欧亨利短篇小说集(27)

"Butinthecaseofhumanbeings,friendshipisatransitoryart,subjecttodiscontinuancewithoutfurthernotice.
"Ihadafriendonce,oftheentitlementofPaisleyFish,thatIimaginedwassealedtomeforanendlessspaceoftime.Sidebysideforsevenyearswehadmined,ranched,soldpatentchurns,herdedsheep,tookphotographsandotherthings,builtwirefences,andpickedprunes.ThinksI,neitherhomocidenorflatterynorrichesnorsophistrynordrinkcanmaketroublebetweenmeandPaisleyFish.Wewasfriendsanamountyoucouldhardlyguessat.Wewasfriendsinbusiness,andweletouramicablequalitieslapoverandseasonourhoursofrecreationandfolly.WecertainlyhaddaysofDamonandnightsofPythias.
"OnesummermeandPaisleygallopsdownintotheseSanAndresmountainsforthepurposeofamonth"ssurceaseandlevity,dressedinthenaturalstorehabilimentsofman.WehitthistownofLosPinos,whichcertainlywasaroof-gardenspotoftheworld,andflowingwithcondensedmilkandhoney.Ithadastreetortwo,andair,andhens,andaeating-house;andthatwasenoughforus.
"Westrikesthetownaftersupper-time,andweconcludestosamplewhateverefficacythereisinthiseating-housedownbytherailroadtracks.Bythetimewehadsetdownandpriedupourplateswithaknifefromtheredoil-cloth,alongintrudesWidowJessupwiththehotbiscuitandthefriedliver.