Вино из одуванчиков

           "He’ssick!"

           "Sure!Buthesaidtocomewhenthenurse’sout.We’llonlystayasecond,sayhello,and..."

           Thedoortothebedroommovedwide.Thethreeboysstoodlookinginattheoldmanseatedthereonthefloor.

           "ColonelFreeleigh?"saidDouglassoftly.

           Therewassomethinginhissilencethatmadethemallshutuptheirmouths.

           Theyapproached,almostontiptoe.

           Douglas,bentdown,disengagedthephonefromtheoldman’snowquitecoldfingers.Douglasliftedthereceivertohisownear,listened.Abovethestaticheheardastrange,afar,afinalsound.

           Twothousandmilesaway,theclosingofawindow.

           "Boom!!"saidTom."Boom.Boom.Boom."

           HesatontheCivilWarcannoninthecourthousesquare.Douglas,infrontofthecannon,clutchedhisheartandfelldownonthegrass.Buthedidnotgetup;hejustlaythere,hisfacethoughtful.

           "Youlooklikeyou’regoingtogetouttheoldpencilanysecondnow,"saidTom.

           "Letmethink!"saidDouglas,lookingatthecannon.Herolledoverandgazedattheskyandthetreesabovehim."Tom,itjusthitme."

           "What?"

           "YesterdayChingLingSoodied.YesterdaytheCivilWarendedrighthereinthistownforever.YesterdayMr.LincolndiedrighthereandsodidGeneralLeeandGeneralGrantlandahundredthousandothersfacingnorthandsouth.Andyesterdayafternoon,atColonelFreeleigh’shouse,aherdofbuffalo-bisonasbigasallGreenTown,Illinois,wentoffthecliffintonothingatall.Yesterdayawholelotofdustsettledforgood.