Алая чума
Chapter 3
“Well,youalwaysspitwhenyoucrossrunningwater,”Edwinchallenged.
“That’stokeepoffbadluck,”wasHare-Lip’sdefence.
“Youbelieveinbadluck?”
“Sure.”
“An’youain’tneverseenbadluck,”Edwinconcludedtriumphantly. “You’rejustasbadasGranserandhisgerms. Youbelieveinwhatyoudon’tsee. Goon,Granser.”
Hare-Lip,crushedbythismetaphysicaldefeat,remainedsilent,andtheoldmanwenton. Oftenandoften,thoughthisnarrativemustnotbecloggedbythedetails,wasGranser’staleinterruptedwhiletheboyssquabbledamongthemselves. Also,amongthemselvestheykeptupaconstant,low-voicedexchangeofexplanationandconjecture,astheystrovetofollowtheoldmanintohisunknownandvanishedworld.
“TheScarletDeathbrokeoutinSanFrancisco. ThefirstdeathcameonaMondaymorning. ByThursdaytheyweredyinglikefliesinOaklandandSanFrancisco. Theydiedeverywhere—intheirbeds,attheirwork,walkingalongthestreet. ItwasonTuesdaythatIsawmyfirstdeath—MissCollbran,oneofmystudents,sittingrighttherebeforemyeyes,inmylecture-room.InoticedherfacewhileIwastalking.Ithadsuddenlyturnedscarlet. Iceasedspeakingandcouldonlylookather,forthefirstfearoftheplaguewasalreadyonallofusandweknewthatithadcome. Theyoungwomenscreamedandranoutoftheroom. Sodidtheyoungmenrunout,allbuttwo. MissCollbran’sconvulsionswereverymildandlastedlessthanaminute. Oneoftheyoungmenfetchedheraglassofwater.
