Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 2
Intelligentmenarecruel.Stupidmenaremonstrouslycruel.Theguardsandthemenoverme,fromtheWardendown,werestupidmonsters.Listen,andyoushalllearnwhattheydidtome.Therewasapoetintheprison,aconvict,aweak-chinned,broad-browed,degeneratepoet.Hewasaforger.Hewasacoward.Hewasasnitcher.Hewasastool—strangewordsforaprofessorofagronomicstouseinwriting,butaprofessorofagronomicsmaywelllearnstrangewordswhenpentinprisonforthetermofhisnaturallife.
Thispoet-forger’snamewasCecilWinwood.Hehadhadpriorconvictions,andyet,becausehewasasnivellingcurofayellowdog,hislastsentencehadbeenonlyforsevenyears.Goodcreditswouldmateriallyreducethistime.Mytimewaslife.Yetthismiserabledegenerate,inordertogainseveralshortyearsoflibertyforhimself,succeededinaddingafairportionofeternitytomyownlifetimeterm.
Ishalltellwhathappenedtheotherwayaround,foritwasonlyafterawearyperiodthatIlearned.ThisCecilWinwood,inordertocurryfavourwiththeCaptainoftheYard,andthencetheWarden,thePrisonDirectors,theBoardofPardons,andtheGovernorofCalifornia,framedupaprison-break.
