– By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – Written in Southern English Accents –
– ꞜE ⱭDVΣNԎⱭꞋ ꙘV ꞜⱭ BLU KABÛИKⱭL –
– BÎ SŮ ARŦⱭ KꙘNⱭN DϴⱭL –
Î HΛD KΔLD ⱭPꙘN MÎ ҒꞋΣND ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ SΣKⱭND MΔNIИ AҒTⱭ KꞋISMⱭS, WIꞜ ꞜE INTΣNƸⱭN ꙘV WIƸIИ HIM ꞜⱭ KꙘMPLⱭMⱭNTS ꙘV ꞜⱭ SEZⱭN. HE WꙘZ LΩNϿIИ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ SOҒⱭ IN Ɑ PŮPⱭL ϿꞋΣSIИGΩN, Ɑ PÎPꞋΛK WIꞜIN HIZ ꞋEԎ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ ꞋÎT, ΛND Ɑ PÎⱭL ꙘV KꞋÛMBⱭLD MΔNIИ PѦPⱭZ, ΣVⱭDΣNTLE NYULE STÛDED, NEⱭꞋ ΛT HΛND. BⱭSÎD ꞜⱭ KΩԎ WꙘZ Ɑ WÜDⱭN ԎΣⱭ, ΛND ꙘN ꞜE ΛИGⱭL ꙘV ꞜⱭ BΛK HÛИ Ɑ VΣꞋE SEDE ΛND DISꞋⱭPYUTⱭBⱭL HAD ҒΛLT HΛT, MÛԎ ꞜⱭ WŮS ҒΔ WΣⱭ, ΛND KꞋΛKT IN SΣVꞋⱭL PLѦSⱭZ. Ɑ LΣNZ ΛND Ɑ ҒΔSΣPS LÎIИ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ SET ꙘV ꞜⱭ ԎΣⱭ SⱭϿΣSTⱭD ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ HΛT HΛD BEN SⱭSPΣNDⱭD IN ꞜIS MΛNⱭ ҒΔ ꞜⱭ PŮPⱭS ꙘV IKZΛMⱭNѦƸⱭN.
“YU A INGѦϿD,” SΣD Î; “PŮHΛPS Î INTⱭꞋÛPT YU.”
“NꙘT ΛT ΔL. Î ΛM GLΛD TU HΛV Ɑ ҒꞋΣND WIꞜ HUM Î KΛN DⱭSKÛS MÎ ꞋⱭZÛLTS. ꞜⱭ MΛTⱭ IZ Ɑ PŮҒⱭKTLE ԎꞋIVEⱭL WÛN” – HE ϿŮKT HIZ ŦÛM IN ꞜⱭ DⱭΣKƸⱭN ꙘV ꞜE ꝌLD HΛT – “BÛT ꞜΣⱭꞋ A PϴNTS IN KⱭNΣKƸⱭN WIꞜ IT WIԎ A NꙘT INTÎⱭLE DⱭVϴD ꙘV INԎꞋⱭST ΛND EVⱭN ꙘV INSԎꞋÛKƸⱭN.”
Î SETⱭD MÎSΣLҒ IN HIZ AMԎΣⱭꞋ ΛND WΔMD MÎ HΛNDZ BⱭҒΔ HIZ KꞋΛKLIИ ҒÎⱭ, ҒΔꞋ Ɑ ƸAP ҒꞋꙘST HΛD SΣT IN, ΛND ꞜⱭ WINDOZ WŮ ŦIK WIꞜ ꞜE ÎS KꞋISTⱭLZ. “Î SⱭPOZ,” Î ꞋⱭMAKT, “ꞜΛT, HOMLE ΛZ IT LÜKS, ꞜIS ŦIИ HΛZ SÛM DΣDLE STΔꞋE LIИKT TU IT – ꞜΛT IT IZ ꞜⱭ KLU WIԎ WIL GÎD YU IN ꞜⱭ SⱭLUƸⱭN ꙘV SÛM MISTⱭꞋE ΛND ꞜⱭ PÛNⱭƸMⱭNT ꙘV SÛM KꞋÎM.”
“NO, NO. NO KꞋÎM,” SΣD ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ, LAҒIИ. “ONLE WÛN ꙘV ꞜOZ WIMZⱭKⱭL LITⱭL INSⱭDⱭNTS WIԎ WIL HΛPⱭN WΣN YU HΛV 4 MILYⱭN HYUMⱭN BEIИZ ΔL ϿꙘSLIИ EԎ ÛꞜⱭ WIꞜIN ꞜⱭ SPѦS ꙘV Ɑ ҒYU SKWΣⱭ MÎⱭLZ. ⱭMID ꞜE ΛKƸⱭN ΛND ꞋEΛKƸⱭN ꙘV SO DΣNS Ɑ SWΔM ꙘV HYUMΛNⱭTE, ΣVꞋE PꙘSⱭBⱭL KꙘMBⱭNѦƸⱭN ꙘV ⱭVΣNTS MѦ BE IKSPΣKTⱭD TU TѦK PLѦS, ΛND MΣNE Ɑ LITⱭL PꞋꙘBLⱭM WIԎ MѦ BE SԎꞋÎKIИ ΛND BⱭZA WIꞜΩT BEIИ KꞋIMⱭNⱭL. WE HΛV ΔLꞋΣDE HΛD IKSPΣⱭꞋEⱭNS ꙘV SÛԎ.”
“SO MÛԎ SO,” Î ꞋⱭMAKT, “ꞜΛT ꙘV ꞜⱭ LAST 6 KѦSⱭZ WIԎ Î HΛV ΛDⱭD TU MÎ NOTS, 3 HΛV BEN INTÎⱭLE ҒꞋE ꙘV LEGⱭL KꞋÎM.”
“PꞋⱭSÎSLE. YU ⱭLYUD TU MÎ ⱭTΣMPT TU ꞋⱭKÛVⱭ ꞜE ÎꞋEN ΛDLⱭ PѦPⱭZ, TU ꞜⱭ SIИGYULⱭ KѦS ꙘV MΣⱭꞋE SÛꞜⱭLⱭND, ΛND TU ꞜE ⱭDVΣNԎⱭ ꙘV ꞜⱭ MΛN WIꞜ ꞜⱭ TWISTⱭD LIP. WΛL, Î HΛV NO DΩT ꞜΛT ꞜIS SMΔL MΛTⱭ WIL ҒΔL INTU ꞜⱭ SѦM INⱭSⱭNT KΛTⱭGΔꞋE. YU NO PETⱭSⱭN, ꞜⱭ KⱭMIƸⱭNΣⱭ?”
“YΣS.”
“IT IZ TU HIM ꞜΛT ꞜIS ԎꞋOҒE BⱭLꙘИZ.”
“IT IZ HIZ HΛT.”
“NO, NO, HE ҒΩND IT. ITS ONⱭ IZ ÛNNON. Î BΣG ꞜΛT YU WIL LÜK ⱭPꙘN IT NꙘT ΛZ Ɑ BΛTⱭD BILEKꙘK, BÛT ΛZ ΛN INTⱭLΣKƸWⱭL PꞋꙘBLⱭM. ΛND, ҒŮST, ΛZ TU HΩ IT KѦM HEⱭ. IT ⱭꞋÎVD ⱭPꙘN KꞋISMⱭS MΔNIИ, IN KÛMPⱭNE WIꞜ Ɑ ҒΛT GUS, WIԎ IZ, Î HΛV NO DΩT, ꞋOSTIИ ΛT ꞜIS MOMⱭNT IN ҒꞋÛNT ꙘV PETⱭSⱭNZ ҒÎⱭ. ꞜⱭ ҒΛKTS A ꞜEZ: ⱭBΩT 4 ⱭKLꙘK ꙘN KꞋISMⱭS MΔNIИ, PETⱭSⱭN, HU ΛZ YU NO, IZ Ɑ VΣꞋE ꙘNⱭST ҒΛLO, WꙘZ ꞋⱭTŮNIИ ҒꞋꙘM SÛM SMΔL ϿꙘLⱭҒIKѦƸⱭN ΛND WꙘZ MѦKIИ HIZ WѦ HOMWⱭD DΩN TꙘTⱭNⱭM KΔT ꞋOD. IN ҒꞋÛNT ꙘV HIM HE SΔ, IN ꞜⱭ GΛSLÎT, Ɑ TΔLIƸ MΛN, WΔKIИ WIꞜ Ɑ SLÎT STΛGⱭ, ΛND KΛꞋEIИ Ɑ WÎT GUS SLÛИ OVⱭ HIZ ƸꝌLDⱭ. ΛZ HE ꞋEԎT ꞜⱭ KΔNⱭ ꙘV GUϿ SԎꞋET, Ɑ ꞋΩ BꞋOK ΩT BⱭTWEN ꞜIS SԎꞋѦNϿⱭ ΛND Ɑ LITⱭL NꙘT ꙘV ꞋÛҒS. WÛN ꙘV ꞜⱭ LΛTⱭ NꙘKT ꙘҒ ꞜⱭ MΛNZ HΛT, ꙘN WIԎ HE ꞋѦZD HIZ STIK TU DⱭҒΣND HIMSΛLҒ ΛND, SWIИIИ IT OVⱭ HIZ HΣD, SMΛƸT ꞜⱭ ƸꙘP WINDO BⱭHÎND HIM. PETⱭSⱭN HΛD ꞋÛƸT ҒΔWⱭD TU PꞋⱭTΣKT ꞜⱭ SԎꞋѦNϿⱭ ҒꞋꙘM ꞜE ⱭSѦLⱭNTS; BÛT ꞜⱭ MΛN, ƸꙘKT ΛT HΛVIИ BꞋOKⱭN ꞜⱭ WINDO, ΛND SEIИ ΛN ⱭҒIƸⱭL LÜKIИ PŮSⱭN IN YUNⱭҒΔM ꞋÛƸIИ TⱭWΔDZ HIM, ϿꞋꙘPT HIZ GUS, TÜK TU HIZ HEⱭLZ, ΛND VΛNIƸT ⱭMID ꞜⱭ LΛBⱭINŦ ꙘV SMΔL SԎꞋETS WIԎ LÎ ΛT ꞜⱭ BΛK ꙘV TꙘTⱭNⱭM KΔT ꞋOD. ꞜⱭ ꞋÛҒS HΛD ΔLSO ҒLΣD ΛT ꞜE ⱭPΣⱭꞋⱭNS ꙘV PETⱭSⱭN, SO ꞜΛT HE WꙘZ LΣҒT IN ꞜⱭ PⱭZΣƸⱭN ꙘV ꞜⱭ ҒEⱭLD ꙘV BΛTⱭL, ΛND ΔLSO ꙘV ꞜⱭ SPϴⱭLZ ꙘV VIKԎꞋE IN ꞜⱭ ƸѦP ꙘV ꞜIS BΛTⱭD HΛT ΛND Ɑ MOST ÛNIMPEԎⱭBⱭL KꞋISMⱭS GUS.”
“WIԎ ƸΔLE HE ꞋⱭSTΔD TU ꞜΣⱭꞋ ONⱭ?”
“MÎ DEⱭ ҒΛLO, ꞜΣⱭ LÎZ ꞜⱭ PꞋꙘBLⱭM. IT IZ ԎꞋU ꞜΛT ‘ҒΔ MISⱭZ HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭ’ WꙘZ PꞋINTⱭD ⱭPꙘN Ɑ SMΔL KAD WIԎ WꙘZ TÎD TU ꞜⱭ BŮDZ LΣҒT LΣG, ΛND IT IZ ΔLSO ԎꞋU ꞜΛT ꞜE INIƸⱭLZ ‘H. B.’ A LΣϿⱭBⱭL ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ LÎNIИ ꙘV HIZ HΛT, BÛT ΛZ ꞜΣⱭꞋ A SÛM ŦΩZⱭNDZ ꙘV HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭZ, ΛND SÛM HÛNϿꞋⱭDS ꙘV HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭZ IN ꞜIS SITE ꙘV ΩZ, IT IZ NꙘT EZE TU ꞋⱭSTΔ LꙘST PꞋꙘPⱭTE TU ΣNE WÛN ꙘV ꞜΣM.”
“WꙘT, ꞜΣN, DID PETⱭSⱭN DU?”
“HE BꞋΔT ꞋΩND BOŦ ꞜⱭ HΛT ΛND ꞜⱭ GUS ꙘN KꞋISMⱭS MΔNIИ, NOIИ ꞜΛT EVⱭN ꞜⱭ SMΔLⱭST PꞋꙘBLⱭMZ AꞋ ꙘV INԎꞋⱭST TU ME. ꞜⱭ GUS WE ꞋⱭTѦND ⱭNTIL ꞜIS MΔNIИ, WΣN ꞜΣⱭ WŮ SÎNZ ꞜΛT, IN SPÎT ꙘV ꞜⱭ SLÎT ҒꞋꙘST, IT WÜD BE WΛL ꞜΛT IT ƸÜD BE ETⱭN WIꞜΩT ÛNNΣSⱭSΣꞋE DⱭLѦ. ITS ҒÎNDⱭ HΛZ KΛꞋED IT ꙘҒ, ꞜΣⱭҒΔ, TU ҒÛLҒIL ꞜE ÛLTⱭMIT DΣSTⱭNE ꙘV Ɑ GUS, WÎⱭL Î KⱭNTINYU TU ꞋⱭTѦN ꞜⱭ HΛT ꙘV ꞜE ÛNNON ϿΣNTⱭLMⱭN HU LꙘST HIZ KꞋISMⱭS DINⱭ.”
“DID HE NꙘT ΛDVⱭTÎZ?”
“NO.”
“ꞜΣN, WꙘT KLU KÜD YU HΛV ΛZ TU HIZ ÎDΣNTⱭTE?”
“ONLE ΛZ MÛԎ ΛZ WE KΛN DⱭDYUS.”
“ҒꞋꙘM HIZ HΛT?”
“PꞋⱭSÎSLE.”
“BÛT YU A ϿOKIИ. WꙘT KΛN YU GΛꞜⱭ ҒꞋꙘM ꞜIS ꝌLD BΛTⱭD ҒΛLT?”
“HEⱭꞋ IZ MÎ LΣNZ. YU NO MÎ MΣŦⱭDZ. WꙘT KΛN YU GΛꞜⱭ YΔSΛLҒ ΛZ TU ꞜE INDⱭVIϿUΛLⱭTE ꙘV ꞜⱭ MΛN HU HΛZ WΔN ꞜIS ATIKⱭL?”
Î TÜK ꞜⱭ TΛTⱭD ꙘBϿΣKT IN MÎ HΛNDZ ΛND TŮND IT OVⱭ ꞋAꞜⱭ ꞋUҒⱭLE. IT WꙘZ Ɑ VΣꞋE ΔDⱭNΣⱭꞋE BLΛK HΛT ꙘV ꞜE YUδWⱭL ꞋΩND ƸѦP, HAD ΛND MÛԎ ꞜⱭ WŮS ҒΔ WΣⱭ. ꞜⱭ LÎNIИ HΛD BEN ꙘV ꞋΣD SILK, BÛT WꙘZ Ɑ GÜD DEⱭL DISKÛLⱭD. ꞜΣⱭ WꙘZ NO MѦKⱭZ NѦM, BÛT, ΛZ HOMZ HΛD ꞋⱭMAKT, ꞜE INIƸⱭLZ ‘H. B.’ WŮ SKꞋΔLD ⱭPꙘN 1 SÎD. IT WꙘZ PEⱭST IN ꞜⱭ BꞋIM ҒΔꞋ Ɑ HΛTSⱭKYŮꞋⱭ, BÛT ꞜE ⱭLΛSTIK WꙘZ MISIИ. ҒΔ ꞜⱭ ꞋΣST, IT WꙘZ KꞋΛKT, IKSEDIИLE DÛSTE, ΛND SPꙘTⱭD IN SΣVꞋⱭL PLѦSⱭZ, ΔLꞜO ꞜΣⱭ SEMD TU HΛV BEN SÛM ⱭTΣMPT TU HÎD ꞜⱭ DISKÛLⱭD PΛԎⱭZ BÎ SMEⱭꞋIИ ꞜΣM WIꞜ IИK.
“Î KΛN SE NÛŦIИ,” SΣD Î, HΛNDIИ IT BΛK TU MÎ ҒꞋΣND.
“ꙘN ꞜⱭ KꙘNԎꞋΣⱭꞋE, WꙘTSⱭN, YU KΛN SE ΣVꞋEŦIИ. YU ҒѦⱭL, HΩΣVⱭ, TU ꞋEZⱭN ҒꞋꙘM WꙘT YU SE. YU A TU TIMID IN ϿꞋΔIИ YΔꞋ INҒŮꞋⱭNSⱭZ.”
“ꞜΣN, PꞋѦ TΛL ME WꙘT IT IZ ꞜΛT YU KΛN INҒŮ ҒꞋꙘM ꞜIS HΛT?”
HE PIKT IT ÛP ΛND GѦZD ΛT IT IN ꞜⱭ PⱭKYULEⱭ INԎꞋⱭSPΣKTIV ҒΛƸⱭN WIԎ WꙘZ KΛꞋⱭKTⱭꞋISTIK ꙘV HIM.
“IT IZ PⱭHΛPS LΣS SⱭϿΣSTIV ꞜΛN IT MÎT HΛV BEN,” HE ꞋⱭMAKT, “ΛND YΣT ꞜΣⱭꞋ AꞋ Ɑ ҒYU INҒŮꞋⱭNSⱭZ WIԎ A VΣꞋE DISTIИKT, ΛND Ɑ ҒYU ÛꞜⱭZ WIԎ ꞋΣPꞋⱭZΣNT ΛT LEST Ɑ SԎꞋꙘИ BΛLⱭNS ꙘV PꞋꙘBⱭBILⱭTE. ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ MΛN WꙘZ HÎLE INTⱭLΣKƸWⱭL IZ ꙘV KΔS ꙘBVEⱭS ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ ҒѦS ꙘV IT, ΛND ΔLSO ҒΣⱭLE WΛL TU DU WIꞜIN ꞜⱭ LAST 3 YEⱭZ, ΔLꞜO HE HΛZ ҒΔLⱭN ⱭPꙘN EVIL DѦZ. HE HΛD ҒΔSÎT, BÛT HΛZ LΣS NΩ ꞜΛN ҒΔMⱭLE, PϴNTIИ TU Ɑ MꙘꞋⱭL ꞋΣԎꞋⱭGꞋΣƸⱭN, WIԎ, WΣN TѦKⱭN WIꞜ ꞜⱭ DⱭKLÎN ꙘV HIZ ҒΔԎUNZ, SEMZ TU INDⱭKѦT SÛM EVIL INҒLUⱭNS, PꞋꙘBⱭBLE ϿꞋIИK, ΛT WŮK ⱭPꙘN HIM. ꞜIS MѦ ⱭKΩNT ΔLSO ҒΔ ꞜE ꙘBVEⱭS ҒΛKT ꞜΛT HIZ WÎҒ HΛZ SEST TU LÛV HIM.”
“MÎ DΣⱭ HOMZ!”
“HE HΛZ, HΩΣVⱭ, ꞋⱭTѦND SÛM DⱭGꞋE ꙘV SΛLҒ ꞋⱭSPΣKT,” HE KⱭNTINYUD, DISꞋⱭGADIИ MÎ ꞋΣMⱭNSTꞋANS. “HE IZ Ɑ MΛN HU LEDZ Ɑ SΣDⱭNԎꞋE LÎҒ, GOZ ΩT LITⱭL, IZ ΩT ꙘV ԎꞋѦNIИ INTÎⱭLE, IZ MIDⱭL ѦϿD, HΛZ GꞋIZⱭLD HΣⱭ WIԎ HE HΛZ HΛD KÛT WIꞜIN ꞜⱭ LAST ҒYU DѦZ, ΛND WIԎ HE ⱭNϴNTS WIꞜ LÎM KꞋEM. ꞜEZ A ꞜⱭ MΔ PѦTⱭNT ҒΛKTS WIԎ A TU BE DⱭDÛKTⱭD ҒꞋꙘM HIZ HΛT. ΔLSO, BÎ ꞜⱭ WѦ, ꞜΛT IT IZ IKSԎꞋEMLE IMPꞋꙘBⱭBⱭL ꞜΛT HE HΛZ GΛS LѦD ꙘN IN HIZ HΩS.”
“YU A SŮTⱭNLE ϿOKIИ, HOMZ.”
“NꙘT IN ꞜⱭ LEST. IZ IT PꙘSⱭBⱭL ꞜΛT EVⱭN NΩ, WΣN Î GIV YU ꞜEZ ꞋⱭZÛLTS, YU A ÛNѦBⱭL TU SE HΩ ꞜѦ AꞋ ⱭTѦND?”
“Î HΛV NO DΩT ꞜΛT Î ΛM VΣꞋE SԎUPID, BÛT Î MÛST KⱭNҒΣS ꞜΛT Î ΛM ÛNѦBⱭL TU ҒꙘLO YU. ҒΔꞋ IKZAMPⱭL, HΩ DID YU DⱭDYUS ꞜΛT ꞜIS MΛN WꙘZ INTⱭLΣKƸWⱭL?”
ҒΔ HIZ ANSⱭ HOMZ KLΛPT ꞜⱭ HΛT ⱭPꙘN HIZ HΣD. IT KѦM ꞋÎT OVⱭ ꞜⱭ ҒΔHΣD ΛND SΣTⱭLD ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ BꞋIϿ ꙘV HIZ NOZ.
“IT IZ Ɑ KWΣSԎⱭN ꙘV KYUBIK KⱭPΛSⱭTE,” SΣD HE, “Ɑ MΛN WIꞜ SO LAϿ Ɑ BꞋѦN MÛST HΛV SÛMꞜIИ IN IT.”
“ꞜⱭ DⱭKLÎN ꙘV HIZ ҒΔԎUNZ, ꞜΣN?”
“ꞜIS HΛT IZ 3 YEⱭZ ꝌLD. ꞜEZ ҒLΛT BꞋIMZ KŮLD ΛT ꞜE ΣϿ KѦM BΛK IN ꞜΣN. IT IZ Ɑ HΛT ꙘV ꞜⱭ VΣꞋE BΣST KWꙘLⱭTE. LÜK ΛT ꞜⱭ BΛND ꙘV ꞋIBD SILK ΛND ꞜE ΣKSⱭLⱭNT LÎNIИ. IҒ ꞜIS MΛN KÜD ⱭҒΔD TU BÎ SO IKSPΣNSIV Ɑ HΛT 3 YEⱭZ ⱭGO, ΛND HΛZ HΛD NO HΛT SINS, ꞜΣN HE HΛZ ⱭƸŮꞋⱭDLE GꙘN DΩN IN ꞜⱭ WŮLD.”
“WΛL ꞜΛT IZ KLEⱭꞋ ⱭNÛҒ, SŮTⱭNLE. BÛT HΩ ⱭBΩT ꞜⱭ ҒΔSÎT ΛND MꙘꞋⱭL ꞋΣԎꞋⱭGꞋΣƸⱭN?”
ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ LAҒT.
“HEⱭꞋ IZ ꞜⱭ ҒΔSÎT,” SΣD HE PÛTIИ HIZ ҒIИGⱭꞋ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ LITⱭL DISK ΛND LUP ꙘV ꞜⱭ HΛT SⱭKYŮꞋⱭ.
“ꞜѦ A NΣVⱭ SꝌLD ⱭPꙘN HΛTS. IҒ ꞜIS MΛN ΔDⱭD WÛN, IT IZ Ɑ SÎN ꙘV Ɑ SŮTⱭN ⱭMΩNT ꙘV ҒΔSÎT, SINS HE WΣNT ΩT ꙘV HIZ WѦ TU TѦK ꞜIS PꞋⱭKΔƸⱭN ⱭGΣNST ꞜⱭ WIND. BÛT SINS WE SE ꞜΛT HE HΛZ BꞋOKⱭN ꞜE ⱭLΛSTIK ΛND HΛZ NꙘT ԎꞋÛBⱭLD TU ꞋⱭPLѦS IT, IT IZ ꙘBVEⱭS ꞜΛT HE HΛZ LΣS ҒΔSÎT NΩ ꞜΛN ҒΔMⱭLE, WIԎ IZ Ɑ DISTIИKT PꞋUҒ ꙘV Ɑ WEKⱭNIИ ꙘV NѦԎⱭ. ꙘN ꞜE ÛꞜⱭ HΛND, HE HΛZ INDΣVⱭD TU KⱭNSEⱭL SÛM ꙘV ꞜEZ STѦNZ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ ҒΛLT BÎ DΔBIИ ꞜΣM WIꞜ IИK, WIԎ IZ Ɑ SÎN ꞜΛT HE HΛZ NꙘT INTÎⱭLE LꙘST HIZ SΛLҒ ꞋⱭSPΣKT.”
“YΔ ꞋEZⱭNIИ IZ SŮTⱭNLE PLΔZⱭBⱭL.”
“ꞜⱭ ҒŮꞜⱭ PϴNTS, ꞜΛT HE IZ MIDⱭL ѦϿD, ꞜΛT HIZ HΣⱭꞋ IZ GꞋIZⱭLD, ꞜΛT IT HΛZ ꞋESⱭNTLE BEN KÛT, ΛND ꞜΛT HE YUZⱭZ LÎM KꞋEM, AꞋ ΔL TU BE GΛꞜⱭD ҒꞋꙘM Ɑ KLOS IKZΛMINѦƸⱭN ꙘV ꞜⱭ LOⱭ PAT ꙘV ꞜⱭ LÎNIИ. ꞜⱭ LΣNZ DISKLOZⱭZ Ɑ LAϿ NÛMBⱭꞋ ꙘV HΣⱭꞋ ΣNDZ, KLEN KÛT BÎ ꞜⱭ SIZⱭZ ꙘV Ɑ BABⱭ.
ꞜѦ ΔL ⱭPEⱭ TU BE ⱭDHEZIV, ΛND ꞜΣⱭꞋ IZ Ɑ DISTIИKT ODⱭꞋ ꙘV LÎM KꞋEM. ꞜIS DÛST, YU WIL ⱭBZŮV, IZ NꙘT ꞜⱭ GꞋITE GꞋѦ DÛST ꙘV ꞜⱭ SԎꞋET BÛT ꞜⱭ ҒLÛҒE BꞋΩN DÛST ꙘV ꞜⱭ HΩS, ƸOIИ ꞜΛT IT HΛZ BEN HÛИ ÛP INDΔZ MOST ꙘV ꞜⱭ TÎM, WÎⱭL ꞜⱭ MAKS ꙘV MϴSԎⱭꞋ ⱭPꙘN ꞜE INSÎD A PꞋUҒ ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ WΣⱭꞋⱭ PⱭSPÎⱭD VΣꞋE ҒꞋELE, ΛND KÜD ꞜΣⱭҒΔ, HADLE BE IN ꞜⱭ BΣST ꙘV ԎꞋѦNIИ.”
“BÛT HIZ WÎҒ – YU SΣD ꞜΛT ƸE HΛD SEST TU LÛV HIM.”
“ꞜIS HΛT HΛZ NꙘT BEN BꞋÛƸD ҒΔ WEKS. WΣN Î SE YU, MÎ DΣⱭ WꙘTSⱭN, WIꞜ Ɑ WEKS ⱭKUMYⱭLѦƸⱭN ꙘV DÛST ⱭPꙘN YΔ HΛT, ΛND WΣN YΔ WÎҒ ⱭLΩZ YU TU GO ΩT IN SÛԎ Ɑ STѦT, Î ҒEⱭ ꞜΛT YU HΛV BEN ÛNҒΔԎUNⱭT ⱭNÛҒ TU LUZ YΔ WÎҒS ⱭҒΣKƸⱭN.”
“BÛT HE MѦ BE Ɑ BΛԎⱭLⱭ.”
“NѦ, HE WꙘZ BꞋIИIИ HOM ꞜⱭ GUS ΛZ Ɑ PES ꙘҒⱭꞋIИ TU HIZ WÎҒ. ꞋⱭMΣMBⱭ ꞜⱭ KAD ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ BŮDZ LΣG.”
“YU HΛV ΛN ANSⱭ TU ΣVꞋEŦIИ. BÛT HΩ ꙘN ŮŦ DU YU DⱭDYUS ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ GΛS IZ NꙘT LѦD ꙘN IN HIZ HΩS?”
“1 TΛLO STѦN, ΔꞋ EVⱭN 2 MÎT KÛM BÎ ԎANS, BÛT WΣN Î SE NO LΣS ꞜΛN 5, Î ŦIИK ꞜΛT ꞜΣⱭ KΛN BE LITⱭL DΩT ꞜΛT ꞜE INDⱭVIϿWⱭL MÛST BE BꞋΔT INTU ҒꞋEKWⱭNT KꙘNTΛKT WIꞜ BŮNIИ TΛLO – WΔKS ÛPSTΣⱭZ ΛT NÎT PꞋꙘBⱭBLE WIꞜ HIZ HΛT IN 1 HΛND ΛND Ɑ GÛTⱭꞋIИ KΛNDⱭL IN ꞜE ÛꞜⱭ. ΣNEHΩ, HE NΣVⱭ GꙘT TΛLO STѦNZ ҒꞋꙘM Ɑ GΛS ϿΣT. A YU SΛTISҒÎD?”
“WΛL ITS VΣꞋE INϿENYⱭS,” SΣD Î, LAҒIИ; “BÛT SINS, ΛZ YU SΣD ϿÛST NΩ ꞜΣⱭ HΛZ BEN NO KꞋÎM KⱭMITⱭD, ΛND NO HAM DÛN SѦV ꞜⱭ LꙘS ꙘV Ɑ GUS, ΔL ꞜIS SEMZ TU BE ꞋAꞜⱭ Ɑ WѦST ꙘV ΣNⱭϿE.”
ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ HΛD OPⱭND HIZ MΩŦ TU ꞋⱭPLÎ, WΣN ꞜⱭ DΔ ҒLU OPⱭN, ΛND PETⱭSⱭN, ꞜⱭ KⱭMIƸⱭNΣⱭ, ꞋÛƸT INTU ꞜE ⱭPATMⱭNT WIꞜ ҒLÛƸT ԎEKS ΛND ꞜⱭ ҒѦS ꙘV Ɑ MΛN HU IZ DѦZD WIꞜ ⱭSTꙘNIƸMⱭNT.
“ꞜⱭ GUS, MISTⱭꞋ. OMZ! ꞜⱭ GUS, SŮ!” HE GASPT.
“Ѧ? WꙘT ꙘV IT, ꞜΣN? HΛZ IT ꞋⱭTŮND TU LÎҒ ΛND ҒLΛPT ꙘҒ ŦꞋU ꞜⱭ KIԎⱭN WINDO?” HOMZ TWISTⱭD HIMSΛLҒ ꞋΩND ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ SOҒⱭ TU GΣT Ɑ ҒΣⱭꞋⱭ VYU ꙘV ꞜⱭ MΛNZ IKSÎTⱭD ҒѦS.
“SE ΣⱭ, SŮ! SE WꙘꓶ MÎ WÎҒ ҒΩND IN IꓶS KꞋꙘP!” HE HΛLD ΩT HIZ HΛND ΛND DISPLѦD ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ SΣNTⱭꞋ ꙘV HIZ PAM Ɑ BꞋILYⱭNTLE SINTⱭLѦTIИ BLU STON, ꞋAꞜⱭ SMΔLⱭ ꞜΛN Ɑ BEN IN SÎZ, BÛT ꙘV SÛԎ PYŮꞋⱭTE ΛND ꞋѦDEⱭNS ꞜΛT IT TWIИKⱭLD LÎK ΛN ⱭLΣKԎꞋIK PϴNT IN ꞜⱭ DAK HꙘLO ꙘV HIZ HΛND.
ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ SΛT ÛP WIꞜ Ɑ WISⱭL. “BÎ ϿOV, PETⱭSⱭN!” SΣD HE, “ꞜIS IZ Ɑ ԎꞋΣδⱭ ԎꞋOV INDED. Î SⱭPOZ YU NO WꙘT YU HΛV GꙘT?”
“Ɑ DÎMⱭND, SŮ? Ɑ PꞋΣƸⱭS STON. IT KÛꓶS INꓶⱭ GLAS ΛZ ꞜO IT WŮ PÛꓶE.”
“ITS MΔ ꞜΛN Ɑ PꞋΣƸⱭS STON. IT IZ ꞜE PꞋΣƸⱭS STON.”
“NꙘT ꞜⱭ KΩNTΣS ꙘV MΔKⱭZ BLU KABÛИKⱭL!” Î ⱭϿΛKYULѦTⱭD.
“PꞋⱭSÎSLE SO. Î ΔT TU NO ITS SÎZ ΛND ƸѦP, SEIИ ꞜΛT Î HΛV ꞋΣD ꞜE ⱭDVŮTⱭSMⱭNT ⱭBΩT IT IN ꞜⱭ TÎMZ ΣVꞋE DѦ LѦTLE. IT IZ ΛBSⱭLUTLE YUNEK ΛND ITS VΛLYU KΛN ONLE BE KꙘNϿⱭD, BÛT ꞜⱭ ꞋⱭWΔD ꙘҒⱭD ꙘV £1000 IZ SŮTⱭNLE NꙘT WIꞜIN Ɑ 20Ŧ PAT ꙘV ꞜⱭ MAKⱭT PꞋÎS.”
“£1000! GꞋѦT LΔD ꙘV MŮSE!” ꞜⱭ KⱭMIƸⱭNΣⱭ PLÛMPT DΩN INTU Ɑ ԎΣⱭꞋ ΛND STΣⱭD ҒꞋꙘM WÛN TU ꞜE ÛꞜⱭ ꙘV ÛS.
“ꞜΛT IZ ꞜⱭ ꞋⱭWΔD, ΛND Î HΛV ꞋEZⱭN TU NO ꞜΛT ꞜΣⱭꞋ A SΣNTⱭMΣNTⱭL KⱭNSIDⱭꞋѦƸⱭNZ IN ꞜⱭ BΛKGꞋΩND WIԎ WÜD INϿUS ꞜⱭ KΩNTΣS TU PAT WIꞜ HAҒ HŮ ҒΔԎUN IҒ ƸE KÜD BÛT ꞋⱭKÛVⱭ ꞜⱭ ϿΣM.”
“IT WꙘZ LꙘST, IҒ Î ꞋⱭMΣMBⱭ ⱭꞋÎT, ΛT ꞜⱭ HOTΣL KꙘZMⱭPꙘLⱭTⱭN,” Î ꞋⱭMAKT.
“PꞋⱭSÎSLE SO, ꙘN DⱭSΣMBⱭ 22ND, ϿÛST 5 DѦZ ⱭGO. ϿꙘN HΔNⱭ, Ɑ PLÛMⱭ, WꙘZ ⱭKYUZD ꙘV HΛVIИ ⱭBSԎꞋΛKTⱭD IT ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ LѦDEZ ϿɄL KѦS. ꞜE ΣVⱭDⱭNS ⱭGΣNST HIM WꙘZ SO SԎꞋꙘИ ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ KѦS HΛZ BEN ꞋⱭҒŮD TU ꞜE ⱭSÎZⱭZ. Î HΛV SÛM ⱭKΩNT ꙘV ꞜⱭ MΛTⱭ HEⱭꞋ, Î BⱭLEV.” HE ꞋÛMⱭϿD ⱭMID HIZ NYUZPѦPⱭZ, GLANSIИ OVⱭ ꞜⱭ DѦTS, ⱭNTIL ΛT LAST HE SMUꞜD WÛN ΩT, DÛBⱭLD IT OVⱭ, ΛND ꞋΣD ꞜⱭ ҒꙘLOIИ PΛꞋⱭGꞋAҒS:
“HOTΣL KꙘZMⱭPꙘLⱭTⱭN ϿɄL ꞋꙘBⱭꞋE. ϿꙘN HΔNⱭ, 26, PLÛMⱭ, WꙘZ BꞋΔT ÛP ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ ԎAϿ ꙘV HΛVIИ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ 22ND INST., ⱭBSԎꞋΛKTⱭD ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ ϿɄL KѦS ꙘV ꞜⱭ KΩNTΣS ꙘV MΔKⱭ ꞜⱭ VΛLYUBⱭL ϿΣM NON ΛZ ꞜⱭ BLU KABÛИKⱭL. ϿѦMZ ꞋÎDⱭ, ÛPⱭꞋ ⱭTΣNDⱭNT ΛT ꞜⱭ HOTΣL, GѦV HIZ ΣVⱭDⱭNS TU ꞜE ⱭҒΣKT ꞜΛT HE HΛD ƸON HΔNⱭꞋ ÛP TU ꞜⱭ ϿꞋΣSIИ ꞋUM ꙘV ꞜⱭ KΩNTΣS ꙘV MΔKⱭ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ DѦ ꙘV ꞜⱭ ꞋꙘBⱭꞋE IN ΔDⱭ ꞜΛT HE MÎT SꝌLDⱭ ꞜⱭ SΣKⱭND BAꞋ ꙘV ꞜⱭ GꞋѦT, WIԎ WꙘZ LUS. HE HΛD ꞋⱭMѦND WIꞜ HΔNⱭ SÛM LITⱭL TÎM, BÛT HE HΛD ҒÎNⱭLE BEN KΔLD ⱭWѦ. ꙘN ꞋⱭTŮNIИ, HE ҒΩND ꞜΛT HΔNⱭ HΛD DISⱭPΣⱭD, ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ BUꞋO HΛD BEN ҒΔST OPⱭN, ΛND ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ SMΔL MⱭꞋꙘKO KASKⱭT IN WIԎ, ΛZ IT AҒTⱭWⱭDZ ԎꞋΛNSPÎⱭD, ꞜⱭ KΩNTΣS WꙘZ ⱭKÛSTⱭMD TU KEP HŮ ϿɄL, WꙘZ LÎIИ ꙘN ꞜⱭ ϿꞋΣSIИ TѦBⱭL. ꞋÎDⱭ INSTⱭNTLE GѦV ꞜE ⱭLAM, ΛND HΔNⱭ WꙘZ ⱭꞋΣSTⱭD ꞜⱭ SѦM EVNIИ; BÛT ꞜⱭ STON KÜD NꙘT BE ҒΩND EꞜⱭꞋ ⱭPꙘN HIZ PŮSⱭN ΔꞋ IN HIZ ꞋUMZ. KΛŦꞋⱭN KÜSΛK, MѦD TU ꞜⱭ KΩNTΣS, DⱭPOZD TU HΛVIИ HŮD ꞋÎDⱭZ KꞋÎ ꙘV DISMѦ ꙘN DISKÛVⱭIИ ꞜⱭ ꞋꙘBⱭꞋE, ΛND TU HΛVIИ ꞋÛƸIИ INTU ꞜⱭ ꞋUM, WΣⱭ ƸE ҒΩND MΛTⱭZ ΛZ DⱭSKꞋÎBD BÎ ꞜⱭ LAST WITNⱭS. INSPΣKTⱭ BꞋΛDSԎꞋET, B DⱭVIδⱭN, GѦV ΣVⱭDⱭNS ΛZ TU ꞜE ⱭꞋΣST ꙘV HΔNⱭ, HU SԎꞋÛGⱭLD ҒꞋΛNTIKLE, ΛND PꞋOTΣSTⱭD HIZ INⱭSⱭNS IN ꞜⱭ SԎꞋꙘИGⱭST TŮMZ. ΣVⱭDⱭNS ꙘV Ɑ PꞋEVEⱭS KⱭNVIKƸⱭN ҒΔ ꞋꙘBⱭE HΛVIИ BEN GIVⱭN ⱭGΣNST ꞜⱭ PꞋIZNⱭ, ꞜⱭ MΛϿⱭSԎꞋѦT ꞋⱭҒYUZD TU DEⱭL SⱭMΣⱭꞋⱭLE WIꞜ ꞜⱭ ⱭҒΣNS, BÛT ꞋⱭҒŮD IT TU ꞜE ⱭSÎZⱭZ. HΔNⱭ, HU HΛD ƸON SÎNZ ꙘV INTΣNS ⱭMOƸⱭN ϿŮꞋIИ ꞜⱭ PꞋⱭSEDIИZ, ҒѦNTⱭD ⱭWѦ ΛT ꞜⱭ KⱭNKLUδⱭN ΛND WꙘZ KΛꞋED ΩT ꙘV KΔT.”
“HÛM! SO MÛԎ ҒΔ ꞜⱭ PⱭLES KΔT,” SΣD HOMZ ŦΔTҒÜLE, TꙘSIИ ⱭSÎD ꞜⱭ PѦPⱭ. “ꞜⱭ KWΣSԎⱭN ҒΔꞋ ÛS NΩ TU SꝌLV IZ ꞜⱭ SEKWⱭNS ꙘV ⱭVΣNTS LEDIИ ҒꞋꙘM Ɑ ꞋÎҒⱭLD ϿɄL KѦS ΛT 1 ΣND TU ꞜⱭ KꞋꙘP ꙘV Ɑ GUS ꙘN ꞜE ÛꞜⱭ. YU SE, WꙘTSⱭN, Ω LITⱭL DⱭDÛKƸⱭNZ HΛV SÛDⱭNLE ⱭSYUMD Ɑ MÛԎ MΔꞋ IMPΔTⱭNT ΛND LΣS INⱭSⱭNT ΛSPΣKT. HEⱭꞋ IZ ꞜⱭ STON; ꞜⱭ STON KѦM ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ GUS, ΛND ꞜⱭ GUS KѦM ҒꞋꙘM MISTⱭ HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭ, ꞜⱭ ϿΣNTⱭLMⱭN WIꞜ ꞜⱭ BΛD HΛT ΛND ΔL ꞜE ÛꞜⱭ KΛꞋⱭKTⱭꞋISTIKS WIꞜ WIԎ Î HΛV BΔD YU. SO NΩ WE MÛST SΣT ΩSΣLVZ VΣꞋE SΣꞋEⱭSLE TU ҒINDIИ ꞜIS ϿΣNTⱭLMⱭN ΛND WꙘT PAT HE HΛZ PLѦD IN ꞜIS LITⱭL MISԎꞋE. TU DU ꞜIS, WE MÛST ԎꞋÎ ꞜⱭ SIMPLⱭST MENZ ҒŮST, ΛND ꞜES LÎ ÛNDΩTⱭDLE IN ΛN ΛDVŮTⱭSMⱭNT IN ΔL ꞜE EVⱭNIИ PѦPⱭZ. IҒ ꞜIS ҒѦⱭLZ, Î ƸΛL HΛV ꞋEKΔS TU ÛꞜⱭ MΣŦⱭDZ.”
“WꙘT WIL YU SѦ?”
“GIV ME Ɑ PΣNSⱭL ΛND ꞜΛT SLIP ꙘV PѦPⱭ. NΩ, ꞜΣN: ‘ҒΩND ΛT ꞜⱭ KΔNⱭꞋ ꙘV GUϿ SԎꞋET, Ɑ GUS ΛND Ɑ BLΛK ҒΛLT HΛT. MISTⱭ HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭ KΛN HΛV ꞜⱭ SѦM BÎ ⱭPLÎIИ ΛT 6:30 ꞜIS EVNIИ ΛT 211B, BѦKⱭ SԎꞋET.’ ꞜΛT IZ KLEⱭꞋ ΛND KⱭNSÎS.”
“VΣꞋE. BÛT WIL HE SE IT?”
“WΛL, HE IZ ƸΔ TU KEP ΛN Î ꙘN ꞜⱭ PѦPⱭZ, SINS TU Ɑ PΔ MΛN, ꞜⱭ LꙘS WꙘZ Ɑ HΣVE WÛN. HE WꙘZ KLEⱭLE SO SKΣⱭD BÎ HIZ MISԎANS IN BꞋѦKIИ ꞜⱭ WINDO ΛND BÎ ꞜE ⱭPꞋOԎ ꙘV PETⱭSⱭN ꞜΛT HE ŦΔT ꙘV NÛŦIИ BÛT ҒLÎT, BÛT SINS ꞜΣN HE MÛST HΛV BITⱭLE ꞋⱭGꞋΣTⱭD ꞜE IMPÛLS WIԎ KΔZD HIM TU ϿꞋꙘP HIZ BŮD. ꞜΣN, ⱭGΣN, ꞜE INԎꞋⱭDÛKƸⱭN ꙘV HIZ NѦM WIL KΔZ HIM TU SE IT, ҒΔꞋ ΣVꞋEWÛN HU NOZ HIM WIL DⱭꞋΣKT HIZ ⱭTΣNƸⱭN TU IT. HEⱭ YU A, PETⱭSⱭN, ꞋÛN DΩN TU ꞜE ΛDVⱭTÎZIИ ѦϿⱭNSE ΛND HΛV ꞜIS PÜT IN ꞜE EVNIИ PѦPⱭZ.”
“IN WIԎ, SŮ?”
“O, IN ꞜⱭ GLOB, STA, PΛL MΛL, ST. ϿѦMZⱭZ, EVNIИ NYUZ, STΛNDⱭD, ΣKO, ΛND ΣNE ÛꞜⱭZ ꞜΛT ⱭKŮ TU YU.”
“VΣꞋE WΛL, SŮ. ΛN ꞜIS STON?”
“A, YΣS, Î ƸΛL KEP ꞜⱭ STON. ŦΛИK YU. ΛND, Î SѦ, PETⱭSⱭN, ϿÛST BÎ Ɑ GUS ꙘN YΔ WѦ BΛK ΛND LEV IT HEⱭ WIꞜ ME, ҒΔ WE MÛST HΛV WÛN TU GIV ꞜIS ϿΣNTⱭLMⱭN IN PLѦS ꙘV ꞜⱭ WÛN WIԎ YΔ ҒΛMLE IZ NΩ DⱭVΩꞋIИ.”
WΣN ꞜⱭ KⱭMIƸⱭNΣⱭ HΛD GꙘN, HOMZ TÜK ÛP ꞜⱭ STON ΛND HΛLD IT ⱭGΣNST ꞜⱭ LÎT. “ITS Ɑ BꙘNE ŦIИ,” SΣD HE. “ϿÛST SE HΩ IT GLINTS ΛND SPAKⱭLZ. ꙘV KΔS IT IZ Ɑ NYUKLEⱭS ΛND ҒOKⱭS ꙘV KꞋÎM. ΣVꞋE GÜD STON IZ. ꞜѦ A ꞜⱭ DΣVⱭLZ PΣT BѦTS. IN ꞜⱭ LAϿⱭ ΛND ꝌLDⱭ ϿɄLZ ΣVꞋE ҒΛSΣT MѦ STΛND ҒΔꞋ Ɑ BLÜDE DED. ꞜIS STON IZ NꙘT YΣT TWΣNTE YEⱭZ ꝌLD. IT WꙘZ ҒΩND IN ꞜⱭ BΛИKS ꙘV ꞜE ΛMϴ ꞋIVⱭ IN SÛꞜⱭN ԎÎNⱭ ΛND IZ ꞋⱭMAKⱭBⱭL IN HΛVIИ ΣVꞋE KΛꞋⱭKTⱭꞋISTIK ꙘV ꞜⱭ KABÛИKⱭL, SѦV ꞜΛT IT IZ BLU IN ƸѦD INSTΣD ꙘV ꞋUBE ꞋΣD. IN SPÎT ꙘV ITS YUŦ, IT HΛZ ΔLꞋΣDE Ɑ SINⱭSTⱭ HISԎꞋE. ꞜΣⱭ HΛV BEN 2 MŮDⱭZ, Ɑ VIԎꞋEⱭL (ΛSID) ŦꞋOIИ, Ɑ SUⱭSÎD, ΛND ϿΣNꞋⱭL ꞋꙘBⱭEZ BꞋΔT ⱭBΩT ҒΔ ꞜⱭ SѦK ꙘV ꞜIS 40 GꞋѦN WѦT ꙘV KꞋISTⱭLÎZD ԎAKꝌL. HU WÜD ŦIИK ꞜΛT SO PꞋITE Ɑ Tϴ WÜD BE Ɑ PŮVѦⱭ TU ꞜⱭ GΛLOZ ΛND ꞜⱭ PꞋIZⱭN? ÎⱭL LꙘK IT ÛP IN MÎ SԎꞋꙘИ BꙘKS NΩ ΛND ϿꞋꙘP Ɑ LÎN TU ꞜⱭ KΩNTΣS TU SѦ WE HΛV IT.”
“DU YU ŦIИK ꞜIS MΛN HΔNⱭ IZ INⱭSⱭNT?”
“Î KΛNꙘT TΛL.”
“WΛL, ꞜΣN, DU YU IMΛϿⱭN ꞜΛT ꞜIS ÛꞜⱭ WÛN, HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭ, HΛD ΣNEŦIИ TU DU WIꞜ ꞜⱭ MΛTⱭ?”
“IT IZ, Î TIИK, MÛԎ MΔ LÎKLE ꞜΛT HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭ IZ ΛN ΛBSⱭLUTLE INⱭSⱭNT MΛN, HU HΛD NO ÎDEⱭ ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ BŮD WIԎ HE WꙘZ KΛꞋEIИ WꙘZ ꙘV KⱭNSIDⱭꞋⱭBLE MΔ VΛLYU ꞜΛN IҒ IT WŮ MѦD ꙘV SꙘLID GꝌLD. ꞜΛT, HΩΣVⱭ, Î ƸΛL DⱭTŮMⱭN BÎ Ɑ SIMPⱭL TΣST IҒ WE HΛV ΛN ANSⱭ TU ΩꞋ ⱭDVŮTⱭSMⱭNT.”
“ΛND YU KΛN DU NÛŦIИ ⱭNTIL ꞜΣN?”
“NÛŦIИ.”
“IN ꞜΛT KѦS Î ƸΛL KⱭNTINYU MÎ PꞋⱭҒΣƸⱭNⱭL ꞋΩND. BÛT Î ƸΛL KÛM BΛK IN ꞜE EVⱭNIИ ΛT ꞜE Ω YU HΛV MΣNƸⱭND, ҒΔꞋ Î ƸÜD LÎK TU SE ꞜⱭ SⱭLUƸⱭN ꙘV SO TΛИGⱭLD Ɑ BIZNⱭS.”
“VΣꞋE GLΛD TU SE YU. Î DÎN ΛT 7. ꞜΣⱭꞋ IZ Ɑ WÜDKꙘK, Î BⱭLEV. BÎ ꞜⱭ WѦ, IN VYU ꙘV ꞋESⱭNT ⱭKŮꞋⱭNSⱭZ, PⱭHΛPS Î ΔT TU ASK MISⱭZ HÛDSⱭN TU IKZΛMⱭN ITS KꞋꙘP.”
Î HΛD BEN DⱭLѦD ΛT Ɑ KѦS, ΛND IT WꙘZ Ɑ LITⱭL AҒTⱭ HAҒ PAST 6 WΣN Î ҒΩND MÎSΛLҒ IN BѦKⱭ SԎꞋET WÛNS MΔ. ΛZ Î ⱭPꞋOԎT ꞜⱭ HΩS Î SΔ Ɑ TΔL MΛN IN Ɑ SKꙘԎ BꙘNⱭT WIꞜ Ɑ KOT WIԎ WꙘZ BÛTⱭND ÛP TO HIZ ԎIN WѦTIИ ΩTSÎD IN ꞜⱭ BꞋÎT SΣME SŮKⱭL WIԎ WꙘZ ŦꞋON ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ ҒΛNLÎT. ϿÛST ΛZ Î ⱭꞋÎVD ꞜⱭ DΔ WꙘZ OPⱭND, ΛND WE WŮ ƸON ÛP TⱭGΣꞜⱭ TU HOMZⱭZ ꞋUM.
“MISTⱭ HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭ, Î BⱭLEV,” SΣD HE, ꞋÎZIИ ҒꞋꙘM HIZ AMԎΣⱭꞋ ΛND GꞋETIИ HIZ VIZⱭTⱭ WIꞜ ꞜE EZE ΣⱭꞋ ꙘV ϿENEΛLⱭTE WIԎ HE KÜD SO ꞋΣDⱭLE ⱭSYUM. “PꞋѦ, TѦK ꞜIS ԎΣⱭ BÎ ꞜⱭ ҒÎⱭ, MISTⱭ BѦKⱭ. IT IZ Ɑ KꝌLD NÎT, ΛND Î ⱭBZŮV ꞜΛT YΔ SŮKYULѦƸⱭN IZ MΔ ⱭDΛPTⱭD ҒΔ SÛMⱭ ꞜΛN ҒΔ WINTⱭ. A, WꙘTSⱭN, YU HΛV ϿÛST KÛM ΛT ꞜⱭ ꞋÎT TÎM. IZ ꞜΛT YΛ HΛT MISTⱭ BѦKⱭ?”
“YΣS SŮ, ꞜΛT IZ SŮTⱭNLE MÎ HΛT.”
HE WꙘZ Ɑ LAϿ MΛN WIꞜ ꞋΩNDⱭD ƸꝌLDⱭZ, Ɑ MΛSIV HΣD, ΛND Ɑ BꞋΔD, INTΣLⱭϿⱭNT ҒѦS, SLOPIИ DΩN TU Ɑ PϴNTⱭD BΣⱭD ꙘV GꞋIZⱭLD BꞋΩN. Ɑ TÛԎ ꙘV ꞋΣD IN HIZ NOZ ΛND ԎEKS, WIꞜ Ɑ SLÎT ԎꞋΣMⱭ ꙘV HIZ IKSTΣNDⱭD HΛND, ꞋⱭKΔLD HOMZⱭZ SŮMÎZ ΛZ TU HIZ HΛBITS. HIZ ꞋÛSTE BLΛK ҒꞋꙘK KOT WꙘZ BÛTⱭND ꞋÎT ÛP ҒꞋÛNT, WIꞜ HIZ KꙘLⱭ TŮND ÛP, ΛND HIZ LΛИK ꞋISTS PꞋⱭԎꞋUDⱭD ҒꞋꙘM HIZ SLEVZ WIꞜΩT Ɑ SÎN ꙘV KÛҒ Δ ƸŮT. HE SPOK IN Ɑ SLO STⱭKATO ҒΛƸⱭN, ԎUZIИ HIZ WŮDZ WIꞜ KΣⱭ, ΛND GΛV ꞜE IMPꞋΣƸⱭN ϿΣNꞋⱭLE ꙘV Ɑ MΛN ꙘV LŮNIИ ΛND LΣTⱭZ HU HⱭD HΛD IL YUSⱭϿ ΛT ꞜⱭ HΛNDZ ꙘV ҒΔԎUN.
“WE HΛV ꞋⱭTѦND ꞜEZ ŦIИZ ҒΔ SÛM DѦZ,” SΣD HOMZ, “BⱭKꙘZ WE IKSPΣKTⱭD TU SE ΛN ⱭDVŮTⱭSMⱭNT ҒꞋꙘM YU GIVIИ YΔꞋ ⱭϿꞋΣS. Î ΛM ΛT Ɑ LꙘS TU NO NΩ WÎ YU DID NꙘT ΛDVⱭTÎZ.”
Ω VIZⱭTⱭ GΛV Ɑ ꞋAꞜⱭ ƸѦMҒѦST LAҒ. “ƸILIИZ HΛV NꙘT BEN SO PLΣNTⱭҒÜL WIꞜ ME ΛZ ꞜѦ WÛNS WŮ,” HE ꞋⱭMAKT. “Î HΛD NO DΩT ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ GΛИ ꙘV ꞋÛҒS HU ⱭSÛLTⱭD ME HΛD KΛꞋED ꙘҒ WIꞜ BOŦ MÎ HΛT ΛND ꞜⱭ BŮD. Î DID NꙘT KΣⱭ TU SPΣND MΔ MÛNE IN Ɑ HOPLⱭS ⱭTΣMPT ΛT ꞋⱭKÛVⱭIИ ꞜΣM.”
“VΣꞋE NΛԎꞋⱭLE. BÎ ꞜⱭ WѦ, ⱭBΩT ꞜⱭ BŮD, WE WŮ KⱭMPΛLD TU ET IT.”
“TU ET IT!” Ω VIZⱭTⱭ HAҒ ꞋOZ ҒꞋꙘM HIZ ԎΣⱭꞋ IN HIZ IKSÎTMⱭNT.
“YΣS, IT WÜD HΛV BEN ꙘV NO YUS TU ΣNEWÛN HΛD WE NꙘT DÛN SO. BÛT Î PꞋⱭδYUM ꞜΛT ꞜIS ÛꞜⱭ GUS ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ SÎDBΔD, WIԎ IZ ⱭBΩT ꞜⱭ SѦM WѦT ΛND PŮҒⱭKTLE ҒꞋΣƸ, WIL ANSⱭ YΔ PŮPⱭS EKWⱭLE WΛL?”
“O, SŮTⱭNLE, SŮTⱭNLE,” ANSⱭD MISTⱭ BѦKⱭ WIꞜ Ɑ SÎ ꙘV ꞋⱭLEҒ.
“ꙘV KΔS, WE STIL HΛV ꞜⱭ ҒΣꞜⱭZ, LΣGZ, KꞋꙘP, ΛND SO ꙘN ꙘV YΔꞋ ON BŮD, SO IҒ YU WIƸ ––“
ꞜⱭ MΛN BŮST INTU Ɑ HATE LAҒ. “ꞜѦ MÎT BE YUSҒÜL TU ME ΛZ ꞋΣLIKS ꙘV MÎ ⱭDVΣNԎⱭ,” SΣD HE, “BÛT BⱭYꙘND ꞜΛT Î KΛN HADLE SE WꙘT YUS ꞜⱭ DISϿΣKTⱭ MΣMBꞋⱭ (LΛTIN) ꙘV MÎ LѦT ⱭKWѦNTⱭNS A GOIИ TU BE TU ME. NO, SŮꞋ, Î ŦIИK ꞜΛT, WIꞜ YΔ PⱭMIƸⱭN, Î WIL KⱭNҒÎN MÎ ⱭTΣNƸⱭN TU ꞜE ΣKSⱭLⱭNT BŮD WIԎ Î PⱭSEV ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ SÎDBΔD.”
ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ GLANST ƸAPLE ⱭKꞋꙘS ΛT ME WIꞜ Ɑ SLÎT ƸꞋÛG ꙘV HIZ ƸꝌLDⱭZ.
“ꞜΣⱭꞋ IZ YΔ HΛT, ꞜΣN, ΛND ꞜΣⱭꞋ IZ YΔ BŮD,” SΣD HE. “BÎ ꞜⱭ WѦ, WÜD IT BΔ YU TU TΣL ME WΣⱭ YU GꙘT ꞜE ÛꞜⱭ WÛN ҒꞋꙘM? Î ΛM SÛMWꙘT ꙘV Ɑ ҒΩⱭL ҒΛNSEⱭ, ΛND Î HΛV SΛLDⱭM SEN Ɑ BΣTⱭ GꞋON GUS.”
“SŮTⱭNLE, SŮ,” SΣD BѦKⱭ, HU HΛD ꞋIZⱭN ΛND TÛKT HIZ NYULE GѦND PꞋꙘPⱭTE ÛNDⱭ HIZ AM. “ꞜΣⱭꞋ AꞋ Ɑ ҒYU ꙘV ÛS HU ҒꞋEKWⱭNT ꞜE ΛLҒⱭ IN, NEⱭ ꞜⱭ MYUZΣM – WE A TU BE ҒΩND IN ꞜⱭ MYUZΣM ITSΛLҒ ϿŮꞋIИ ꞜⱭ DѦ, YU ÛNDⱭSTΛND. ꞜIS YEⱭꞋ Ω GÜD HOST, WINDⱭGѦT BÎ NѦM, INSTⱭԎUTⱭD Ɑ GUS KLÛB, BÎ WIԎ, ꙘN KⱭNSIDⱭꞋѦƸⱭN ꙘV SÛM ҒYU PΣNS Ɑ WEK, WE WŮ EԎ TU ꞋⱭSEV Ɑ BŮD ΛT KꞋISMⱭS. MÎ PΣNS WŮ ϿULE PѦD, ΛND ꞜⱭ ꞋΣST IZ ҒⱭMILYⱭ TU YU. Î ΛM MÛԎ INDΣTⱭD TU YU, SŮ, ҒΔꞋ Ɑ SKꙘԎ BꙘNⱭT IZ ҒITⱭD NEꞜⱭ TU MÎ YEⱭZ NΔ MÎ GꞋΛVⱭTE.”
WIꞜ Ɑ KꙘMIKⱭL PꙘMPꙘSⱭTE ꙘV MΛNⱭ HE BΩD SꙘLⱭMLE TU BOŦ ꙘV ÛS ΛND SԎꞋOD ꙘҒ ⱭPꙘN HIZ WѦ.
“SO MÛԎ ҒΔ MISTⱭ HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭ,” SΣD HOMZ WΣN HE HΛD KLOZD ꞜⱭ DΔ BⱭHÎND HIM. “IT IZ KWÎT SŮTⱭN ꞜΛT HE NOZ NÛŦIИ WꙘT SO ΣVⱭꞋ ⱭBΩT ꞜⱭ MΛTⱭ. A YU HÛИGꞋE, WꙘTSⱭN?”
“NꙘT PⱭTIKYULⱭLE.”
“ꞜΣN Î SⱭϿΣST ꞜΛT WE TŮN Ω DINⱭ INTU Ɑ SÛPⱭ ΛND ҒꙘLO ÛP ꞜIS KLU WÎⱭL ITS STIL HꙘT.”
“BÎ ΔL MENZ.”
IT WꙘZ Ɑ BITⱭ NÎT, SO WE ϿꞋU ꙘN ΩꞋ ÛLSTⱭZ ΛND ꞋΛPT KꞋⱭVΛTS ⱭBΩT Ω ŦꞋOTS. ΩTSÎD, ꞜⱭ STAZ WŮ ƸÎNIИ KꝌLDLE IN Ɑ KLΩDLⱭS SKÎ, ΛND ꞜⱭ BꞋΣŦ ꙘV ꞜⱭ PASⱭZBÎ BLU ΩT INTU SMOK LÎK SO MΣNE PISTⱭL ƸꙘTS. Ω ҒÜTҒΔLZ ꞋΛИ ΩT KꞋISPLE ΛND LΩDLE ΛZ WE SWÛИ ŦꞋU ꞜⱭ DꙘKTⱭZ KΔTⱭ, WIMPꝌL SԎꞋET, HALE SԎꞋET, ΛND SO ŦꞋU WIGMΔ SԎꞋET INTU ꙘKSҒⱭD SԎꞋET. IN Ɑ KΔTⱭꞋ ꙘV ΛN ΩⱭ WE WŮ IN BLUMZBꞋE ΛT ꞜE ΛLҒⱭ IN, WIԎ IZ Ɑ SMΔL PÛBLIK HΩS ΛT ꞜⱭ KΔNⱭ ꙘV WÛN ꙘV ꞜⱭ SԎꞋETS WIԎ ꞋÛNZ DΩN INTU HꝌLBΔN. HOMZ PÛƸT OPⱭN ꞜⱭ DΔꞋ ꙘV ꞜⱭ PꞋÎVⱭT BA ΛND ΔDⱭD 2 GLASⱭZ ꙘV BEⱭ ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ ꞋÛDE ҒѦST, WÎT ѦPꞋⱭND LΛNDLΔD.
“YΔ BEⱭ ƸÜD BE ΣKSⱭLⱭNT IҒ IT IZ ΛZ GÜD ΛZ YΔ GES” SΣD HE.
“MÎ GES!” ꞜⱭ MΛN SEMD SⱭPꞋÎZD.
“YΣS. Î WꙘZ SPEKIИ ONLE HAҒ ΛN ΩⱭꞋ ⱭGO TU MISTⱭ HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭ, HU WꙘZ Ɑ MΣMBⱭꞋ ꙘV YΔ GUS KLÛB.”
“A! YΣS, Î SE. BÛꓶ YU SE, SŮ, ꞜΣMZ NꙘꓶ Ω GES.”
“INDED! HUZ, ꞜΣN?”
“WΛL, Î GꙘꓶ ꞜⱭ 2 DÛZⱭN ҒꞋꙘM Ɑ SѦⱭLZMⱭN IN KÛVⱭNT GADⱭN.”
“INDED? Î NO SÛM ꙘV ꞜΣM. WIԎ WꙘZ IT?”
“BꞋΣKⱭNꞋIϿ IZ IZ NѦM.”
“A! Î DONT NO HIM. WΛL, HEⱭZ TU YΔ GÜD HΛLŦ LΛNDLΔD, ΛND PꞋꙘSPΣⱭꞋⱭTE TU YΔ HΩS. GÜD NÎT.”
“NΩ ҒΔ MISTⱭ BꞋΣKⱭNꞋIϿ,” HE KⱭNTINYUD, BÛTⱭNIИ ÛP HIZ KOT ΛZ WE KѦM ΩT INTU ꞜⱭ ҒꞋꙘSTE ΣⱭ. “ꞋⱭMΣMBⱭ, WꙘTSⱭN ꞜΛT ꞜO WE HΛV SO HOMLE Ɑ ŦIИ ΛZ Ɑ GUS ΛT 1 ΣND ꙘV ꞜIS ԎѦN, WE HΛV ΛT ꞜE ÛꞜⱭꞋ Ɑ MΛN HU WIL SŮTⱭNLE GΣT 7 YEⱭZ PENⱭL SŮVⱭԎUD ⱭNLΣS WE KΛN ⱭSTΛBLIƸ HIZ INⱭSⱭNS. IT IZ PꙘSⱭBⱭL ꞜΛT ΩꞋ INKWÎⱭꞋE MѦ BÛT KⱭNҒŮM HIZ GILT; BÛT, IN ΣNE KѦS, WE HΛV Ɑ LÎN ꙘV INVΣSTⱭGѦƸⱭN WIԎ HΛZ BEN MIST BÎ ꞜⱭ PⱭLIS, ΛND WIԎ Ɑ SIИGYULⱭ ԎANS HΛZ PLѦST IN Ω HΛNDZ. LΣT ÛS ҒꙘLO IT ΩT TU ꞜⱭ BITⱭꞋ ΣND. ҒѦSⱭZ TU ꞜⱭ SΩŦ, ꞜΣN, ΛND KWIK MAԎ!”
WE PAST ⱭKꞋꙘS HꝌLBΔN, DΩN ΣNDⱭL SԎꞋET, ΛND SO ŦꞋU Ɑ ZIGZΛG ꙘV SLÛMZ TU KÛVⱭNT GADⱭN MAKⱭT. WÛNꙘV ꞜⱭ LAϿⱭ STΔLZ BΔ ꞜⱭ NѦM ꙘV BꞋΣKⱭNꞋIϿ ⱭPꙘN IT, ΛND ꞜⱭ PꞋⱭPꞋÎⱭTⱭ, Ɑ HΔSE LÜKIИ MΛN, WIꞜ Ɑ ƸAP ҒѦS ΛND TꞋIM SÎD WISKⱭZ, WꙘZ HΛLPIИ Ɑ Bϴ TU PÜT ÛP ꞜⱭ ƸÛTⱭZ.
“GÜD EVNIИ. ITS Ɑ KꝌLD NÎT,” SΣD HOMZ.
ꞜⱭ SѦⱭLZMⱭN NꙘDⱭD ΛND ƸꙘT Ɑ KWΣSԎⱭNIИ GLANS ΛT MÎ KⱭMPΛNYⱭN.
“SꝌLD ΩT ꙘV GES, Î SE,” KⱭNTINYUD HOMZ, PϴNTIИ ΛT ꞜⱭ BΣⱭ SLΛBZ ꙘV MABⱭL.
“LΣꓶ YU ΛV 500 TⱭMꙘꞋⱭ MΔNIN.”
“ꞜΛTS NO GÜD.”
“WΛL, ꞜΣⱭꞋ A SÛM ꙘN ꞜⱭ STΔL WIV ꞜⱭ GΛS ҒLΣⱭ.”
“A, BÛT Î WꙘZ ꞋΣKⱭMΣNDⱭD TU YU.”
“HU BÎ?”
“ꞜⱭ LΛNDLΔD ꙘV ꞜE ΛLҒⱭ.”
“O, YΣS; Î SΣNꓶ IM Ɑ KÛPⱭL ꙘV DÛZⱭN.”
“ҒÎN BŮDZ ꞜѦ WŮ TU. NΩ WΣⱭ DID YU GΣT ꞜΣM ҒꞋꙘM?”
TU MÎ SⱭPꞋÎZ, ꞜⱭ KWΣSԎⱭN PꞋⱭVOKT Ɑ BŮST ꙘV ΛИGⱭ ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ SѦⱭLZMⱭN.
“NΩ, ꞜΣN, MISTⱭ,” SΣD HE, WIꞜ HIZ HΣD KꙘKT ΛND HIZ AMZ ⱭKIMBO, “WꙘꓶ A YU ϿꞋÎVIN Λꓶ? LΣTS ΛV Iꓶ SԎꞋѦꓶ, NΩ.”
“ITS SԎꞋѦT ⱭNÛҒ. Î ƸÜD LÎK TU NO HU SꝌLD YU ꞜⱭ GES WIԎ YU SⱭPLÎD TU ꞜE ΛLҒⱭ.”
“WΛL ꞜΣN, Î ƸANꓶ TΛL YⱭ. SO NΩ!”
“O, IT IZ Ɑ MΛTⱭꞋ ꙘV NO IMPΔTⱭNS; BÛT Î DON’T KNOW WÎ YU ƸÜD BE SO WΔM OVⱭ SÛԎ Ɑ ԎꞋÎҒⱭL.”
“WΔM! YUⱭD BE ΛZ WΔM, MѦBE, IҒ YU WŮꞋ ΛZ PΣSTⱭD ΛZ Î ΛM. WΣN Î PѦ GÜD MÛNE ҒΔꞋ Ɑ GÜD AꓶⱭKⱭL ꞜΣⱭ ƸÜD BE ΛN ΣND ΛV ꞜⱭ BIZNⱭS; BÛꓶ IꓶS ‘WΣⱭꞋ A ꞜEZ GES?’ ΛND ‘HU DID YU SΣL ꞜⱭ GES TU?’ ΛND ‘WꙘꓶ WIL YU TѦK ҒΔ ꞜⱭ GES?’ WÛN WÜD ҒIИK ꞜѦ WŮ ꞜE ONLE GES IN ꞜⱭ WŮLD, TU HEⱭ ꞜⱭ ҒÛS ꞜΛT IZ MѦD OVⱭ ꞜΣM.”
“WΛL, Î HΛV NO KⱭNΣKƸⱭN WIꞜ ΣNE ÛꞜⱭ PEPⱭL HU HΛV BEN MѦKIИ INKWÎⱭEZ,” SΣD HOMZ KΣⱭLⱭSLE. “IҒ YU WONT TΛL ÛS ꞜⱭ BΣT IZ ꙘҒ, ꞜΛT IZ ΔL. BÛT ÎM ΔLWѦZ ꞋΣDE TU BΛK MÎ ⱭPINYⱭN ꙘN Ɑ MΛTⱭꞋ ꙘV ҒΩLZ, ΛND Î HΛV Ɑ FÎVⱭ ꙘN IT ꞜΛT ꞜⱭ BŮD Î ѦT IZ KÛNԎꞋE BꞋΣD.”
“WΛL, ꞜΣN, YUⱭV LꙘST YΔ FÎVⱭ, ҒΔꞋ ITS TΩN BꞋΣD,” SNΛPT ꞜⱭ SѦⱭLZMⱭN.
“ITS NÛŦIИ ꙘV ꞜⱭ KÎND.”
“Î SѦ Iꓶ IZ.”
“Î DONT BⱭLEV IT.”
“DⱭYU ҒIИK YU NO MΔꞋ ⱭBΩꓶ ҒΩLZ ꞜΛN Î, HU HΛV HΛNDⱭLD ꞜΣM ΣVⱭ SINS Î WꙘZ Ɑ NIPⱭ? Î TΛL YU, ΔL ꞜOZ BŮDZ ꞜΛꓶ WΣNꓶ TU ꞜE ΛLҒⱭ WŮ TΩN BꞋΣD.”
“YUⱭL NΣVⱭ PⱭSWѦD ME TU BⱭLEV ꞜΛT.”
“WIL YU BΣꓶ, ꞜΣN?”
“ITS MEⱭLE TѦKIИ YΔ MÛNE, ҒΔꞋ Î NO ꞜΛT Î ΛM ꞋÎT. BÛT ÎⱭL HΛV Ɑ SꙘVꞋⱭN ꙘN WIꞜ YU, ϿÛST TU TEԎ YU NꙘT TU BE ꙘBSINⱭT.”
ꞜⱭ SѦⱭLZMⱭN ԎÛKⱭLD GꞋIMLE. “BꞋIИ ME ꞜⱭ BÜKS, BIL,” SΣD HE.
ꞜⱭ SMΔL Bϴ BꞋΔT ꞋΩND Ɑ SMΔL ŦIN VꙘLYUM ΛND Ɑ GꞋѦT GꞋEZE BΛKT WÛN, LѦIИ ꞜΣM ΩT TⱭGΣꞜⱭ BⱭNEŦ ꞜⱭ HΛИIИ LΛMP.
“NΩ ꞜΣN, MISTⱭ KꙘKƸΔ,” SΣD ꞜⱭ SѦⱭLZMⱭN, “Î ŦΔꓶ ꞜΛꓶ Î WꙘZ Ωꓶ ꙘV GES, BÛꓶ BⱭҒΔꞋ Î ҒINⱭƸ YUⱭL ҒÎND ꞜΛꓶ ꞜΣⱭꞋ IZ STIL WÛN LΣҒT IN MÎ ƸꙘP. YU SE ꞜIS LIꓶⱭL BÜK?”
“WΛL?”
“ꞜΛꓶS ꞜⱭ LIST ꙘV ꞜⱭ ҒOK ҒꞋꙘM HUM Î BÎ. DU YU SE? WΛL, ꞜΣN, HEⱭꞋ ꙘN ꞜIS PѦϿ A ꞜⱭ KÛNԎꞋE ҒOK, ΛND ꞜⱭ NÛMBⱭZ AҒTⱭ ꞜΣⱭ NѦMZ A WΣⱭ ꞜΣⱭꞋ ⱭKΩNꓶS AꞋ IN ꞜⱭ BIG LΣϿⱭ. NΩ, ꞜΣN! YU SE ꞜIS ÛVⱭ PѦϿ IN ꞋΣD IИK? WΛL, ꞜΛꓶ IZ Ɑ LIST ꙘV MÎ TΩN SⱭPLÎⱭZ. NΩ, LÜK Λꓶ ꞜΛꓶ ŦŮD NѦM. ϿÛSꓶ ꞋED Iꓶ Ωꓶ TU ME.”
“MISⱭZ. OKƸꙘT, 117, BꞋIKSTⱭN ꞋOD – 249,” ꞋΣD HOMZ.
“KWÎꓶ SO. NΩ TŮN ÛP ꞜΛꓶ LΣϿⱭ.”
HOMZ TŮND TU ꞜⱭ PѦϿ INDⱭKѦTⱭD. “HEⱭ YU A, ‘MISⱭZ. OKƸꙘT, 117, BꞋIKSTⱭN ꞋOD, ΣG ΛND PꙘLԎꞋE SⱭPLÎⱭ.”
“NΩ, ꞜΣN, WꙘꓶS ꞜⱭ LASꓶ ΣNԎꞋE?”
“DⱭSΣMBⱭ 22ND. 24 GES ΛT 7S. 6D.”
“KWÎꓶ SO. ꞜΣⱭ YU A. ΛN ÛNDⱭNEҒ?”
“ ’SꝌLD TU MISTⱭ WINDⱭGѦT ꙘV ꞜE ΛLҒⱭ, ΛT 12S’ “
“WꙘꓶ HΛV YU TU SѦ NΩ?”
ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ LÜKT DEPLE ƸⱭGꞋIND. HE ϿꞋU Ɑ ҒYU SꙘVꞋⱭNZ ҒꞋꙘM HIZ PꙘKⱭT ΛND ŦꞋU ꞜΣM DΩN ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ SLΛB, TŮNIИ ⱭWѦ WIꞜ ꞜE ΣⱭꞋ ꙘV Ɑ MΛN HUZ DⱭSGÛST IZ TU DEP ҒΔ WŮDZ. Ɑ ҒYU YADZ ꙘҒ HE STꙘPT ÛNDⱭꞋ Ɑ LΛMP POST ΛND LAҒT IN ꞜⱭ HATE, NϴZLⱭS ҒΛƸⱭN WIԎ WꙘZ PⱭKYULEⱭ TU HIM.
“WΣN YU SE Ɑ MΛN WIꞜ WISKⱭZ ꙘV ꞜΛT KÛT ΛND ꞜⱭ ‘PIИK ⱭN’ PꞋⱭԎꞋUDIИ ΩT ꙘV HIZ PꙘKⱭT, YU KΛN ΔLWѦZ ϿꞋΔ HIM BÎ Ɑ BΣT,” SΣD HE. “Î DΣⱭ SѦ ꞜΛT IҒ Î HΛD PÜT £100 DΩN IN ҒꞋÛNT ꙘV HIM, ꞜΛT MΛN WÜD NꙘT HΛV GIVⱭN ME SÛԎ KⱭMPLET INҒⱭMѦƸⱭN ΛZ WꙘZ ϿꞋΔN ҒꞋꙘM HIM BÎ ꞜE ÎDEⱭ ꞜΛT HE WꙘZ DUIИ ME ꙘN Ɑ WѦϿⱭ. WΛL, WꙘTSⱭN, WE AꞋ, Î ҒΛNSE, NEⱭꞋIИ ꞜE ΣND ꙘV Ω KWΣST, ΛND ꞜE ONLE PϴNT WIԎ ꞋⱭMѦNZ TU BE DⱭTŮMⱭND IZ WΣꞜⱭ WE ƸÜD GO ꙘN TU ꞜIS MISⱭZ OKƸꙘT TⱭNÎT, Δ WΣꞜⱭ WE ƸÜD ꞋⱭZŮV IT ҒΔ TⱭMꙘꞋO. IT IZ KLEⱭ ҒꞋꙘM WꙘT ꞜΛT SŮLE ҒΛLO SΣD ꞜΛT ꞜΣⱭꞋ A ÛꞜⱭZ BⱭSÎDZ ΩSΛLVZ HU AꞋ ΛИƸⱭS ⱭBΩT ꞜⱭ MΛTⱭꞋ, ΛND Î ƸÜD –”
HIZ ꞋⱭMAKS WŮ SÛDⱭNLE KÛT ƸΔT BÎ Ɑ LΩD HÛBÛB WIԎ BꞋOK ΩT ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ STΔL WIԎ WE HΛD ϿÛST LΣҒT. TŮNIИ ꞋΩND WE SΔ Ɑ LITⱭL ꞋΛT ҒѦST ҒΛLO STΛNDIИ IN ꞜⱭ SΣNTⱭꞋ ꙘV ꞜⱭ SŮKⱭL ꙘV YΣLO LÎT WIԎ WꙘZ ŦꞋON BÎ ꞜⱭ SWIИIИ LΛMP, WÎⱭL BꞋΣKⱭNꞋIϿ, ꞜⱭ SѦⱭLZMⱭN, ҒꞋѦMD IN ꞜⱭ DΔꞋ ꙘV HIZ STΔL, WꙘZ ƸѦKIИ HIZ ҒISTS ҒEⱭSLE ΛT ꞜⱭ KꞋINϿIИ ҒIGⱭ.
“ÎV HΛD ⱭNÛҒ ꙘV YU ΛN YΔ GES,” HE ƸΩTⱭD. “Î WIƸ YU WŮꞋ ΔL ꞜⱭ DΣVⱭL TⱭGΣVⱭ. IҒ YU KÛM PΣSTⱭꞋIN ME ΣNE MΔ WIV YΔ SILE TΔK ÎⱭL SΣꓶ ꞜⱭ DꙘG Λꓶ YU. YU BꞋIИ MISⱭZ OKƸꙘT EⱭꞋ ΛND ÎⱭL ANSⱭ HŮ, BÛꓶ WꙘꓶ ΛV YU TU DU WIV Iꓶ? DID Î BÎ ꞜⱭ GES ꙘҒ YU?”
“NO; BÛT 1 ꙘV ꞜΣM WꙘZ MÎN ΔL ꞜⱭ SѦM,” WÎND ꞜⱭ LITⱭL MΛN.
“WΛL, ꞜΣN, ASK MISⱭZ OKƸꙘT ҒΔꞋ Iꓶ”
“ƸE TꝌLD ME TU ASK YU.”
“WΛL, YU KΛN ASK ꞜⱭ KIИ ꙘV PꞋÛƸⱭ, ҒΔꞋ ΔL Î KΣⱭ. ÎV ΛD ⱭNÛҒ ꙘV Iꓶ. GΣꓶ Ωꓶ ꙘV ꞜIS!” HE ꞋÛƸT ҒEⱭSLE ҒΔWⱭD, ΛND ꞜE INKWÎⱭꞋⱭ ҒLITⱭD ⱭWѦ INTU ꞜⱭ DAKNⱭS.
“HA! ꞜIS MѦ SѦV ÛS Ɑ VIZⱭT TU BꞋIKSTⱭN ꞋOD,” WISPⱭD HOMZ. “KÛM WIꞜ ME, ΛND WE WIL SE WꙘT IZ TU BE MѦD ꙘV ꞜIS ҒΛLO.” SԎꞋÎDIИ ŦꞋU ꞜⱭ SKΛTⱭD NꙘꓶS ꙘV PEPⱭL HU LΩNϿD ꞋΩND ꞜⱭ ҒLΣⱭꞋIИ STΔLZ, MÎ KⱭMPΛNYⱭN SPEDⱭLE OVⱭTÜK ꞜⱭ LITⱭL MΛN ΛND TÛԎT HIM ꙘN ꞜⱭ ƸꝌLDⱭ. HE SPꞋΛИ ꞋΩND, ΛND Î KÜD SE IN ꞜⱭ GΛS LÎT ꞜΛT ΣVꞋE VΣSTⱭϿ ꙘV KÛLⱭ HΛD BEN ϿꞋIVⱭN ҒꞋꙘM HIZ ҒѦS.
“HU A YU, ꞜΣN? WꙘT DU YU WꙘNT?” HE ASKT IN Ɑ KWѦVⱭꞋIИ VϴS.
“YU WIL IKSKYUZ ME,” SΣD HOMZ BLΛNDLE, “BÛT Î KÜD NꙘT HΛLP OVⱭHEⱭꞋIИ ꞜⱭ KWΣSԎⱭNZ WIԎ YU PÜT TU ꞜⱭ SѦⱭLZMⱭN ϿÛST NΩ. Î ŦIИK ꞜΛT Î KÜD BE ꙘV ⱭSISTⱭNS TU YU.”
“YU? HU A YU? HΩ KÜD YU NO ΣNEŦIИ ꙘV ꞜⱭ MΛTⱭ?”
“MÎ NѦM IZ ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ. IT IZ MÎ BIZNⱭS TU NO WꙘT ÛꞜⱭ PEPⱭL DONT NO.”
“BÛT YU KΛN NO NÛŦIИ ꙘV ꞜIS?”
“IKSYUZ ME, Î NO ΣVꞋEŦIИ ꙘV IT. YU AꞋ INDΣVⱭꞋIИ TU ԎꞋѦS SÛM GES WIԎ WŮ SꝌLD BÎ MISⱭZ OKƸꙘT, ꙘV BꞋIKSTⱭN ꞋOD, TU Ɑ SѦⱭLZMⱭN NѦMD BꞋΣKⱭNꞋIϿ, BÎ HIM IN TŮN TU MISTⱭ WINDⱭGѦT, ꙘV ꞜE ΛLҒⱭ, ΛND BÎ HIM TU HIZ KLÛB, ꙘV WIԎ HΣNꞋE BѦKⱭꞋ IS Ɑ MΣMBⱭ.”
“O, SŮ, YU A ꞜⱭ VΣꞋE MΛN HUM Î HΛV LꙘИD TU MET,” KꞋÎD ꞜⱭ LITⱭL ҒΛLO WIꞜ ΩꓶSԎꞋΣԎT HΛNDZ ΛND KWIVⱭꞋIИ ҒIИGⱭZ. “Î KΛN HADLE IKSPLѦN HΩ INԎꞋⱭSTⱭD Î ΛM IN ꞜIS MΛTⱭ.”
ƸŮLꙘK HOMZ HѦⱭLD Ɑ 4 WEⱭLⱭ WIԎ WꙘZ PASIИ. “IN ꞜΛT KѦS WE HΛD BΣTⱭ DⱭSKÛS IT IN Ɑ KOZE ꞋUM ꞋAꞜⱭ ꞜΛN IN ꞜIS WIND SWΣPT MAKⱭT PLѦS,” SΣD HE. “BÛT PꞋѦ TΛL ME, BⱭҒΔ WE GO ҒAꞜⱭ, HU IZ IT ꞜΛT Î HΛV ꞜⱭ PLΣδⱭꞋ ꙘV ⱭSISTIИ?”
ꞜⱭ MΛN HΣSⱭTѦTⱭD ҒΔꞋ ΛN INSTⱭNT. “MÎ NѦM IZ ϿꙘN ꞋꙘBⱭNSⱭN,” HE ANSⱭD WIꞜ Ɑ SÎDLꙘИ GLANS.
“NO, NO; ꞜⱭ ꞋEⱭL NѦM,” SΣD HOMZ SWETLE. “IT IZ ΔLWѦZ ΔKWⱭD DUIИ BIZNⱭS WIꞜ ΛN ѦLEⱭS.”
Ɑ ҒLÛƸ SPꞋΛИ TU ꞜⱭ WÎT ԎEKS ꙘV ꞜⱭ SԎꞋѦNϿⱭ. “WΛL ꞜΣN,” SΣD HE, “MÎ ꞋEⱭL NѦM IZ ϿѦMZ ꞋÎDⱭ.”
“PꞋⱭSÎSLE SO. HΣD ⱭTΣNDⱭNT ΛT ꞜⱭ HOTΣL KꙘZMⱭPꙘLⱭTⱭN. PꞋѦ STΣP INTU ꞜⱭ KΛB, ΛND Î ƸΛL SUN BE ѦBⱭL TU TΛL YU ΣVꞋEŦIИ WIԎ YU WÜD WIƸ TU NO.”
ꞜⱭ LITⱭL MΛN STÜD GLANSIИ ҒꞋꙘM WÛN TU ꞜE ÛꞜⱭꞋ ꙘV ÛS WIꞜ HAҒ ҒꞋÎTⱭND, HAҒ HOPҒÜL ÎZ, ΛZ WÛN HU IZ NꙘT ƸΔ WΣꞜⱭ HE IZ ꙘN ꞜⱭ VŮϿ ꙘV Ɑ WINDҒΔL ΔꞋ ꙘV Ɑ KⱭTΛSԎꞋⱭҒE. ꞜΣN HE STΣPT INTU ꞜⱭ KΛB, ΛND IN HAҒ ΛN ΩⱭ WE WŮ BΛK IN ꞜⱭ SITIИ ꞋUM ΛT BѦKⱭ SԎꞋET. NÛŦIИ HΛD BEN SΣD ϿŮꞋIИ Ω ϿꞋÎV, BÛT ꞜⱭ HÎ, ŦIN BꞋEꞜIИ ꙘV Ω NYU KⱭMPΛNYⱭN, ΛND ꞜⱭ KLASPIИZ ΛND ÛNKLASPIИZ ꙘV HIZ HΛNDZ, SPOK ꙘV ꞜⱭ NŮVⱭS TΣNƸⱭN WIꞜIN HIM.
“HEⱭ WE A!” SΣD HOMZ ԎEⱭꞋⱭLE ΛZ WE ҒÎⱭLD INTU ꞜⱭ ꞋUM. “ꞜⱭ ҒÎⱭ LÜKS VΣꞋE SEZⱭNⱭBⱭL IN ꞜIS WΣꞜⱭ. YU LÜK KꝌLD, MISTⱭ ꞋÎDⱭ. PꞋѦ TѦK ꞜⱭ BASKⱭT ԎΣⱭ. Î WIL ϿÛST PÜT ꙘN MÎ SLIPⱭZ BⱭҒΔ WE SΣTⱭL ꞜIS LITⱭL MΛTⱭꞋ ꙘV YΔZ. NΩ, ꞜΣN! YU WꙘNT TU NO WꙘT BⱭKѦM ꙘV ꞜOS GES?”
“YΣS, SŮ.’
“Δ ꞋAꞜⱭ, Î ҒΛNSE, ꙘV ꞜΛT GUS. IT WꙘZ 1 BŮD, Î IMΛϿⱭN IN WIԎ YU WŮ INԎꞋⱭSTⱭD – WÎT, WIꞜ Ɑ BLΛK BAꞋ ⱭKꞋꙘZ ꞜⱭ TѦⱭL.”
ꞋÎDⱭ KWIVⱭD WIꞜ ⱭMOƸⱭN. “O, SŮ” HE KꞋÎD, “KΛN YU TΛL ME WΣⱭꞋ IT WΣNT TU?”
“IT KѦM HEⱭ.”
“HEⱭ?”
“YΣS, ΛND Ɑ MOST ꞋⱭMAKⱭBⱭL BŮD IT PꞋUVD. Î DONT WÛNDⱭ ꞜΛT YU ƸÜD TѦK ΛN INԎꞋⱭST IN IT. IT LѦD ΛN ΣG AҒTⱭꞋ IT WꙘZ DΣD – ꞜⱭ BꙘNEⱭST, BꞋÎTⱭST LITⱭL BLU ΣG ꞜΛT WꙘZ SEN. Î HΛV IT HEⱭꞋ IN MÎ MYUZEⱭM.”
Ω VIZⱭTⱭ STΛGⱭD TU HIZ ҒET ΛND KLÛԎT ꞜⱭ MΛNTⱭLPES WIꞜ HIZ ꞋÎT HΛND. HOMZ ÛNLꙘKT HIZ SԎꞋꙘИ BꙘKS ΛND HΛLD ÛP ꞜⱭ BLU KABÛИKⱭL, WIԎ ƸꙘN ΩT LÎK Ɑ STA, WIꞜ Ɑ KꝌLD, BꞋILYⱭNT, MΣNE PϴNTⱭD ꞋѦDEⱭNS. ꞋÎDⱭ STÜD GLΣⱭꞋIИ WIꞜ Ɑ ϿꞋΔN ҒѦS, ÛNSŮTⱭN WΣꞜⱭ TU KLѦM Δ TU DISON IT.
“ꞜⱭ GѦMZ ÛP, ꞋÎDⱭ,” SΣD HOMZ KWÎⱭTLE. “HꝌLD ÛP, MΛN, Δ YUⱭL BE INTU ꞜⱭ ҒÎⱭ! GIV HIM ΛN AM BΛK INTU HIZ ԎΣⱭ, WꙘTSⱭN. HEZ NꙘT GꙘT BLÛD ⱭNÛҒ TU GO IN ҒΔ ҒΛLⱭNE WIꞜ IMPYUNⱭTE. GIV HIM Ɑ DΛƸ ꙘV BꞋΛNDE. SO! NΩ HE LÜKS Ɑ LITⱭL MΔ HYUMⱭN. WꙘT Ɑ ƸꞋIMP IT IZ, TU BE ƸΔ!”
ҒΔꞋ Ɑ MOMⱭNT HE HΛD STΛGⱭD ΛND NEⱭLE ҒΔLⱭN, BÛT ꞜⱭ BꞋΛNDE BꞋΔT Ɑ TINϿ ꙘV KÛLⱭꞋ INTU HIZ ԎEKS, ΛND HE SΛT STΣⱭꞋIИ WIꞜ ҒꞋÎTⱭND ÎZ ΛT HIZ ⱭKYUZⱭ.
“Î HΛV ΔLMOST ΣVꞋE LIИK IN MÎ HΛNDZ, ΛND ΔL ꞜⱭ PꞋUҒS WIԎ Î PꙘSⱭBLE NED, SO ꞜΣⱭꞋ IZ LITⱭL WIԎ YU NED TU TΛL ME. STIL, ꞜΛT LITⱭL MѦ ΛZ WΛL BE KLΣⱭD ÛP TU MѦK ꞜⱭ KѦS KⱭMPLET. YU HΛD HŮD, ꞋÎDⱭ, ꙘV ꞜIS BLU STON ꙘV ꞜⱭ KΩNTΣS ꙘV MΔKⱭZ?”
“IT WꙘZ KΛŦꞋIN KÜSⱭK HU TꝌLD ME ꙘV IT,” SΣD HE IN Ɑ KꞋΛKLIИ VϴS.
“Î SE – HŮ LѦDEƸIPS WѦTIИ MѦD. WΛL, ꞜⱭ TΣMPTѦƸⱭN ꙘV SÛDⱭN WΛLŦ SO EZⱭLE ⱭKWÎⱭD WꙘZ TU MÛԎ ҒΔ YU, ΛZ IT HΛZ BEN ҒΔ BΣTⱭ MΣN BⱭҒΔ YU; BÛT YU WŮ NꙘT VΣꞋE SKꞋUPYⱭLⱭS IN ꞜⱭ MENZ YUZD. IT SEMZ TU ME, ꞋÎDⱭ, ꞜΛT ꞜΣⱭꞋ IZ ꞜⱭ MѦKIИ ꙘV Ɑ VΣꞋE PꞋITE VILⱭN IN YU. YU NYU ꞜΛT ꞜIS MΛN HΔNⱭ, ꞜⱭ PLÛMⱭ, HΛD BEN KⱭNSŮND IN SÛM SÛԎ MΛTⱭ BⱭҒΔ, ΛND ꞜΛT SⱭSPIƸⱭN WÜD ꞋΣST ꞜⱭ MΔ ꞋΣDⱭLE ꙘN HIM. WꙘT DID YU DU, ꞜΣN? YU MѦD SÛM SMΔL ϿꙘB IN MÎ LѦDEZ ꞋUM – YU ΛND YΔ KⱭNҒΣDⱭꞋⱭT KÜSⱭK – ΛND YU MΛNⱭϿD ꞜΛT HE ƸÜD BE ꞜⱭ MΛN SΣNT ҒΔ. ꞜΣN, WΣN HE HΛD LΣҒT, YU ꞋÎҒⱭLD ꞜⱭ ϿɄⱭL KѦS, ꞋѦZD ꞜE ⱭLAM, ΛND HΛD ꞜIS ÛNҒΔԎUNⱭT MΛN ⱭꞋΣSTⱭD. YU ꞜΣN –“
ꞋÎDⱭ ŦꞋU HIMSΛLҒ DΩN SÛDⱭNLE ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ ꞋÛG ΛND KLÛԎT ΛT MÎ KⱭMPΛNYⱭNZ NEZ. “ҒΔ GꙘDZ SѦK, HΛV MŮSE!” HE ƸꞋEKT. “ŦIИK ꙘV MÎ DEⱭ ҒAꞜⱭ! ꙘV MÎ DEⱭ MÛꞜⱭ! IT WÜD BꞋѦK ꞜΣⱭ HATS! Î NΣVⱭ WΣNT ꞋꙘИ BⱭҒΔ! Î NΣVⱭ WIL ⱭGΣN. Î SWΣⱭꞋ IT. ÎⱭL SWΣⱭꞋ IT ꙘN Ɑ BÎBⱭL. O, DONT BꞋIИ IT TU KΔT! ҒΔ KꞋÎSTS SѦK, DONT!”
“GΣT BΛK IN YΔ ԎΣⱭ!” SΣD HOMZ STŮNLE. “IT IZ VΣꞋE WΛL TU KꞋINϿ ΛND KꞋΔL NΩ, BÛT YU ŦΔT LITⱭL ⱭNÛҒ ꙘV ꞜIS PΔ HΔNⱭꞋ IN ꞜⱭ DꙘK ҒΔꞋ Ɑ KꞋÎM ꙘV WIԎ HE NYU NÛŦIИ.”
“Î WIL ҒLÎ, MISTⱭ HOMZ. Î WIL LEV ꞜⱭ KÛNԎꞋE, SŮ. ꞜΣN ꞜⱭ ԎAϿ ⱭGΣNST HIM WIL BꞋѦK DΩN.”
“HÛM! WE WIL TΔK ⱭBΩT ꞜΛT. ΛND NΩ LΣT ÛS HEⱭꞋ Ɑ ԎꞋU ⱭKΩNT ꙘV ꞜⱭ NΣKST ΛKT. HΩ KѦM ꞜⱭ STON INTU ꞜⱭ GUS, ΛND HΩ KѦM ꞜⱭ GUS INTU ꞜE OPⱭN MAKⱭT? TΛL ÛS ꞜⱭ ԎꞋUŦ, ҒΔ ꞜΣⱭ LÎZ YΔꞋ ONLE SѦҒTE.”
ꞋÎDⱭ PAST HIZ TÛИ OVⱭ HIZ PAԎT LIPS. “Î WIL TΛL YU IT ϿÛST ΛZ IT HΛPⱭND, SŮ,” SΣD HE. “WΣN HΔNⱭ HΛD BEN ⱭꞋΣSTⱭD, IT SEMD TU ME ꞜΛT IT WÜD BE BΣST ҒΔ ME TU GΣT ⱭWѦ WIꞜ ꞜⱭ STON ΛT WÛNS, ҒΔꞋ Î DID NꙘT NO ΛT WꙘT MOMⱭNT ꞜⱭ PⱭLES MÎT NꙘT TѦK IT INTU ꞜΣⱭ HΣDZ TU SŮԎ ME ΛND MÎ ꞋUM. ꞜΣⱭ WꙘZ NO PLΛS ⱭBΩT ꞜⱭ HOTΛL WΣⱭꞋ IT WÜD BE SѦҒ. Î WΣNT ΩT, ΛZ IҒ ꙘN SÛM KⱭMIƸⱭN, ΛND Î MѦD ҒΔ MÎ SISTⱭZ HΩS. ƸE HΛD MΛꞋED Ɑ MΛN NѦMD OKƸꙘT, ΛND LIVD ꙘN BꞋIKSTⱭN ꞋOD, WΣⱭ ƸE ҒΛTⱭND ҒΩLZ ҒΔ ꞜⱭ MAKⱭT. ΔL ꞜⱭ WѦ ꞜΣⱭꞋ ΣVꞋE MΛN SEMD TU ME TU BE Ɑ PⱭLESMⱭN ΔꞋ Ɑ DⱭTΣKTIV; ΛND, ҒΔꞋ ΔL ꞜΛT IT WꙘZ Ɑ KꝌLD NÎT, ꞜⱭ SWΣT WꙘZ PΔꞋIИ DΩN MÎ ҒѦS BⱭҒΔꞋ Î KѦM TU ꞜⱭ BꞋIKSTⱭN ꞋOD. MÎ SISTⱭꞋ ASKT ME WꙘT WꙘZ ꞜⱭ MΛTⱭꞋ, ΛND WÎ Î WꙘZ SO PѦⱭL; BÛT Î TꝌLD HŮ ꞜΛT Î HΛD BEN ÛPSΣT BÎ ꞜⱭ ϿɄⱭL ꞋꙘBⱭꞋE ΛT ꞜⱭ HOTΛL. ꞜΣN Î WΣNT INTU ꞜⱭ BΛKYAD ΛND SMOKT Ɑ PÎP ΛND WÛNDⱭD WꙘT IT WÜD BE BΣST TU DU.
“Î HΛD Ɑ ҒꞋΣND WÛNS KΔLD MΔDZLE, HU WΣNT TU ꞜⱭ BΛD, ΛND HΛZ ϿÛST BEN SŮVIИ HIZ TÎM IN PΣNTⱭNVIL. 1 DѦ HE HΛD MΣT ME, ΛND ҒΛL INTU TΔK ⱭBΩT ꞜⱭ WѦZ ꙘV ŦEVZ, ΛND HΩ ꞜѦ GΣT ꞋID ꙘV ŦIИZ ꞜѦ STꝌL. Î NYU ꞜΛT HE WÜD BE ԎꞋU TU ME, ҒΔꞋ Î NYU 1 Δ 2 ŦIИZ ⱭBΩT HIM; SO Î MѦD ÛP MÎ MÎND TU GO ꞋÎT ꙘN TU KILBŮN, WΣⱭ HE LIVD, ΛND TѦK HIM INTU MÎ KꙘNҒⱭDⱭNS. HE WÜD ƸO ME HΩ TU TŮN ꞜⱭ STON INTU MÛNE. BÛT HΩ TU GΣT TU HIM IN SѦҒTE? Î ŦΔT ꙘV ꞜE ΛGⱭNEZ Î HΛD GꙘN ŦꞋU IN KÛMIИ ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ HOTΛL. Î MÎT ΛT ΣNE MOMⱭNT BE SEZD ΛND SŮԎT, ΛND ꞜΣⱭ WÜD BE ꞜⱭ STON IN MÎ WѦSTKOT PꙘKⱭT. Î WꙘZ LENIИ ⱭGΣNST ꞜⱭ WΔL ΛT ꞜⱭ TÎM ΛND LÜKIИ ΛT ꞜⱭ GES WIԎ WŮ WꙘDLIИ ꞋΩND MÎ ҒET, ΛND SÛDⱭNLE ΛN ÎDEⱭ KѦM INTU MÎ HΣD WIԎ ƸOD ME HΩ Î KÜD BET ꞜⱭ BΣST DⱭTΣKTIV ꞜΛT ΣVⱭ LIVD.
“MÎ SISTⱭ HΛD TꝌLD ME SÛM WEKS BⱭҒΔ ꞜΛT Î MÎT HΛV ꞜⱭ PIK ꙘV HŮ GES ҒΔꞋ Ɑ KꞋISMⱭS PꞋΣZⱭNT, ΛND Î NYU ꞜΛT ƸE WꙘZ ΔLWѦZ ΛZ GÜD ΛZ HŮ WŮD. Î WÜD TѦK MÎ GUS NΩ, ΛND IN IT, Î WÜD KΛꞋE MÎ STON TU KILBŮN. ꞜΣⱭ WꙘZ Ɑ LITⱭL ƸΣD IN ꞜⱭ YAD, ΛND BⱭHÎND ꞜIS Î ϿꞋOV 1 ꙘV ꞜⱭ BŮDZ – Ɑ ҒÎN BIG WÛN, WÎT, WIꞜ Ɑ BAD TѦⱭL. Î KΔT IT, ΛND PꞋÎIИ ITS BIL OPⱭN, Î ŦꞋÛST ꞜⱭ STON DΩN ITS ŦꞋOT ΛZ ҒAꞋ ΛZ Î KÜD ꞋEԎ. ꞜⱭ BŮD GΛV Ɑ YΛLP, ΛND Î ҒΛLT ꞜⱭ STON PAS ⱭLꙘИ ITS GÛLⱭT ΛND DΩN ITS KꞋꙘP. BÛT ꞜⱭ KꞋEԎⱭ ҒLΛPT ΛND SԎꞋÛGⱭLD, ΛND ΩT KѦM MÎ SISTⱭ TU NO WꙘT WꙘZ ꞜⱭ MΛTⱭ. ΛZ Î TŮND TU SPEK TU HŮ ꞜⱭ BꞋUT BꞋOK LUS ΛND ҒLÛTⱭD ꙘҒ ⱭMÛИ ꞜE ÛꞜⱭZ.
“‘WꙘTΣVⱭ WŮ YU DUIИ WIꞜ ꞜΛT BŮD, ϿΣM?’ SΣZ ƸE.
“’WΛL’, SΣD Î, ‘YU SΣD YUⱭD GIV ME 1 ҒΔ KꞋISMⱭS, ΛND Î WꙘZ ҒEⱭLIИ WIԎ WꙘZ ꞜⱭ ҒΛTⱭST.’
“’O,’ SΣZ ƸE, ‘WEⱭV SΣT YΔZ ⱭSÎD ҒΔ YU – ϿΣMZ BŮD, WE KΔL IT. ITS ꞜⱭ BIG WÎT WÛN OVⱭ YꙘNDⱭ. ꞜΣⱭZ 26 ꙘV ꞜΣM, WIԎ MѦKS 1 ҒΔ YU, ΛND 1 ҒΔ ÛS, ΛND 2 DÛZⱭN ҒΔ ꞜⱭ MAKⱭT.’
“’ŦΛИK YU, MΛGE,’ SΣZ Î; ‘BÛT IҒ IT IZ ΔL ꞜⱭ SѦM TU YU, ÎⱭD ꞋAꞜⱭ HΛV ꞜΛT WÛN Î WꙘZ HΛNDⱭLIИ ϿÛST NΩ.’
“’ꞜE ÛꞜⱭꞋ IZ Ɑ GÜD 3 PΩND HΣVEⱭ,’ SΣD ƸE, ‘ΛND WE ҒΛTⱭND IT IKSPꞋΣSLE ҒΔ YU.’
“’NΣVⱭ MÎND. ÎⱭL HΛV ꞜE ÛꞜⱭ, ΛND TѦK IT NΩ,’ SΣD Î.
“’O, ϿÛST ΛZ YU LÎK,’ SΣD ƸE Ɑ LITⱭL HÛҒT. ‘WIԎ IZ IT YU WꙘNT, ꞜΣN?’
“’ꞜΛT WÎT WÛN WIꞜ ꞜⱭ BAD TѦⱭL, ꞋÎT IN ꞜⱭ MIDⱭL ꙘV ꞜⱭ ҒLꙘK.’
“’O, VΣꞋE WΛL. KIL IT ΛND TѦK IT WIꞜ YU.’
“WΛL, Î DID WꙘT ƸE SΣD, MISTⱭ HOMZ, ΛND Î KΛꞋED ꞜⱭ BŮD ΔL ꞜⱭ WѦ TU KILBŮN. Î TꝌLD MÎ PΛL WꙘT Î HΛD DÛN, ҒΔ HE WꙘZ Ɑ MΛN ꞜΛT IT WꙘZ EZE TU TΛL Ɑ ŦIИ LÎK ꞜΛT TU. HE LAҒT ⱭNTIL HE ԎOKT, ΛND WE GꙘT Ɑ NÎҒ ΛND OPⱭND ꞜⱭ GUS. MÎ HAT TŮND TU WΔTⱭ, ҒΔ ꞜΣⱭ WꙘZ NO SÎN ꙘV ꞜⱭ STON, ΛND Î NYU ꞜΛT SÛM TΣꞋⱭBⱭL MISTѦK HΛD ⱭKŮD. Î LΣҒT ꞜⱭ BŮD, ꞋÛƸT BΛK TU MÎ SISTⱭZ, ΛND HÛꞋED INTU ꞜⱭ BΛKYAD. ꞜΣⱭ WꙘZ NꙘT Ɑ BŮD TU BE SEN ꞜΣⱭ.
“’WΣⱭꞋ A ꞜѦ ΔL, MΛGE?’ Î KꞋÎD.
“’GꙘN TU ꞜⱭ DEⱭLⱭZ, ϿΣM.’
“’WIԎ DEⱭLⱭZ?’
“’BꞋΣKⱭNꞋIϿ, ꙘV KÛVⱭNT GADⱭN.’
“’BÛT WꙘZ ꞜΣⱭꞋ ⱭNÛꞜⱭ WIꞜ Ɑ BAD TѦⱭL?’ Î ASKT, ‘ꞜⱭ SѦM ΛZ ꞜⱭ WÛN Î ԎOZ?’
“’YΣS, ϿΣM; ꞜΣⱭ WŮ 2 BAD TѦⱭLD WÛNZ, ΛND Î KÜD NΣVⱭ TΛL ꞜΣM ⱭPAT.’
“WΛL, ꞜΣN, ꙘV KΔS Î SΔ IT ΔL, ΛND Î ꞋΛN ꙘҒ ΛZ HAD ΛZ MÎ ҒET WÜD KΛꞋE ME TU ꞜIS MΛN BꞋΣKⱭNꞋIϿ; BÛT HE HΛD SꝌLD ꞜⱭ LꙘT ΛT WÛNS, ΛND NꙘT 1 WŮD WÜD HE TΛL ME ΛZ TU WΣⱭ ꞜѦ HΛD GꙘN. YU HŮD HIM YΔSΛLVZ TⱭNÎT. WΛL, HE HΛZ ΔLWѦZ ANSⱭD ME LÎK ꞜΛT. MÎ SISTⱭ ŦIИKS Î ΛM GOIИ MΛD. SÛMTÎMZ Î ŦIИK ꞜΛT Î ΛM MÎSΛLҒ. ΛND NΩ – ΛND NΩ Î ΛM MÎSΛLҒ BꞋΛNDⱭD Ɑ ŦEҒ, WIꞜΩT ΣVⱭ HΛVIИ TÛԎT WΛLŦ ҒΔ WIԎ Î SꝌLD MÎ KΛꞋⱭKTⱭ. GꙘD HΛLP ME! GꙘD HΛLP ME!” HE BŮST INTU KⱭNVÛLSIV SꙘBIИ, WIꞜ HIZ ҒѦS BΣⱭꞋED IN HIZ HΛNDZ.
ꞜΣⱭ WꙘZ Ɑ LꙘИ SÎLⱭNS, BꞋOKⱭN ONLE BÎ HIZ HΣVE BꞋEꞜIИ ΛND BÎ ꞜⱭ MΣδⱭD TΛPIИ ꙘV ƸŮLꙘK HOMZⱭZ ҒIИGⱭ TIPS ⱭPꙘN ꞜE ΣϿ ꙘV ꞜⱭ TѦBⱭL. ꞜΣN MÎ ҒꞋΣND ꞋOZ ΛND ŦꞋU OPⱭN ꞜⱭ DΔ.
“GΣT ΩT!” SΣD HE.
“WꙘT, SŮ! O, HΣVⱭN BLΣS YU!”
“NO MΔ WŮDZ. GΣT ΩT!”
ΛND NO MΔ WŮDZ WŮ NEDⱭD. ꞜΣⱭ WꙘZ Ɑ ꞋÛƸ, Ɑ KLΛTⱭꞋ ⱭPꙘN ꞜⱭ STΣⱭZ, ꞜⱭ BΛИ ꙘV Ɑ DΔ, ΛND ꞜⱭ KꞋISP ꞋΛTⱭL ꙘV ꞋÛNIИ ҒÜTҒΔLZ ҒꞋꙘM ꞜⱭ SԎꞋET.
“AҒTⱭꞋ ΔL, WꙘTSⱭN,” SΣD HOMZ, ꞋEԎIИ ÛP HIZ HΛND ҒΔ HIZ KLѦ PÎP, “Î ΛM NꙘT ꞋⱭTѦND BÎ ꞜⱭ PⱭLES TU SⱭPLÎ ꞜΣⱭ DⱭҒIƸⱭNSEZ. IҒ HΔNⱭ WŮ IN DѦNϿⱭ IT WÜD BE ⱭNÛꞜⱭ ŦIИ; BÛT ꞜIS ҒΛLO WIL NꙘT ⱭPΣⱭꞋ ⱭGΣNST HIM, ΛND ꞜⱭ KѦS MÛST KⱭLΛPS. Î SⱭPOZ ꞜΛT Î ΛM KⱭMYUTIИ Ɑ ҒΛLⱭNE, BÛT IT IZ ϿÛST PꙘSⱭBⱭL ꞜΛT Î ΛM SѦVIИ Ɑ SꝌL. ꞜIS ҒΛLO WIL NꙘT GO ꞋꙘИ ⱭGΣN; HE IZ TU TΣꞋⱭBLE ҒꞋÎTⱭND. SΣND HIM TU ϿѦⱭL NΩ, ΛND YU MѦK HIM Ɑ ϿѦⱭL BŮD ҒΔ LÎҒ. BⱭSÎDZ, IT IZ ꞜⱭ SEZⱭN ꙘV ҒⱭGIVNⱭS. ԎANS HΛZ PÜT IN Ω WѦ Ɑ MOST SIИGYULⱭꞋ ΛND WIMZIKⱭL PꞋꙘBLⱭM, ΛND ITS SⱭLUƸⱭN IZ ITS ON ꞋⱭWΔD. IҒ YU WIL HΛV ꞜⱭ GÜDNⱭS TU TÛԎ ꞜⱭ BΛL, DꙘKTⱭ, WE WIL BⱭGIN ⱭNÛꞜⱭꞋ INVΣSTⱭGѦƸⱭN, IN WIԎ, ΔLSO ⱭNÛꞜⱭ BŮD WIL BE ꞜⱭ ԎEҒ ҒEԎⱭ.”
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ꞜE ΣND
Thie Ecspresiv İŋglish Alfıbet 