Девять рассказов
The Laughing Man
(Iftheinstallmentwasgoingtobeashortoneanyway,itcouldhaveendedthere;theComanchescouldhavemanagedtorationalizethesuddendeathoftheDufarges.Butitdidn’tendthere.)Dayafterday,theLaughingMancontinuedtostandlashedtothetreewithbarbedwire,theDufargesdecomposingathisfeet.Bleedingprofuselyandcutofffromhissupplyofeagles’blood,hehadneverbeenclosertodeath.Oneday,however,inahoarsebuteloquentvoice,heappealedforhelptotheanimalsoftheforest.HesummonedthemtofetchOmba,thelovabledwarf.Andtheydid.ButitwasalongtripbackandforthacrosstheParis-Chineseborder,andbythetimeOmbaarrivedonthescenewithamedicalkitandafreshsupplyofeagles’blood,theLaughingManwasinacoma.Omba’sveryfirstactofmercywastoretrievehismaster’smask,whichhadblownupagainstMlle.Dufarge’svermin-infestedtorso.Heplaceditrespectfullyoverthehideousfeatures,thenproceededtodressthewounds.
WhentheLaughingMan’ssmalleyesfinallyopened,Ombaeagerlyraisedthevialofeagles’blooduptothemask.ButtheLaughingMandidn’tdrinkfromit.Instead,heweaklypronouncedhisbelovedBlackWing’sname.OmbabowedhisownslightlydistortedheadandrevealedtohismasterthattheDufargeshadkilledBlackWing.Apeculiarandheart-rendinggaspoffinalsorrowcamefromtheLaughingMan.Hereachedoutwanlyforthevialofeagles’bloodandcrusheditinhishand.Whatlittlebloodhehadlefttrickledthinlydownhiswrist
