Вино из одуванчиков

           "Why,ChingLingSoo,ofcourse!""Yes,sir,Colonel."

           "Letmesee,now..."Thecolonel’svoicemurmured,itdriftedawayonserenelakewaters."Letmesee..."

           Theboyswaited.

           ColonelFreeleighclosedhiseyes.

           "Octoberfirst,1910,acalmcoolfineautumnnight,theBostonVarietyTheatre,yes,thereitis.Fullhouse,allwaiting.Orchestra,fanfare,curtain!ChingLingSoo,thegreatOrientalMagician!Thereheis,onstage!AndthereIam,frontrowcenter!‘TheBulletTrick!’hecries.‘Volunteers!’Themannexttomegoesup.‘Examinetherifle!’saysChing.‘Markthebullet!’sayshe.‘Nowfirethismarkedbulletfromthisrifle,usingmyfaceforatarget,and,’saysChing,‘atthefarendofthestageIwillcatchthebulletinmyteeth!’"

           ColonelFreeleightookadeepbreathandpaused.

           Douglaswasstaringathim,halfpuzzled,halfinawe.JohnHuffandCharliewerecompletelylost.Nowtheoldmanwenton,hisheadandbodyfrozen,onlyhislipsmoving.

           "‘Ready,aim,fire!’criesChingLingSoo.Bang!Theriflecracks.Bang!ChingLingSooshrieks,hestaggers,hefalls,hisfaceallred.Pandemonium.Audienceonitsfeet.Somethingwrongwiththerifle.‘Dead,’someonesays.Andthey’reright.Dead.Horrible,horrible...I’llalwaysremember...hisfaceamaskofred,thecurtaincomingdownfastandthewomenweeping...1910...Boston...VarietyTheatre...poorman...

           ColonelFreeleighslowlyopenedhiseyes.

           "Boy,Colonel,"saidCharlie,"thatwasfine.