Американские боги
Chapter 8
Itwasatradingpostbackintheolddays."
"Frontiertimes?"
"Youmightcallitthat,"saidMr.Ibis."Evening,MizzSimmons!AndamerryChristmastoyoutoo!ThefolkwhobroughtmeherecameuptheMississippialongtimeback."
Shadowstoppedinthestreet,andstared."AreyoutryingtotellmethatancientEgyptianscameheretotradefivethousandyearsago?"
Mr.Ibissaidnothing,buthesmirkedloudly.Thenhesaid,"Threethousandfivehundredandthirtyyearsago.Giveortake."
"Okay,"saidShadow."I’llbuyit,Iguess.Whatweretheytrading?"
"Notmuch,"saidMr.Ibis."Animalskins.Somefood.Copperfromtheminesintheupperpeninsula.Thewholethingwasratheradisappointment.Notworththeeffort.Theystayedherelongenoughtobelieveinus,tosacrificetous,andforahandfulofthetraderstodieoffeverandbeburiedhere,leavingusbehindthem."Hestoppeddeadinthemiddleofthesidewalk,turnedaroundslowly,armsextended."ThiscountryhasbeenGrandCentralStationfortenthousandyearsormore.Yousaytome,whataboutColumbus?"
"Sure,"saidShadow,obligingly."Whatabouthim?"
"Columbusdidwhatpeoplehadbeendoingforthousandsofyears.There’snothingspecialaboutcomingtoAmerica.I’vebeenwritingstoriesaboutit,fromtimetotime."Theybegantowalkagain.
