Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           Itwasgoodtobeoutonthespot,movingthroughthesilenceofthewilderness.

           Hewalkedfornearlyanhour.Besidesanoccasionalscurrythattoldhimsquirrelswereabout,therewasnosignofgame.Itwasalmostdusk.Hewasgrowingimpatientwhenhesawafatblackcrowonthebranchofaspruce.Hequicklyaimedandfired.Thebirdfell.Suddenlyhefeltdizzyandleftthespot...

           "Barbarian,"Arthursaidcoldly."Killinganimalsisagainsttherules."

           "Vyhetakemygun?"Ragendemanded.

           "Youleftitunsecured,"Arthursaid."Thatwasagainsttherulestoo."

           "Nottrue.Vehaveagreedoneveaponshouldalvaysbeavailable,outofchildren’sreach,incaseofintruder.Valterdidnothaverighttotakeit."

           Arthursighed."Ireallylikedthechap.Energetic,reliantyoungman.Goodsenseofdirection.AlwaysreadingaboutAustralia,andafterall,itispartoftheBritishEmpire.HeoncesuggestedIinvestigatetheevolutionofthekangaroo.NowI’mafraidhesundesirable."

           "Isseverepenaltyforonecrow,"Ragensaid.

           Arthurgavehimawitheringstare."Thetimemaycomewhenyouhavetokillahumanbeinginself-defense,butIwillnottoleratetakingthelifeofapoordumbcreature."

           Arthurburiedthecrowandwalkedbacktothecar.Allen,whohadheardthelastpartoftheconversation,movedontothespotbehindthewheelanddrovehome.