Над пропастью во ржи

           IcouldpukeeverytimeIhearit. 

           ThenallofasuddenoldSpencerlooked likehehadsomethingverygood,somethingsharpasatack,tosaytome. Hesatupmoreinhischair andsortofmovedaround. Itwasafalsealarm,though. AllhedidwaslifttheAtlanticMonthlyoffhislapandtrytochuckitonthebed,nexttome. Hemissed. Itwasonlyabouttwoinchesaway,buthemissedanyway. Igotupandpickeditupandputitdownonthebed. Allofasuddenthen,Iwantedtogetthehelloutoftheroom. Icouldfeelaterrificlecturecomingon. Ididn’tmindtheideasomuch,butIdidn’tfeellikebeinglecturedtoandsmellVicksNoseDrops andlookatoldSpencerinhispajamasandbathrobeallatthesametime. Ireallydidn’t. 

           Itstarted,allright. "What’sthematterwithyou,boy?"oldSpencersaid. Hesaiditprettytough,too,forhim. "Howmanysubjectsdidyoucarrythisterm?" 

           "Five,sir." 

           "Five.Andhowmanyareyoufailingin?" 

           "Four."Imovedmyassalittlebitonthebed. ItwasthehardestbedIeversaton. "IpassedEnglishallright,"Isaid,"becauseIhadallthatBeowulfandLordRandalMySonstuffwhenIwasattheWhootonSchool. ImeanIdidn’thavetodoanyworkinEnglishatallhardly,exceptwritecompositionsonceinawhile." 

           Hewasn’tevenlistening. Hehardlyeverlistenedtoyouwhenyousaidsomething.