Американские боги
Chapter 4
YouwerealsofreetobribeaseacaptaintoreturnyoutoEnglandbeforethetermsofyourtransportationwereoveranddone.Peopledid.Andiftheauthoritiescaughtyoureturningfromtransportation-ifanoldenemy,oranoldfriendwithascoretosettle,sawyouandpeachedonyou-thenyouwerehangedwithoutablink.
Iamreminded,hecontinued,afterashortpause,duringwhichherefilledtheinkwellonhisdeskfromthebottleofumberinkfromtheclosetanddippedhispenoncemore,ofthelifeofEssieTregowan,whocamefromachillylittlecliff-topvillageinCornwall,inthesouthwestofEngland,whereherfamilyhadlivedfromtimeoutofmind.Herfatherwasafisherman,anditwasrumoredthathewasoneofthewreckers-thosewhowouldhangtheirlampshighonthedangerouscliffswhenthestormwindsraged,luringshipsontotherocks,forthegoodsonshipboard.Essie’smotherwasinserviceasacookatthesquire’shouse,andattheageoftwelveEssiebegantoworkthere,inthescullery.Shewasathinlittlething,withwidebrowneyesanddarkbrownhair;andshewasnotahardworkerbutwasforeverslippingoffandawaytolistentostoriesandtales,iftherewasanyonewhowouldtellthem:talesofthepiskiesandthespriggans,oftheblackdogsofthemoorsandtheseal-womenoftheChannel.And,thoughthesquirelaughedatsuchthings,thekitchen-folkalwaysputoutachinasaucerofthecreamiestmilkatnight,putitoutsidethekitchendoor,forthepiskies.
