Девять рассказов
The Laughing Man
IgotexcitedaboutmydiscoveryandyelledtheinformationovertotheChief,behindthepitcher.Hehurriedovertome,notquiterunning."Where?"heaskedme.Ipointedagain.Hestaredforamomentintherightdirection,thensaidhe’dbebackinaminuteandleftthefield.Heleftitslowly,openinghisovercoatandputtinghishandsinthehippocketsofhistrousers.Isatdownonfirstbaseandwatched.BythetimetheChiefreachedMaryHudson,hisovercoatwasbuttonedagainandhishandsweredownathissides.
Hestoodoverherforaboutfiveminutes,apparentlytalkingtoher.ThenMaryHudsonstoodup,andthetwoofthemwalkedtowardthebaseballfield.Theydidn’ttalkastheywalked,orlookateachother.Whentheyreachedthefield,theChieftookhispositionbehindthepitcher.Iyelledovertohim."Isn’tshegonnaplay?"Hetoldmetocovermysack.IcoveredmysackandwatchedMaryHudson.Shewalkedslowlybehindtheplate,withherhandsinthepocketsofherbeavercoat,andfinallysatdownonamisplacedplayers’benchjustbeyondthirdbase.Shelitanothercigaretteandcrossedherlegs.
WhentheWarriorswereatbat,Iwentovertoherbenchandaskedherifshefeltlikeplayingleftfield.Sheshookherhead.Iaskedherifshehadacold.Sheshookherheadagain.ItoldherIdidn’thaveanybodyinleftfield.ItoldherIhadaguyplayingcenterfieldandleftfield.Therewasnoresponseatalltothisinformation.
