Зима тревоги нашей

           "Didyouadvisemyfatheraboutinvestments?"

           "IwasinWashington."

           "ButyouknewhehadborrowedthemoneyontheHawleyproperty,themoneytoinvest?"

           "Yes,Iknewthat."

           "Didyouadviseagainstit?"

           "IwasinWashington."

           "Butyourbankforeclosed."

           "Abankdoesn’thaveanychoice,Ethan.Youknowthat."

           "Yes,Iknow.Onlyit’sashameyoucouldn’thaveadvisedhim."

           "Youshouldn’tblamehim,Ethan."

           "NowthatIunderstandit,Idon’t.Ididn’tmeantoblamehim,butIneverquiteknewwhathappened."

           IthinkMr.Bakerhadpreparedanopening.Havinglosthischance,hehadtogropeaboutforhisnextmove.Hecoughed,blewhisnoseandwipeditwithapaperhandkerchieffromaflatpocketpackage,wipedhiseyeswithasecondsheet,polishedhisglasseswithathird.Everyonehashisownmethodforgainingtime.I’veknownamantotakefiveminutestofillandlightapipe.

           Whenhewasreadyagain,Isaid,"IknowIhavenorightinmyselftoaskyouforhelp.Butyouyourselfbroughtupthelongpartnershipofourfamilies."

           "Goodpeople,"hesaid."Andusuallymenofexcellentjudgment,conservative—"

           "Butnotblindlyso,sir.Ibelievethatoncetheydecidedonacoursetheydrovethrough."

           "Thattheydid."

           "Evenifitcametosinkinganenemy—orburningaship?"

           "Theywerecommissioned,ofcourse."

           "In1801,Ibelieve,sir,theywerequestionedaboutwhatconstitutedanenemy."

           "There’salwayssomereadjustmentafterawar."

           "Surely.