Голод
Part II
Theseastretchedawayinpearlyblueness,andlittlebirdsflittednoiselesslybymefromplacetoplace.
Apolicemanpatrolsinthedistance;otherwisethereisnotasoulvisible,andthewholeharbourishushedinquiet.
Icountmybelongingsoncemore—halfapenknife,abunchofkeys,butnotafarthing.SuddenlyIdiveintomypocketandtakethepapersoutagain.Itwasamechanicalmovement,anunconsciousnervoustwitch.Iselectedawhiteunwrittenpage,and—GodknowswhereIgotthenotionfrom—butImadeacornet,closeditcarefully,sothatitlookedasifitwerefilledwithsomething,andthrewitfaroutontothepavement.Thebreezeblewitonwardalittle,andthenitlaystill.
Bythistimehungerhadbeguntoassailmeinearnest.Isatandlookedatthewhitepapercornet,whichseemedasifitmightbeburstingwithshiningsilverpieces,andincitedmyselftobelievethatitreallydidcontainsomething.Isatandcoaxedmyselfquiteaudiblytoguessthesum;ifIguessedaright,itwastobemine.
Iimaginedthetiny,prettypennybitsatthebottomandthethickflutedshillingsontop—awholepapercornetfullofmoney!Isatandgazedatitwithwideopenedeyes,andurgedmyselftogoandstealit.
ThenIheartheconstablecough.Whatputsitintomyheadtodothesame?Iriseupfromtheseatandrepeatthecoughthreetimessothathemayhearit.Won’thejumpatthecornerwhenhecomes.
