Алая чума
Chapter 1
“Rabbitisgood,verygood,”theancientquavered,“butwhenitcomestoatoothsomedelicacyIprefercrab. WhenIwasaboy—”
“Whydoyousaysomuchthatain’tgotnosense?”Edwinimpatientlyinterruptedtheother’sthreatenedgarrulousness.
Theboydidnotexactlyutterthesewords,butsomethingthatremotelyresembledthemandthatwasmoregutturalandexplosiveandeconomicalofqualifyingphrases. Hisspeechshoweddistantkinshipwiththatoftheoldman,andthelatter’sspeechwasapproximatelyanEnglishthathadgonethroughabathofcorruptusage.
“WhatIwanttoknow,”Edwincontinued,“iswhyyoucallcrab’toothsomedelicacy’? Crabiscrab,ain’tit? NooneIneverheardcallsitsuchfunnythings.”
Theoldmansighedbutdidnotanswer,andtheymovedoninsilence. Thesurfgrewsuddenlylouder,astheyemergedfromtheforestuponastretchofsanddunesborderingthesea. Afewgoatswerebrowsingamongthesandyhillocks,andaskin-cladboy,aidedbyawolfish-lookingdogthatwasonlyfaintlyreminiscentofacollie,waswatchingthem. Mingledwiththeroarofthesurfwasacontinuous,deep-throatedbarkingorbellowing,whichcamefromaclusterofjaggedrocksahundredyardsoutfromshore. Herehugesea-lionshauledthemselvesuptolieinthesunorbattlewithoneanother. Intheimmediateforegroundarosethesmokeofafire,tendedbyathirdsavage-lookingboy. Crouchednearhimwereseveralwolfishdogssimilartotheonethatguardedthegoats.
