Убийство Роджера Экройда
The Man Who Grew Vegetable Marrows
Overthewall,tomyleft,thereappearedaface.Anegg-shapedhead,partiallycoveredwithsuspiciouslyblackhair,twoimmensemoustaches,andapairofwatchfuleyes.Itwasourmysteriousneighbour,Mr.Porrott.
Hebrokeatonceintofluentapologies."Idemandofyouathousandpardons,monsieur.Iamwithoutdefence.ForsomemonthsnowIcultivatethemarrows.ThismorningsuddenlyIenragemyselfwiththesemarrows.Isendthemtopromenadethemselves–alas!notonlymentallybutphysically.Iseizethebiggest.Ihurlhimoverthewall.Monsieur,Iamashamed.Iprostratemyself."Beforesuchprofuseapologies,myangerwasforcedtomelt.Afterall,thewretchedvegetablehadn’thitme.ButIsincerelyhopedthatthrowinglargevegetablesoverwallswasnotournewfriend’shobby.Suchahabitcouldhardlyendearhimtousasaneighbour.
Thestrangelittlemanseemedtoreadmythoughts.
"Ah!no,"heexclaimed."Donotdisquietyourself.Itisnotwithmeahabit.Butyoucanfiguretoyourself,monsieur,thatamanmayworktowardsacertainobject,hemaylabourandtoiltoattainacertainkindofleisureandoccupation,andthenfindthat,afterall,heyearnsfortheoldbusydays,andtheoldoccupationsthathethoughthimselfsogladtoleave?""Yes,"Isaidslowly."Ifancythatthatisacommonenoughoccurrence.Imyselfamperhapsaninstance.AyearagoIcameintoalegacy–enoughtoenablemetorealizeadream.Ihavealwayswantedtotravel,toseetheworld.
