Читать книгу The Workers: An Experiment in Reality. The West онлайн

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A silver coin is glistening in Clark’s open palm.

“There’s two beers in this, partner, and a free lunch for both of us,” he is saying. “Let’s go to a saloon.”

Five minutes later he leaves me in high indignation, with a “Stay, then, and be damned!” and I feel some uncertainty about his coming back.

Soon I fall into the dreamless torpor which comes to relieve the too-heavy hearted. But from out its stupor I waken sharply to quickest sensibility. Quivering darts of pain are shooting swiftly through my body from a burning centre in my thigh. A night watchman stands over me, holding a dark lantern to my face. He has roused me with a brutal kick. In my heart black murder reigns alone for a moment, and then I remember what I am, and I limp into the street speechless under the watchman’s curses.

I had misjudged Clark. I have not waited long when I see him walking toward me. He is warmed and fed, and has soon forgot his earlier wrath in eagerness to “do” the night watchman. From this, however, it is not difficult to dissuade him on the ground of the weakness of our legal status as compared with his.