Таинственная история Билли Миллигана
Chapter 8
YoungcalledmeandIcomeuptotheschoolafteryou.Don’tremembercominghomewithme?’
"He’dlookdazedandnodandsay,‘Oh.’
"‘Don’tyouremember?’
"‘IguessIjustwasn’tfeelingwelltoday.’
"Theytriedtotellmeitwasdrug-related,"Dorothysaid,"butIknewitwasn’t.Thatboynevertookdrugs.Hewouldn’teventakeanaspirin.I’dhavetofighthimtotakemedicine.Sometimeshe’dcomehomeonhisown,confusedandinatrace.Hewouldn’ttalktomeuntilhehadanap.Thenhe’dcomeoutanditwouldbemyBillyagain.Itoldthem.Itoldeveryone,Thafboyneedshelp.’"
Arthurappearedinschooloccasionallytocorrectateacherwhentheywerestudyingworldhistory,especiallywhenthesubjectwasEnglandandtheColonies.HespentmostofhistimeintheLancasterPublicLibrary,reading.Therewasmoretobegainedfrombooksandfirsthandexperiencethanfromthesenarrow-minded,provincialteachers.
Theschoolteacher’sexplanationoftheBostonTeaPartymadeArthurangry.HehadreadthetruthinaCanadianbookcalledTheRawFacts,whichdebunkedthephonypatrioticexplanationforwhathadreallybeenagroupofdrunkensailors.ButwhenArthurspoke,everyonelaughed,andhewalkedoutoftheclass,leavingthesoundofgigglingbehindhim.Hewentbacktothelibrary,whereheknewtheprettylibrarianwouldn’tlaughathisaccent.
