Короли и капуста
Masters of arts
I’msurprisedatyou.ButwhileI’moutyoujusttrytofigureoutwhatginger-cakepotentatewouldbemostlikelytowanttobuythisworkofartforhisprivatecollection—justtokeepitoutofcirculation."
ThesunsetwasreddeningthetopsofthecocoanutpalmswhenBillyKeoghcamebackfromCasaMorena.Henoddedtotheartist’squestioninggaze;andlaydownonacotwithhishandsunderthebackofhishead.
"Isawhim.Hepaidthemoneylikealittleman.Theydidn’twanttoletmeinatfirst.Itold’emitwasimportant.Yes,thatpresidentmanisontheplentyablelist.He’sgotabeautifulbusinesssystemaboutthewayheuseshisbrains.AllIhadtodowastoholdupthephotographsohecouldseeit,andnametheprice.Hejustsmiled,andwalkedovertoasafeandgotthecash.Twentyone-thousand-dollarbrand-newUnitedStatesTreasurynoteshelaidonthetable,likeI’dpayoutadollarandaquarter.Finenotes,too—theycrackledwithasoundlikeburningthebrushoffaten-acrelot."
"Let’strythefeelofone,"saidWhite,curiously."Ineversawathousand-dollarbill."Keoghdidnotimmediatelyrespond.
"Carry,"hesaid,inanabsent-mindedway,"youthinkaheapofyourart,don’tyou?"
"More,"saidWhite,frankly,"thanhasbeenforthefinancialgoodofmyselfandmyfriends."
"Ithoughtyouwereafooltheotherday,"wentonKeogh,quietly,"andI’mnotsurenowthatyouwasn’t.Butifyouwas,soamI
