Читать книгу The Plumed Serpent. Historical Novel - Life and Love after the Mexico Revolution онлайн

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The Judge stamped his stick on the ground in a speechless access of irritability.

‘They pasted on my luggage,’ said the Major, ‘when I came through Vera Cruz: La degenerada media clasa, Será regenerada, por mi, Montes. The degenerate middle class shall be regenerated by me, Montes.’

‘Poor Montes!’ said Kate. ‘He seems to have got his work cut out.’

‘He has indeed!’ said Mrs Norris. ‘Poor man, I wish he might come in peacefully and put a strong hand on the country. But there’s not much hope, I’m afraid.’

There was a silence, during which Kate felt that bitter hopelessness that comes over people who know Mexico well. A bitter barren hopelessness.

‘How can a man who comes in on a Labour vote, even a doctored one, put a strong hand on a country!’ snapped the Judge. ‘Why he came in on the very cry of Down with the strong hand!’ And again the old man stamped his stick in an access of extreme irritability.

This was another characteristic of the old residents of the city: A state of intense, though often suppressed irritation, an irritation amounting almost to rabies.