Убить пересмешника

           "Youcanturnaroundandgohomeagain,Walter,"Atticussaidpleasantly."HeckTate’saroundsomewhere."

           "Thehellheis,"saidanotherman."Heck’sbunch’ssodeepinthewoodstheywon’tgetouttillmornin’."

           "Indeed?Whyso?"

           "Called‘emoffonasnipehunt,"wasthesuccinctanswer."Didn’tyouthinka’that,Mr.Finch?"

           "Thoughtaboutit,butdidn’tbelieveit.Wellthen,"myfather’svoicewasstillthesame,"thatchangesthings,doesn’tit?"

           "Itdo,"anotherdeepvoicesaid.Itsownerwasashadow.

           "Doyoureallythinkso?"

           ThiswasthesecondtimeIheardAtticusaskthatquestionintwodays,anditmeantsomebody’smanwouldgetjumped.Thiswastoogoodtomiss.IbrokeawayfromJemandranasfastasIcouldtoAtticus.

           Jemshriekedandtriedtocatchme,butIhadaleadonhimandDill.Ipushedmywaythroughdarksmellybodiesandburstintothecircleoflight.

           "H-ey,Atticus!"

           Ithoughthewouldhaveafinesurprise,buthisfacekilledmyjoy.Aflashofplainfearwasgoingoutofhiseyes,butreturnedwhenDillandJemwriggledintothelight.

           Therewasasmellofstalewhiskeyandpigpenabout,andwhenIglancedaroundIdiscoveredthatthesemenwerestrangers.TheywerenotthepeopleIsawlastnight.Hotembarrassmentshotthroughme:IhadleapedtriumphantlyintoaringofpeopleIhadneverseenbefore.

           Atticusgotupfromhischair,buthewasmovingslowly,likeanoldman.