Американские боги

           Shadowdecidedtoremainstanding.Czernobogextendedhislefthand,shookWednesday’s,shookShadow’s."Wellmet,"hesaid.Thenhesatback,apparentlyenjoyingthemusic.

           The"DanseMacabre"cametoatempestuousanddiscordantend.Thatalltheartificialinstrumentswereever-so-slightlyoutoftuneaddedtotheotherworldlinessoftheplace.Anewpiecebegan."Howwasyourbankrobbery?"askedCzernobog."Itwentwell?"Hestood,reluctanttoleavetheMikadoanditsthundering,janglingmusic.

           "Slickasasnakeinabarrelofbutter,"saidWednesday.

           "Igetapensionfromtheslaughterhouse,"saidCzernobog."Idonotaskformore."

           "Itwon’tlastforever,"saidWednesday."Nothingdoes."

           Morecorridors,moremusicalmachines.Shadowbecameawarethattheywerenotfollowingthepaththroughtheroomsintendedfortourists,butseemedtobefollowingadifferentrouteofWednesday’sowndevising.Theyweregoingdownaslope,andShadow,confused,wonderediftheyhadalreadybeenthatway.

           CzernoboggraspedShadow’sarm."Quickly,comehere,"hesaid,pullinghimovertoalargeglassboxbyawall.Itcontainedadioramaofatrampasleepinachurchyardinfrontofachurchdoor.THEDRUNKARD’SDREAMsaidthelabel,whichexplainedthatitwasanineteenth-centurypenny-in-the-slotmachine,originallyfromanEnglishrailwaystation.