wecouldmakeasneak,Iguess.I’drathertellhimI’msorry."

           "Youbetternot,"Aladvised."Hewon’tlistentonothingfromyou.Hehatesyourguts."

           Therewerestepsontheporchandthedoorburstopen.Andersonstood,surprisedandglaring."Goddamnit,"heshouted."Youbastardsgetoutofhere.I’vebeenandturnedyouin.Thesheriffsgoin’kickthewholesmearofyouoffmyland."Hischestswelledwithrage.

           Macsaid,"Wejustwantedtotellyouwe’resorry.Wedidn’tburnthebarn.Someoftheboysfromtowndid."

           "Whatth’helldoIcarewhoburnedit?It’sburned,thecrop’sburned.Whatdoyoudamnbumsknowaboutit?I’lllosetheplacesure,now."Hiseyeswateredwithrage."Youbastardsneverownednothing.Youneverplantedtreesan’seen’emgrowan’felt’emwithyourhands.Youneverownedathing,neverwentoutan’touchedyourownappletreeswithyourhands.Whatdoyouknow?"

           "Weneverhadachancetoownanything,"Macsaid."We’dliketoownsomethingandplanttrees."

           Andersonignoredhiswords."Ilistenedtoyourpromises.Lookwhathappened.Thewholecrop’sburned,there’spapercomingdue."