Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 4
IwarnedyouIhadmanythingstowriteabout.Ishallnowreturntomynarrative.TheBoardofPrisonDirectorsgavememychoice:aprisontrustyshipandsurceasefromthejute-loomsifIgaveupthenon-existentdynamite;lifeimprisonmentinsolitaryifIrefusedtogiveupthenon-existentdynamite.
Theygavemetwenty-fourhoursinthejackettothinkitover.ThenIwasbroughtbeforetheBoardasecondtime.WhatcouldIdo?Icouldnotleadthemtothedynamitethatwasnot.Itoldthemso,andtheytoldmeIwasaliar.TheytoldmeIwasahardcase,adangerousman,amoraldegenerate,thecriminalofthecentury.Theytoldmemanyotherthings,andthentheycarriedmeawaytothesolitarycells.IwasputintoNumberOnecell.InNumberFivelayEdMorrell.InNumberTwelvelayJakeOppenheimer.Andhehadbeentherefortenyears.EdMorrellhadbeeninhiscellonlyoneyear.Hewasservingafifty-years’sentence.JakeOppenheimerwasalifer.AndsowasIalifer.Whereforetheoutlookwasthatthethreeofuswouldremainthereforalongtime.Andyet,sixyearsonlyarepast,andnotoneofusisinsolitary.JakeOppenheimerwasswungoff.EdMorrellwasmadeheadtrustyofSanQuentinandthenpardonedoutonlytheotherday.AndhereIaminFolsomwaitingthedaydulysetbyJudgeMorgan,whichwillbemylastday
