Девять рассказов
The Laughing Man
Inaninstant,anunconditionalsilencefilledthebus,cuttingofffromtheChiefanyalternativebuttotakeuphisnarratingposition.Whenhehaddoneso,hetookoutahandkerchiefandmethodicallyblewhisnose,onenostrilatatime.Wewatchedhimwithpatienceandevenacertainamountofspectator’sinterest.Whenhehadfinishedwithhishandkerchief,hefoldeditneatlyinquartersandreplaceditinhispocket.Hethengaveusthenewinstallmentof"TheLaughingMan."Fromstarttofinish,itlastednolongerthanfiveminutes.
FourofDufarge’sbulletsstrucktheLaughingMan,twoofthemthroughtheheart.WhenDufarge,whowasstillshieldinghiseyesagainstthesightoftheLaughingMan’sface,heardaqueerexhalationofagonyfromthedirectionofthetarget,hewasoverjoyed.Hisblackheartbeatingwildly,herushedovertohisunconsciousdaughterandbroughtherto.Thepairofthem,besidethemselveswithdelightandcoward’scourage,nowdaredtolookupattheLaughingMan.Hisheadwasbowedasindeath,hischinrestingonhisbloodychest.Slowly,greedily,fatheranddaughtercameforwardtoinspecttheirspoils.Quiteasurprisewasinstoreforthem.TheLaughingMan,farfromdead,wasbusycontractinghisstomachmusclesinasecretmanner.AstheDufargescameintorange,hesuddenlyraisedhisface,gaveaterriblelaugh,andneatly,evenfastidiously,regurgitatedallfourbullets.TheimpactofthisfeatontheDufargeswassoacutethattheirheartsliterallyburst,andtheydroppeddeadattheLaughingMan’sfeet.
