All Flesh is Grass

It was a risky thing to say, for Tupper was the kind of jerk that you handled with kid gloves. But I took the calculated risk and said it, for I thought that maybe it would jolt some sense into him.

“Oh,” he said lightly, “she's always hunting for me. She thinks I ain't big enough to look out for myself.”

Сказал и насторожился: еще вскинется, никогда не знаешь, какая муха его укусит. Но я нарочно сказал неосторожные слова  — вдруг это немного встряхнет его, всколыхнет в нем каплю здравого смысла.

— А она всегда меня ищет,  — беспечно отвечал Таппер.

As if he'd never been away. As if ten years hadn't passed. As if he'd stepped out of his mother's house no more than an hour ago. As if time had no meaning for him—and perhaps it hadn't.

“Put on the clothes,” I told him. “I'll be right back.”

I went out into the living-room and picked up the phone. I dialled Doc Fabian's number. The busy signal blurped at me.

Как будто он и не пропадал. Как будто не прошло десять лет.

— Оденься,  — велел я.  — Сейчас вернусь.

Прошел к телефону и набрал номер доктора Фабиана. Зачастили гудки: занято.

I put the receiver back and tried to think of someone else to call. I could call Hiram Martin. Perhaps he was the one to call. But I hesitated. Doc was the man to handle this; be knew how to handle people. All that Hiram knew was how to push them around.

I dialled Doc once more and still got the busy signal.

Я повесил трубку. Кому еще позвонить? Можно Хайраму Мартину. Наверно, ему-то и надо звонить. Но стоит ли? Доктор Фабиан  — вот кто здесь нужен, он умеет обращаться с людьми. А Хайрам только и умеет ими помыкать.

Я еще раз набрал номер доктора. Опять занято.

I slammed down the receiver and hurried toward the bedroom. I couldn't leave Tupper alone too long. God knows what he might do.

But I already had waited too long.

The bedroom was empty. The window was open and the screen was broken out and there was no Tupper.

I rushed across the room and leaned out of the window and there was no sign of him.

Брякнув трубку на рычаг, я кинулся в спальню. Таппера нельзя надолго оставлять одного. Кто его знает, что он может натворить.

И все-таки я мешкал слишком долго. Его совсем не годилось оставлять одного.

Спальня была пуста.