—¡Ay, mi hígado! —gritó el viejo, arrojando la chaqueta sobre un estante—. ¡Largo de la tienda! ¡Ay, mis pulmones, largo de la tienda! ¡Ay, mis ojos y mis miembros —¡guachi!—, no pidas dinero; que sea un cambio!
Nunca en mi vida había tenido tanto miedo, ni antes ni después; pero le dije humildemente que quería dinero, y que ninguna otra cosa me servía, pero que esperaría por él, como deseaba, afuera, y que no tenía deseo de apresurarlo.
Así que salí y me senté a la sombra en un rincón. Y estuve sentado allí tantas horas que la sombra se convirtió en luz del sol, y la luz del sol volvió a convertirse en sombra, y aún seguía allí sentado esperando el dinero.
There never was such another drunken madman in that line of business, I hope. That he was well known in the neighbourhood, and enjoyed the reputation of having sold himself to the devil, I soon understood from the visits he received from the boys, who continually came skirmishing about the shop, shouting that legend, and calling to him to bring out his gold. > “You ain’t poor, you know, Charley, as you pretend. Bring out your gold. Bring out some of the gold you sold yourself to the devil for. Come! It’s in the lining of the mattress, Charley. Rip it open and let’s have some!” This, and many offers to lend him a knife for the purpose, exasperated him to such a degree, that the whole day was a succession of rushes on his part, and flights on the part of the boys. Sometimes in his rage he would take me for one of them, and come at me, mouthing as if he were going to tear me in pieces; then, remembering me, just in time, would dive into the shop, and lie upon his bed, as I thought from the sound of his voice, yelling in a frantic way, to his own windy tune, the “Death of Nelson”; with an Oh! before every line, and innumerable Goroos