-
Главная
-
- Книги
-
- Авторы
-
- О. Генри
-
- Короли и капуста
-
- Стр. 53/130
Для того чтобы воспользоваться озвучкой предложений, необходимо
Войти или зарегистрироваться
Озвучка предложений доступна при наличии PRO-доступа
Купить PRO-доступ
The
Collector
of
Customs
,
in
making
his
report
,
departed
from
the
conventional
forms
so
far
as
to
suggest
that
the
confiscated
vessel
be
converted
to
the
use
of
the
government
.
The
prize
was
the
first
capture
to
the
credit
of
the
department
in
ten
years
.
The
collector
took
opportunity
to
pat
his
department
on
the
back
.
It
often
happened
that
government
officers
required
transportation
from
point
to
point
along
the
coast
,
and
means
were
usually
lacking
.
Furthermore
,
the
sloop
could
be
manned
by
a
loyal
crew
and
employed
as
a
coast
guard
to
discourage
the
pernicious
art
of
smuggling
.
The
collector
also
ventured
to
nominate
one
to
whom
the
charge
of
the
boat
could
be
safely
intrusted
--
a
young
man
of
Coralio
,
Felipe
Carrera
--
not
,
be
it
understood
,
one
of
extreme
wisdom
,
but
loyal
and
the
best
sailor
along
the
coast
.
It
was
upon
this
hint
that
the
Minister
of
War
acted
,
executing
a
rare
piece
of
drollery
that
so
enlivened
the
tedium
of
executive
session
.
In
the
constitution
of
this
small
,
maritime
banana
republic
was
a
forgotten
section
that
provided
for
the
maintenance
of
a
navy
.
This
provision
--
with
many
other
wiser
ones
--
had
lain
inert
since
the
establishment
of
the
republic
.
Anchuria
had
no
navy
and
had
no
use
for
one
.
It
was
characteristic
of
Don
Sabas
--
a
man
at
once
merry
,
learned
,
whimsical
and
audacious
--
that
he
should
have
disturbed
the
dust
of
this
musty
and
sleeping
statute
to
increase
the
humour
of
the
world
by
so
much
as
a
smile
from
his
indulgent
colleagues
.
With
delightful
mock
seriousness
the
Minister
of
War
proposed
the
creation
of
a
navy
.
He
argued
its
need
and
the
glories
it
might
achieve
with
such
gay
and
witty
zeal
that
the
travesty
overcame
with
its
humour
even
the
swart
dignity
of
President
Losada
himself
.
The
champagne
was
bubbling
trickily
in
the
veins
of
the
mercurial
statesmen
.
It
was
not
the
custom
of
the
grave
governors
of
Anchuria
to
enliven
their
sessions
with
a
beverage
so
apt
to
cast
a
veil
of
disparagement
over
sober
affairs
.
The
wine
had
been
a
thoughtful
compliment
tendered
by
the
agent
of
the
Vesuvius
Fruit
Company
as
a
token
of
amicable
relations
--
and
certain
consummated
deals
--
between
that
company
and
the
republic
of
Anchuria
.
The
jest
was
carried
to
its
end
.
A
formidable
,
official
document
was
prepared
,
encrusted
with
chromatic
seals
and
jaunty
with
fluttering
ribbons
,
bearing
the
florid
signatures
of
state
.
This
commission
conferred
upon
el
Señor
Don
Felipe
Carrera
the
title
of
Flag
Admiral
of
the
Republic
of
Anchuria
.
Thus
within
the
space
of
a
few
minutes
and
the
dominion
of
a
dozen
"
extra
dry
,
"
the
country
took
its
place
among
the
naval
powers
of
the
world
,
and
Felipe
Carrera
became
entitled
to
a
salute
of
nineteen
guns
whenever
he
might
enter
port
.
The
southern
races
are
lacking
in
that
particular
kind
of
humour
that
finds
entertainment
in
the
defects
and
misfortunes
bestowed
by
Nature
.
Owing
to
this
defect
in
their
constitution
they
are
not
moved
to
laughter
(
as
are
their
northern
brothers
)
by
the
spectacle
of
the
deformed
,
the
feeble-minded
or
the
insane
.
Felipe
Carrera
was
sent
upon
earth
with
but
half
his
wits
.
Therefore
,
the
people
of
Coralio
called
him
"
El
pobrecito
loco
"
--
"
the
poor
little
crazed
one
"
--
saying
that
God
had
sent
but
half
of
him
to
earth
,
retaining
the
other
half
.
