Вино из одуванчиков

           Thefearfulclangor,thecollisionofmanandinspiration,theflingingaboutofmetal,lumber,hammer,nails,Tsquare,screwdriver,continuedformanydays.Onoccasion,defeated,LeoAuffmannloiteredoutthroughthestreets,nervous,apprehensive,jerkinghisheadattheslightestsoundofdistantlaughter,listenedtochildren’sjokes,watchingwhatmadethemsmile.Atnighthesatonneighbors’crowdedporches,listeningtotheoldfolksweighandbalancelife,andateachexplosionofmerrimentLeoAuffmannquickenedlikeageneralwhohasseentheforcesofdarknessroutedandwhosestrategyhasbeenreaffirmed.Onhiswayhomehefelttriumphantuntilhewasinhisgaragewiththedeadtoolsandtheinanimatelumber.Thenhisbrightfacefellawayinapalefunk,andtocoverhissenseoffailurehebangedandcrashedthepartsofhismachineaboutasiftheyreallydidmakesense.Atlastitbegantoshapeitselfandattheendofthetendaysandnights,tremblingwithfatigue,self-dedicated,halfstarved,fumblingandlookingasifhehadbeenrivenbylightningLeoAuffmannwanderedintohishouse.

           Thechildren,whohadbeenscreaminghorriblyateachother,fellsilent,asiftheRedDeathhadenteredatthechimingoftheclock.

           "TheHappinessMachine,"huskedLeoAuffmann,"isready."

           "LeeAuffmann,"saidhiswife,"haslostfifteenpounds.Hehasn’ttalkedtohischildrenintwoweeks,theyarenervous,theyfight,listen!Hiswifeisnervous,she’sgainedtenpounds,she’llneednewclothes,look!Sure—themachineisready.