Вино из одуванчиков

           "Littletinybirdbones.Allthat’sleftofMme.TarotafterNapoleon—"

           "Nomachineryatall?Whydon’twejustcutheropenandsee?"

           "Plentyoftimeforthat,Tom."

           "When?"

           "Well,inayear,twoyears,whenI’mfourteenorfifteen,then’sthetimetodoit.RightnowIdon’twanttoknownothingexceptshe’shere.AndtomorrowIgettoworkonthespellstoletherescapeforever.Somenightyou’llhearthatastrange,beautifulItaliangirlwasseendowntowninasummerdress,buyingaticketfortheEastandeveryonesawheratthestationandsawheronthetrainasitpulledoutandeveryonesaidshewastheprettiestgirltheyeversaw,andwhenyouhearthat,Tom—andbelieveme,thenewswillgetaroundfast!nobodyknowingwhereshecamefromorwhereshewent—thenyou’llknowIworkedthespellandsetherfree.Andthen,asIsaid,ayear,twoyearsfromnow,onthatnightwhenthattrainpullsout,it’llbethetimewhenwecancutthroughthewax.Withhergone,you’reliabletofindnothingbutlittlecogsandwheelsandstuffinsideher.That’showitis."

           Douglaspickedupthewitch’shandandmoveditoverthedanceoflife,thefrolicofbone-whitedeath,thedatesanddooms,thefatesandfollies,tapping,touching,whisperingherworn-downfingernails.Herfacetiltedwithsomesecretequilibriumandlookedattheboysandtheeyesflashedbrightintherawbulblight,unblinking.

           "Tellyourfortune,Tom?"askedDouglasquietly.

           "Sure."

           Acardfellfromthewitch’svoluminoussleeve.