Девять рассказов
The Laughing Man
Thenextmonthorso,sheplayedbaseballwiththeComanchesacoupleoftimesaweek(whenevershehadanappointmentwithherdentist,apparently).Someafternoonsshemetthebusontime,someafternoonsshewaslate.Sometimesshetalkedabluestreakinthebus,sometimesshejustsatandsmokedherHerbertTareytoncigarettes(cork-tipped).Whenyousatnexttoherinthebus,shesmelledofawonderfulperfume.
OnewintrydayinApril,aftermakinghisusualthreeo’clockpickupat109thandAmsterdam,theChiefturnedtheloadedbuseastat110thStreetandcruisedroutinelydownFifthAvenue.Buthishairwascombedwet,hehadonhisovercoatinsteadofhisleatherwindbreaker,andIreasonablysurmisedthatMaryHudsonwasscheduledtojoinus.WhenwezippedpastourusualentrancetothePark,Iwassureofit.TheChiefparkedthebusonthecomerintheSixtiesappropriatetotheoccasion.Then,tokilltimepainlesslyfortheComanches,hestraddledhisseatbackwardandreleasedanewinstallmentof"TheLaughingMan."Iremembertheinstallmenttothelastdetail,andImustoutlineitbriefly.
AfluxofcircumstancesdeliveredtheLaughingMan’sbestfriend,histimberwolf,BlackWing,intoaphysicalandintellectualtrapsetbytheDufarges.TheDufarges,awareoftheLaughingMan’shighsenseofloyalty,offeredhimBlackWing’sfreedominexchangeforhisown.Inthebestfaithintheworld,theLaughingManagreedtotheseterms.(Someoftheminormechanicsofhisgeniuswereoftensubjecttomysteriouslittlebreakdowns.)
