佚名/Anonymous
InallthisCubanbusinessthereisonemanstandsoutonthehorizonofmymemorylikeMarsatperihelion.
WhenwarbrokeoutbetweenSpainandtheUnitedStates, —, !
SomesaidtothePresident, "There'safellowbythenameofRowanwhowillfindGarciaforyou, ifanybodycan."
"fellowbythenameofRowan" tooktheletter, sealeditupinanoilskinpouch, strappeditoverhisheart, infourdayslandedbynightoffthecoastofCubafromanopenboat, disappearedintothejungle, andinthreeweekscameoutontheothersideoftheIsland, havingtraversedahostilecountryonfootanddeliveredhislettertoGarcia—: McKinleygaveRowanalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia; Rowantooktheletteranddidnotask, "Whereisheat?"
BytheEternal! -learningyoungmenneed, norinstructionaboutthisandthat, butastiffeningofthevertebraewhichwillcausethemtobeloyaltoatrust, toactpromptly, concentratetheirenergies: dothething—"CarryamessagetoGarcia."
GeneralGarciaisdeadnow, , buthasbeenwell-nighappalledattimesbytheimbecilityoftheaverageman—theinabilityorunwillingnesstoconcentrateonathinganddoit.
Slipshodassistance, foolishinattention, dowdyindifference, andhalf-heartedworkseemtherule; andnomansucceeds, unlessbyhookorcrookorthreatheforcesorbribesothermentoassisthim; ormayhap, GodinHisgoodnessperformsamiracle, andsendshimanAngelofLightforanassistant.
You, reader, putthismattertoatest: Youaresittingnowinyouroffice—: "PleaselookintheencyclopediaandmakeabriefmemorandumformeconcerningthelifeofCorreggio." Willtheclerkquietlysay, "Yes, sir." andgodothetask?
