Коллекционер

           Ifixedupascreeninonecornerandbehinditawash-tableandacamper’slavatoryandalltheetceteras—itwaslikeaseparatelittleroomalmost.Igototherthings,casesandalotofartbooksandsomenovelstomakeitlookhomely,whichitfinallydid.Ididn’triskpictures,Iknewshemighthaveadvancedtaste.

           Oneproblemofcoursewasdoorsandnoise.Therewasagoodoldoakframeinthedoorthroughtoherroombutnodoor,soIhadtomakeonetofit,andthatwasmyhardestjob.ThefirstoneImadedidn’twork,butthesecondonewasbetter.Evenamancouldn’thavebustitdown,letalonealittlethinglikeher.Itwastwo-inchseasonedwoodwithsheetmetalontheinsidesoshecouldn’tgetatthewood.Itweighedatonanditwasnojokegettingithung,butIdidit.Ifixedten-inchboltsoutside.ThenIdidsomethingveryclever.Imadewhatlookedlikeabookcase,onlyfortoolsandthings,outofsomeoldwoodandfitteditwithwoodenlatchesinthedoorway,sothatifyougaveacasuallookitjustseemedthatitwasjustanoldrecessfittedupwithshelves.Youlifteditoutandtherewasthedoorthrough.Italsostoppedanynoisegettingout.IalsofittedaboltontheinnersideofthedoorwhichhadalocktoodowntothecellarsoIcouldn’tbedisturbed.Alsoaburglaralarm.Onlyasimpleone,forthenight.

           WhatIdidinthefirstcellarwasIputinasmallcookerandalltheotherfacilities.Ididn’tknowtherewouldn’tbesnoopersanditwouldlookfunnyifIwasalwayscarryingtraysoffoodupanddown.ButbeingatthebackofthehouseIdidn’tworrymuch,seeingtherewasonlyfieldsandwoods.Twosidesofthegardenthereisawall,anyhow,andtherestishedgeyoucan’tseethrough.Itwasnearlyideal.Ididthinkofhavingastairrundownfrominside,buttheexpensewashighandIdidn’twantriskofsuspicions.Youcan’ttrustworkmennow,theywanttoknoweverything.