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Пишет crivelli (![[info]](http://lj.rossia.org/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} crivelli)@ 2004-08-13 12:21:00 |
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The Crock of Gold by James Stephens
"Dogs," said the Philosopher, "are a most intelligent
race of people--"
"People, my granny!" said the sergeant.
"From the earliest ages their intelligence has been ob-
served and recorded, so that ancient literatures are bulky
with references to their sagacity and fidelity--"
"Will you shut your old jaw?" said the sergeant.
"I will not," said the Philosopher.[...]"Shawn," said the sergeant, "say something for good-
ness' sake to take the sound of that man's clack out of
my ear."
"I wouldn't know what to be talking about," said
Shawn, "for I never was much of a hand at conversation,
and, barring my prayers, I got no education--I think my-
self that he was making a remark about a dog. Did you ever own a dog,
sergeant?"
"You are doing very well, Shawn," said the sergeant, "keep it up now."
"I knew a man had a dog would count up to a hun-
dred for you. He won lots of money in bets about it,
and he'd have made a fortune, only that I noticed one
day he used to be winking at the dog, and when he'd
stop winking the dog would stop counting. We made
him turn his back after that, and got the dog to count
sixpence, but he barked for more than five shillings, he
did so, and he would have counted up to a pound, maybe,
only that his master turned round and hit him a kick.
Every person that ever paid him a bet said they wanted
their money back, but the man went away to America in
the night, and I expect he's doing well there for he took
the dog with him. It was a wire-haired terrier bitch,
and it was the devil for having pups."
"It is astonishing," said the Philosopher, "on what slender compulsion
people will go to America--"
"Keep it up, Shawn," said the sergeant, "you are doing me a favour."
"I will so," said Shawn. "I had a cat one time and it used to have
kittens every two months."
About James Stephen
"Dogs," said the Philosopher, "are a most intelligent
race of people--"
"People, my granny!" said the sergeant.
"From the earliest ages their intelligence has been ob-
served and recorded, so that ancient literatures are bulky
with references to their sagacity and fidelity--"
"Will you shut your old jaw?" said the sergeant.
"I will not," said the Philosopher.[...]"Shawn," said the sergeant, "say something for good-
ness' sake to take the sound of that man's clack out of
my ear."
"I wouldn't know what to be talking about," said
Shawn, "for I never was much of a hand at conversation,
and, barring my prayers, I got no education--I think my-
self that he was making a remark about a dog. Did you ever own a dog,
sergeant?"
"You are doing very well, Shawn," said the sergeant, "keep it up now."
"I knew a man had a dog would count up to a hun-
dred for you. He won lots of money in bets about it,
and he'd have made a fortune, only that I noticed one
day he used to be winking at the dog, and when he'd
stop winking the dog would stop counting. We made
him turn his back after that, and got the dog to count
sixpence, but he barked for more than five shillings, he
did so, and he would have counted up to a pound, maybe,
only that his master turned round and hit him a kick.
Every person that ever paid him a bet said they wanted
their money back, but the man went away to America in
the night, and I expect he's doing well there for he took
the dog with him. It was a wire-haired terrier bitch,
and it was the devil for having pups."
"It is astonishing," said the Philosopher, "on what slender compulsion
people will go to America--"
"Keep it up, Shawn," said the sergeant, "you are doing me a favour."
"I will so," said Shawn. "I had a cat one time and it used to have
kittens every two months."
About James Stephen
