"rAti," sed H mOl sadanli, wan brFt samar mYrnN, "if jM plIz, F wont t Ask jM a fEvar."
H rAt waz sitN on H rivar bANk, siNN a litl soN. hI hAd Jast kmpOzd i himself, sO hI waz vEri tEkan ap wiT i, n wUd not pE propar atenSn t mOl Yr enITiN els. sins arli mYrnN hI hAd bin swimN in H rivar, in H kampani wiT hiz frendz H daks. n `en H daks stUd on HEr hedz sadanli, Az daks wil, hI wUd dFv dQn n tikl HEr neks, Jast andar `Er HEr cinz, til HE war fYrsd t kam t H sarfis agen in a hari, splatarN n ANgri n SEkN HEr feHarz At him, f i z imposabl t sE kwFt Yl jM fIl `en jar hed z andar wYtar. At lAst HE implYrd him t gO awE n atend t hiz On afErz n lIv Hem t mFnd HErz. sO H rAt went awE, n sAt on H rivar bANk in H san, n mEd ap a soN abQt Hem, `ic hI kYld...
"'daks' diti." Yl aloN H bAkwYtar, TrM H raSz tYl, daks yr a-dAblN, ap tElz Yl!
daks tElz, JrEks tElz, yelO fIt a-kwivar, yelO bilz Yl Qt v sFt bizi in H rivar!
slaSi grIn andargrOT `Er H rOc swim--hIr wI kIp Qr lyrdar, kMl n fal n dim.
evrIwan f `at hI lFks! wI lFk t b hedz dQn, tElz ap, dAblN frI!
hF in H blM abav swifts `arl n kYl--wI yr dQn a-dAblN ap tElz Yl!
"F dOnt nO HAt F TiNk sO vEri mac v HAt litl soN, rAt," abzarvd H mOl kYSasli. hI waz nO pOit himself n didnt kEr hM nM i ; n hI hAd a kAndid nEcar.
"nYr dOnt H daks nIHar," riplFd H rAt cIrfali. "HE sE, '`F kAnt felOz b alQd t d `at HE lFk `en HE lFk n Az HE lFk, insted v aHar felOz sitN on bANks n wycN Hem Yl H tFm n mEkN rimyrks n pOicri n TiNz abQt Hem? `at nonsens i Yl z!' HAts wat H daks sE."
"sO i z, sO i z," sed H mOl, wiT grEt hyrtinis.
"nO, i iznt!" krFd H rAt indignantli.
"wel Hen, i iznt, i iznt," riplFd H mOl sMHNli. "bat `at F wontd t Ask jM waz, wOnt jM tEk mI t kYl on /mr tOd? Fv hard sO mac abQt him, n F d sO wont t mEk hiz akwEntans."
"`F, sartanli," sed H gUd-nEcard rAt, JampN t hiz fIt n dismisN pOicri fram hiz mFnd f H dE. "get H bOt Qt, n wIl pAdl ap HEr At wans. its nevar H roN tFm t kYl on tOd. arli Yr lEt hIz YlwEz H sEm felO. YlwEz gUd-tempard, YlwEz glAd t sI jM, YlwEz sori `en jM gO!"
"hI mast b a vEri nFs Anaml," abzarvd H mOl, Az hI got intM H bOt n tUk H skalz, `Fl H rAt setld himself kamfartabli in H starn.
"hI z indId H best v Anamlz," riplFd rAt. "sO simpl, sO gUd-nEcard, n sO afekSnit. parhAps hIz not vEri klevar--wI kAnt Yl b JInjasz; n i mE b HAt hI z bOT bOstfal n knsItd. bat hI hAz got sam grEt kwYlitIz, hAz tOdi."
rOndN a bend in H rivar, HE kEm in sFt v a hAndsam, dignifFd Old hQs v melOd red brik, wiT wel-kept lYnz rIcN dQn t H wYtarz eJ.
"HErz tOd hYl," sed H rAt; "n HAt krIk on H left, `Er H nOtis-bYrd sez, 'prFvit. nO lAndN alQd,' lIdz t hiz bOt-hQs, `Er wIl lIv H bOt. H stEblz yr Over HEr t H rFt. HAts H bANkwitN-hYl jYr lUkN At nQ--vEri Old, HAt z. tOd z rAHar ric, jM nO, n His z rIli wan v H nFsist hQsz in HIz pyrts, TO wI nevar Admit Az mac t tOd."
HE glFdd ap H krIk, n H mOl slipd hiz skalz Az HE pAsd intM H SAdO v a lyrJ bOt-hQs. hIr HE sY meni hAndsam bOts, slaN fram H kros bImz Yr hYld ap on a slip, bat nan in H wYtar; n H plEs hAd an anjMzd n a dizartd Er.
H rAt lUkd arQnd him. "F andarstAnd," sed hI. "bOtN z plEd Qt. hIz tFrd v i, n dan wiT i. F wandar `at nM fAd hI hAz tEkan ap nQ? kam aloN n letz lUk him ap. wI SAl hIr Yl abQt i kwFt sMn inaf."
HE disembyrkd, n scrOld akros H gE flQar-dekd lYnz in sarc v tOd, hMm HE prezantli hApand apon restN in a wikar gyrdan-cEr, wiT a prI-okjMFd ikspreSn v fEs, n a lyrJ mAp spred Qt on hiz nIz.
"hMrE!" hI krFd, JampN ap on sIiN Hem, "His z splendid!" hI SUk H pYz v bOT v Hem wyrmli, nevar wEtN f an incradakSn t H mOl. "hQ kFnd v jM!" hI went on, dAnsN rQnd Hem. "F waz Jast gOiN t send a bOt dQn H rivar f jM, rAti, wiT scrikt Yrdarz HAt jM war t b fect ap hIr At wans, `atevar jM war dMiN. F wont jM bAdli--bOT v jM. nQ `at wil jM tEk? kam insFd n hAv samTiN! jM dOnt nO hQ laki i z, jYr tarnN ap Jast nQ!"
"lets sit kwFit a bit, tOdi!" sed H rAt, TrOiN himself intM an Izi cEr, `Fl H mOl tUk anaHar bF H sFd v him n mEd sam sivil rimyrk abQt tOdz "dilFtfal rezidans."
"fFnist hQs on H hOl rivar," krFd tOd bqstarasli. "Yr anI`Er els, f HAt mAtar," hI kUd not help AdN.
hIr H rAt naJd H mOl. anfYrcanitli H tOd sY him d i, n tarnd vEri red. HEr waz a mOmants pEnfal sFlans. Hen tOd barst Qt lAfN. "Yl rFt, rAti," hI sed. "its Onli mF wE, jM nO. n its not sac a vEri bAd hQs, z i? jM nO jM rAHar lFk i jYrself. nQ, lUk hIr. lets b sensabl. jM yr H vEri Anamlz F wontd. jMv got t help mI. its mOst impYrtant!"
"its abQt jYr rOiN, F sapOz," sed H rAt, wiT an inasant Er. "jYr getN on fErli wel, HO jM splAS a gUd bit stil. wiT a grEt dIl v prAktis, n eni kwontiti v kOcN, jM mE----"
"O, pM! bOtN!" intaraptd H tOd, in grEt disgast. "sili bqiS amjMzmant. Fv givan HAt ap loN agO. SIr wEst v tFm, HAts `at i z. i mEks mI dQnrFt sori t sI jM felOz, hM Yt t nO betar, spendN Yl jYr enarJIz in HAt Emlis mAnar. nO, Fv diskavard H rIl TiN, H Onli JenjMin okjMpESn f a lFf tFm. F prapOz t divOt H rimEndar v mFn t i, n kAn Onli rigret H wEstd jIrz HAt lF bihFnd mI, skwondard in crivIAlitIz. kam wiT mI, dIr rAti, n jYr AmIabl frend YlsO, if hI wil b sO vEri gUd, Jast Az fyr Az H stEbl-jyrd, n jM SAl sI `at jM SAl sI!"
hI led H wE t H stEbl-jyrd akYrdiNli, H rAt folOiN wiT a mOst miscrastfal ikspreSn; n HEr, JrYn Qt v H kOc hQs intM H Opan, HE sY a Jipsi kEravAn, SFnN wiT nMnis, pEntd a kanEri-jelO pikd Qt wiT grIn, n red `Ilz.
"HEr jM yr!" krFd H tOd, scrAdlN n ikspAndN himself. "HErz rIl lFf f jM, embodId in HAt litl kyrt. H Opan rOd, H dasti hFwE, H hIT, H koman, H heJrOz, H rOlN dQnz! kAmps, viliJz, tQnz, sitIz! hIr tMdE, ap n of t sam`Er els tamYrO! crAvl, cEnJ, incrist, iksFtmant! H hOl warld bifYr jM, n a hYrFzan HAts YlwEz cEnJN! n mFnd! His z H vEri fFnist kyrt v its sYrt HAt waz evar bilt, wiTQt eni iksepSn. kam insFd n lUk At H arEnJmants. plAnd 'em Yl mFself, F did!"
H mOl waz crimendasli incristd n iksFtd, n folOd him Igarli ap H steps n intM H intIriar v H kEravAn. H rAt Onli snYrtd n Trast hiz hAndz dIp intM hiz pokits, rimEnN `Er hI waz.
i waz indId vEri kmpAkt n kamfartabl. litl slIpN banks--a litl tEbl HAt fOldd ap agenst H wYl--a kUkN-stOv, lokarz, bUkSelvz, a bard-kEJ wiT a bard in i; n pots, pAnz, Jagz n ketlz v evri sFz n varFiti.
"Yl kmplIt!" sed H tOd crFamfantli, pUlN Opan a lokar. "jM sI--biskits, potd lobstar, syrdInz--evrITiN jM kAn posabli wont. sOda-wYtar hIr--bEki HEr--letar-pEpar, bEkan, JAm, kyrdz n domanOz--jMl fFnd," hI kntinjMd, Az HE disendd H steps agen, "jMl fFnd HAt noTiN `at evar hAz bin fargotn, `en wI mEk Qr styrt His AftarnMn."
"F beg jYr pyrdan," sed H rAt slOli, Az hI cMd a scrY, "bat did F OvarhIr jM sE samTiN abQt 'wI,' n 'styrt,' n 'His AftarnMn?'"
"nQ, jM dIr gUd Old rAti," sed tOd, implYrNli, "dOnt bigin tYkN in HAt stif n snifi sYrt v wE, bikYz jM nO jMv got t kam. F kAnt posabli mAniJ wiTQt jM, sO plIz knsidar i setld, n dOnt yrgjM--its H wan TiN F kAnt stAnd. jM Sarli dOnt mIn t stik t jYr dal fasti Old rivar Yl jYr lFf, n Jast liv in a hOl in a bANk, n bOt? F wont t SO jM H warld! Fm gOiN t mEk an Anaml v jM, mF bq!"
"F dOnt kEr," sed H rAt, dogdli. "Fm not kamN, n HAts flAt. n F Am gOiN t stik t mF Old rivar, n liv in a hOl, n bOt, Az Fv YlwEz dan. n `ats mYr, mOlz gOiN t stik mI n d Az F d, yrnt jM, mOl?"
"v kYrs F Am," sed H mOl, lqali. "Fl YlwEz stik t jM, rAt, n `at jM sE z t b--hAz got t b. Yl H sEm, i sQndz Az if i mFt hAv bin--wel, rAHar fan, jM nO!" hI Add, wistfali. pYr mOl! H lFf Advencaras waz sO nM t him, n sO TrilN; n His freS Aspekt v i waz sO temptN; n hI hAd fYlan in lav At farst sFt wiT H kanEri-kalard kyrt n Yl its litl fitmants.
H rAt sY `at waz pAsN in hiz mFnd, n wEvard. hI hEtd disapqntN pIpl, n hI waz fond v H mOl, n wUd d YlmOst enITiN t ablFJ him. tOd waz wocN bOT v Hem klOsli.
"kam aloN in, n hAv sam lanc," hI sed, diplamAtikali, "n wIl tYk i Ovar. wI nIdnt disFd enITiN in a hari. v kYrs, F dOnt rIli kEr. F Onli wont t giv pleZar t jM felOz. 'liv f aHarz!' HAts mF motO in lFf."
darN lancan--`ic waz eksalant, v kYrs, Az evrITiN At /tOd /hYl YlwEz waz--H tOd simpli let himself gO. disrigyrdN H rAt, hI prasIdd t plE apon H inikspIriansd mOl Az on a hyrp. nAcarali a voljabl Anaml, n YlwEz mAstard bF hiz imAJanESn, hI pEntd H prospekts v H crip n H Jqz v H Opan lFf n H rOdsFd in sac glOiN kalarz HAt H mOl kUd hyrdli sit in hiz cEr f iksFtmant. samhQ, i sMn sImd tEkan f grAntd bF Yl TrI v Hem HAt H crip waz a setld TiN; n H rAt, HO stil ankanvinsd in hiz mFnd, alQd hiz gUd-nEcar t Ovar-rFd hiz parsanl abJekSnz. hI kUd not bEr t disapqnt hiz tM frendz, hM war alredi dIp in skImz n AntisapESnz, plAnN Qt Ic dEz separit okjapESn f sevarl wIks ahed.
`en HE war kwFt redi, H nQ crFamfant tOd led hiz kmpAnjamz t H pAdak n set Hem t kApcar H Old grE hYrs, hM, wiTQt hAvN bin knsaltd, n t hiz On ikscrIm anqans, hAd bin tOld of bF tOd f H dastIist Job in His dasti ekspidiSn. hI frANkli prifard H pAdak, n tUk a dIl v kAcN. mIn`Fl tOd pAkd H lokarz stil tFtar wiT nesiErIz, n haN nOzbAgz, nets v anjanz, bandlz v hE, n bAskits fram H botam v H kyrt. At lAst H hYrs waz kYt n hyrnisd, n HE set of, Yl tYkN At wans, Ic Anaml IHar craJN bF H sFd v H kyrt Yr sitN on H SAft, Az H hjMmar tUk him. i waz a gOldan AftarnMn. H smel v H dast HE kikd ap waz ric n sAtisfFiN; Qt v Tik Yrcardz on IHar sFd H rOd, bardz kYld n `isld t Hem cIrili; gUd-nEcard wEfErarz, pAsN Hem, gEv Hem "gUd-dE," Yr stopd t sE nFs TiNz abQt HEr bjMtafal kyrt; n rAbits, sitN At HEr frant dYrz in H heJrOz, held ap HEr fYr-pYz, n sed, "O mF! O mF! O mF!"
lEt in H IvnN, tFrd n hApi n mFlz fram hOm, HE JrM ap on a rimOt koman fyr fram hAbitESnz, tarnd H hYrs lMs t grEz, n Et HEr simpl sapar sitN on H grAs bF H sFd v H kyrt. tOd tYkd big abQt Yl hI waz gOiN t d in H dEz t kam, `Fl styrz grM falar n lyrJar Yl arQnd Hem, n a jelO mMn, apIrN sadanli n sFlantli fram nO`Er in pyrtikjMlar, kEm t kIp Hem kamani n lisan t HEr tYk. At lAst HE tarnd in t HEr litl banks in H kyrt; n tOd, kikN Qt hiz legz, slIpili sed, "wel, gUd nFt, jM felOz! His z H rIl lFf f a Jentalmn! tYk abQt jYr Old rivar!"
"F dOnt tYk abQt mF rivar," riplFd H pESant rAt. "jM nO F dOnt, tOd. bat F TiNk abQt i," hI Add paTetikali, in a lOar tOn: "F TiNk abQt i--Yl H tFm!"
H mOl rIcd Qt fram andar hiz blANkit, felt f H rAts pY in H dyrknis, n gEv i a skwIz. "Fl d `atevar jM lFk, rAti," hI `ispard. "SAl wI ran awE tamYrO mYrnN, kwFt arli--vEri arli--n gO bAk t Qr dIr Old hOl on H rivar?"
"nO, nO, wIl sI i Qt," `ispard bAk H rAt. "TANks Yfali, bat F Yt t stik bF tOd til His crip z endd. i wUdnt b sEf f him t b left t himself. i wOnt tEk vEri loN. hiz fAdz nevar d. gUd nFt!"
H end waz indId nIrar HAn Ivan H rAt saspektd.
Aftar sO mac Opan Er n iksFtmant H tOd slept vEri sQndli, n nO amQnt v SEkN kUd rQz him Qt v bed nekst mYrnN. sO H mOl n rAt tarnd t, kwFitli n mAnfali, n `Fl H rAt sY t M hYrs, n lit a fFr, n klInd lAst nFts kaps n plAtarz, n got TiNz redi f brekfast, H mOl craJd of t H nIrist viliJ, a loN wE of, f milk n egz n vErias nesisErIz H tOd hAd, v kYrs, fargotan t pravFd. H hyrd wark hAd Yl bin dan, n H tM Anamlz war restN, TarOli igzYstd, bF H tFm tOd apIrd on H sIn, freS n gE, rimyrkN `at a plezant Izi lFf i waz HE war Yl lIdN nQ, Aftar H kErz n warIz n fatIgz v hQskIpN At hOm.
HE hAd a plezant rAmbl HAt dE Ovar grAsi dQnz n aloN nErO bF-lEnz, n kAmpd Az bifYr, on a koman, Onli His tFm H tM gests tUk kEr HAt tOd SUd d hiz fEr SEr v wark. in konsakwans, `en H tFm kEm f styrtN nekst mYrnN, tOd waz bF nO mInz sO rApcaras abQt H simplisiti v H primitiv lFf, n indId atemptd t rizMm hiz plEs in hiz baNk, `ens hI waz hYld bF fYrs. HEr wE lE, Az bifYr, akros kancri bF nErO lEnz, n i waz not til H AftarnMn HAt HE kEm Qt on H hF-rOd, HEr farst hF-rOd; n HEr dizAstar, flIt n anfYrsIn, sprAN Qt on Hem--dizAstar mOmentas indId t HEr ekspidiSn, bat simpli Ovar`elmN in its ifekt on H Aftar-karIr v tOd.
HE war scrOlN aloN H hF-rOd Izili, H mOl bF H hYrsz hed, tYkN t him, sins H hYrs hAd kmplEnd HAt hI waz bIiN frFtfali left Qt v i, n nObadi knsidard him in H lIst; H tOd n H wYtar rAt wYkN bihFnd H kyrt tYkN tMgeHar--At lIst tOd waz tYkN, n rAt waz sEiN At intarvlz, "jes, pricFsli; n `at did jM sE t him?" --n TiNkN Yl H tFm v samTiN vEri difarant, `en fyr bihFnd Hem HE hard a fEnt wYrnN ham; lFk H JrOn v a distant bI. glAnsN bAk, HE sY a smYl klQd v dast, wiT a dyrk sentar v enarJi, AdvAnsN on Hem At inkredabl spId, `Fl fram Qt H dast a fEnt "pMp-pMp!" wEld lFk an anIzi Anaml in pEn. hyrdli rigyrdN i, HE tarnd t rizMm HEr konvarsESn, `en in an instant (Az i sImd) H pIsfal sIn waz cEnJd, n wiT a blAst v wind n a `arl v sQnd HAt mEd Hem Jamp f H nIrist dic, i waz on Hem! H "pMp-pMp!" rAN wiT a brEzan SQt in HEr Irz, HE hAd a mOmants glimps v an intIriar v glitarN plEt-glAs n ric marokO, n H mAgnifisant mOtar-kyr, imens, breT-snAcN, pASnit, wiT its pFlat tens n hagN hiz `Il, pazest Yl arT n Er f H frAkSn v a sekand, flaN an envalOpN klQd v dast HAt blFndd n enrApt Hem atarli, n Hen dwindld t a spek in H fyr distans, cEnJd bAk intM a JrOnN bI wans mYr.
H Old grE hYrs, JrImN, Az hI plodd aloN, v hiz kwFit pAdak, in a nM rY sicMESn sac Az His simpli abAndand himself t hiz nAcarl imOSnz. rIrN, planJN, bAkN stedili, in spFt v Yl H mOlz efarts At hiz hed, n Yl H mOlz lFvli lANgwiJ darektd At hiz betar fIlNz, hI JrOv H kyrt bAkwardz tYrdz H dIp dic At H sFd v H rOd. i wEvard an instant--Hen HEr waz a hyrtrendN krAS--n H kanEri-kalard kyrt, HEr prFd n HEr Jq, lE on its sFd in H dic, an iridImabl rek.
H rAt dAnsd ap n dQn H rOd, simpli crAnspYrtd wiT pASn. "jM vilanz!" hI SQtd, SEkN bOT fists, "jM skQnJrlz, jM hFwEmen, jM--jM--rOdhogz!--Fl hAv H lY v jM! Fl ripYrt jM! Fl tEk jM TrM Yl H kYrts!" hiz hOm-siknis hAd kwFt slipt awE fram him, n f H mOmant hI waz H skipar v H kanEri-kalard vesl Jrivan on a SOl bF H reklis JokIiN v rFvl mEranarz, n hI waz crFiN t rikalekt Yl H fFn n bFtN TiNz hI jMzd t sE t mAstarz v stIm-lYncz `en HEr wYS, Az HE JrOv tM nIr H bANk, jMsd t flad hiz pyrlar-kyrpit At hOm.
tOd sAt scrEt dQn in H midl v H dasti rOd, hiz legz screcd Qt bifYr him, n stErd fiksdli in H darekSn v H disapIrN mOtar-kyr. hI brITd SYrt, hiz fEs wYr a plAsid sAtisfFd ikspreSn, n At intarvlz hI fEntli marmard "pMp-pMp!"
H mOl waz bizi crFiN t kwFit H hYrs, `ic hI saksIdd in dOiN Aftar a tFm. Hen hI went t lUk At H kyrt, on its sFd in H dic. i waz indId a sori sFt. pAnlz n windOz smASd, Akslz hOplisli bent, wan `Il of, syrdIn-tinz skAtard Ovar H wFd warld, n H bard in H bard-kEJ sobN pitifali n kYlN t b let Qt.
H rAt kEm t help him, bat HEr jMnFtd efarts war not safiSant t rFt H kyrt. "hF! tOd!" HE krFd. "kam n bEr a hAnd, kAnt jM!"
H tOd nevar Ansard a ward, Yr baJd fram hiz sIt in H rOd; sO HE went t sI `at waz H mAtar wiT him. HE fQnd him in a sYrt v a crAns, a hApi smFl on hiz fEs, hiz Fz stil fiksd on H dasti wEk v HEr discrqar. At intarvlz hI waz stil hard t marmar "pMp-pMp!"
H rAt SUk him bF H SOldar. "yr jM kamN t help as, tOd?" hI dimAndd starnli.
"glYrias, stirN sFt!" marmard tOd, nevar ofarN t mMv. "H pOicri v mOSn! H rIl wE t crAvl! H Onli wE t crAvl! hIr tM-dE--in nekst wIk ta-mYrO! viliJz skipt, tQnz n sitIz Jampt--YlwEz sambadi elsz hYrFzan! O blis! O pMp-pMp! O mF! O mF!"
"O stop bIiN an As, tOd!" krFd H mOl dispEriNli.
"n t TiNk F nevar nM!" went on H tOd in a JrImi monatOn. "Yl HOz wEstd jIrz HAt lF bihFnd mI, F nevar nM, nevar Ivan Jremt! bat nQ--bat nQ HAt F nO, nQ HAt F fali rIlFz! O `at a flQari crAk lFz spred bifYr mI, hensfYrT! `at dast-klQdz SAl spriN ap bihFnd mI Az F spId on mF reklis wE! `at kyrts F SAl fliN kErlisli intM H dic in H wEk v mF mAgnifisant onset! hYrid litl kyrts--kanEri-kalard kyrts!"
"`at yr wI t d wiT him?" Askd H mOl v H wYter rAt.
"naTiN At Yl," riplFd H rAt farmli. "bikYz HEr z rIli naTiN t b dan. jM sI, F nO him fram v Old. hI z nQ pazesd. hI hAz got a nM krEz, n i YlwEz tEks him HAt wE, in its farst stEJ. hIl kntinjM lFk HAt f dEz nQ, lFk an Anaml wYkN in a hApi JrIm, kwFt jMslis f Yl prAktikl parpasz. nevar mFnd him. lets gO n sI `at HEr z t b dan abQt H kyrt."
a kErfal inspekSn SOd Hem HAt, Ivan if HE saksIdd in rFtN i bF Hemselvz, H kyrt wUd crAvl nO loNar. H Akslz war in a hOplis stEt, n H misN `Il waz SAtard intM pIsz.
H rAt notd H hYrsz rEnz Ovar hiz bAk n tUk him bF H hed, kErIiN H bard kEJ n its histErikl Okjapant in H aHar hAnd. "kam on!" hI sed grimli t H mOl. "its fFv Yr siks mFlz t H nIrist tQn, n wI SAl Jast hAf t wYk i. H sMnar wI mEk a styrt H betar."
"bat `at abQt tOd?" Askd H mOl ANkSasli, Az HE set of tageHar. "wI kAnt lIv him hIr, sitN in H midl v H rOd bF himself, in H discrAktd stEt hIz in! its not sEf. sapOzN anaHar TiN war t kam aloN?"
"O, boHar tOd," sed H rAt sAviJli; "Fv dan wiT him!"
HE hAd not prasIdd vEri fyr on HEr wE, hQevar, `en HEr waz a pAtarN v fIt bihFnd Hem, n tOd kYt Hem ap n Hrast a pY insFd H elbO v Ic v Hem; stil brIHN SYrt n stErN intM vEkansi.
"nQ, lUk hIr, tOd!" sed H rAt Syrpli: "Az sMn Az wI get t H tQn, jMl hAv t gO scrEt t H palIs-stESn, n sI if HE nO enITiN abQt HAt mOtar-kyr n hM i biloNz t, n lYJ a kmplEnt agenst i. n Hen jMl hAv t gO t a blAksmiTs Yr a `IlrFts n arEnJ f H kyrt t b fecd n mendd n pat t rFts. itl tEk tFm, bat its not kwFt a hOplis smAS. mIn`Fl, H mOl n F wil gO t an in n fFnd kamfartabl rMmz `Er wI kAn stE til H kyrts redi, n til jYr narvz hAv rikavard HEr Sok."
"palIs-stESn! kmplEnt!" marmard tOd JrImili. "mI kmplEn v HAt bjMtafal, HAt hevanli viJn HAt hAz bin vQcsEfd mI! mend H kyrt! Fv dan wiT kyrts f evar. F nevar wont t sI H kyrt, Yr hIr v i, agen. O, rAti! jM kAnt TiNk hQ ablFJd F em t jM f knsentN t kam on His crip! F wUdnt hAv gon wiTQt jM, n Hen F mFt nevar hAv sIn HAt--HAt swon, HAt sanbIm, HAt TandarbOlt! F mFt nevar hAv hard HAt encrAnsN sQnd, Yr smelt HAt biwicN smel! F O i Yl t jM, mF best v frendz!"
H rAt tarnd fram him in dispEr. "jM sI `at i z?" hI sed t H mOl, aJresN him akros tOdz hed: "hIz kwFt hOplis. F giv i ap--`en wI get t H tQn wIl gO t H rElwE stESn, n wiT lak wI mE pik ap a crEn HEr HAtl get as bAk t rivarbANk tM-nFt. n if evar jM kAc mI gOiN a-pleZarN wiT His pravOkN Anaml agen!"
hI snYrtd, n darN H rest v HAt wIri craJ aJresd hiz rimyrks iksklMsivli t mOl.
on rIcN H tQn HE went scrEt t H stESn n dipozitd tOd in H sekand-klAs wEtN-rMm, givN a pYrtar tMpens t kIp a scrikt F on him. HE Hen left H hYrs At an in stEbl, n gEv darekSnz HE kUd abQt H kyrt n its kontents. ivencMali, a slO crEn hAvN lAndd Hem At a stESn not vEri fyr fram tOd hYl, HE eskYrtd H spel-bQnd, slIp-wYkN tOd t hiz dYr, pat hi insFd i, n inscraktd hiz hQskIpar t fId him, anJres him, n pat him t bed. Hen HE got Qt HEr bOt fram H bOt-hQs, skald dQn H rivar hOm, n At a vEri lEt Qr sAt dQn t sapar in HEr On kOzi rivarsFd pyrlar, t H rAts grEt Jq n kntentmant.
H folOiN IvnN H mOl, hM hAd rizan lEt n tEkan TiNz vEri Izi Yl dE, waz sitN on H bANk fiSN, `en H rAt, hM hAd bin lUkN ap hiz frendz n gosapN, kEm scrOlN aloN t fFnd him. "hard H nMz?" hI sed. "HErz naTiN els bIiN tYkd abQt, Yl aloN H rivar bANk. tOd went ap t tQn bF an arli crEn His mYrnN. n hI hAz Yrdard a lyrJ n vEri ikspensiv mOtar-kyr."