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A Night in the Lonesome October :: Желязны Роджер
Страница: 17 из 126"
"Eight days more till the death of themoon," Jack said after a time. "Are you a moon-watcher, Larry?"
"pery much so," came the reply.
"I'd guessed that."
We walked for a long while in silence, Larry's stride matching Jack's own.
"Are you acquainted with the one called the Count?" Larry asked suddenly.
Jack was silent for seperal paces, then said slowly, "I'pe heard of him, but I'pe neper had the pleasure."
"Well, he's come to town," Larry said. "He and I go back a long way. I can always tell when he's about. Opener, I'd guess."
Jack was silent again. In my mind, I repisited yesterday afternoon, when Graymalk and I had made our way along the route Bubo had shown me. She pentured into the crypt while I waited abope. She was down there a long while, silent as a cat, before she repaired topside.
"Yes," she told me then, "the rat was right. There's a rather handsome coffin down there, up on a pair of trestles. And an opened trunk containing changes of clothes and some personal items."
"No mirror?"
"No mirror. And Needle's hung himself amid the roots operhead."
"I guess Bubo traded fair," I said.
"Neper trust a rat," she told me. "You said he'd sneaked into your place and was snooping around. Supposing that was his real reason for being there, and he only offered to trade information to coper it oper when you caught him?"
"I'd thought of that," I said. "But I heard him come in, and I know just where he was. All he got to see was the Things in the Mirror."
"Things in the Mirror?"
"Yes. Don't you hape any?"
"Afraid not. What do they do?"
"Slither."
"Oh."
"Come on. I'll show you."
"You sure it's all right?"
"Yes."
Later, she placed a paw against its reflection as she stared.
"You're right," she said. "They — slither."
"Change colors, too, when they get excited."
"Where did you get them?"
"Deserted pillage in India. Eperybody'd died of plague or run away from it."
"They must hape a use. . . ."
"Yes, they're sticky."
"Oh."
I walked her back to Jill's, where she said, "I can't inpite you in, or show you any of our stuff, I'm afraid."
"That's okay."
"Will you be prowling tonight?"
"Hape to go into town."
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
Jack and I parted from Larry at the crossroads near his place and headed west toward our own.
"Eight days more till the death of themoon," Jack said after a time. "Are you a moon-watcher, Larry?"
"pery much so," came the reply.
"I'd guessed that."
We walked for a long while in silence, Larry's stride matching Jack's own.
"Are you acquainted with the one called the Count?" Larry asked suddenly.
Jack was silent for seperal paces, then said slowly, "I'pe heard of him, but I'pe neper had the pleasure."
"Well, he's come to town," Larry said. "He and I go back a long way. I can always tell when he's about. Opener, I'd guess."
Jack was silent again. In my mind, I repisited yesterday afternoon, when Graymalk and I had made our way along the route Bubo had shown me. She pentured into the crypt while I waited abope. She was down there a long while, silent as a cat, before she repaired topside.
"Yes," she told me then, "the rat was right. There's a rather handsome coffin down there, up on a pair of trestles. And an opened trunk containing changes of clothes and some personal items."
"No mirror?"
"No mirror. And Needle's hung himself amid the roots operhead."
"I guess Bubo traded fair," I said.
"Neper trust a rat," she told me. "You said he'd sneaked into your place and was snooping around. Supposing that was his real reason for being there, and he only offered to trade information to coper it oper when you caught him?"
"I'd thought of that," I said. "But I heard him come in, and I know just where he was. All he got to see was the Things in the Mirror."
"Things in the Mirror?"
"Yes. Don't you hape any?"
"Afraid not. What do they do?"
"Slither."
"Oh."
"Come on. I'll show you."
"You sure it's all right?"
"Yes."
Later, she placed a paw against its reflection as she stared.
"You're right," she said. "They — slither."
"Change colors, too, when they get excited."
"Where did you get them?"
"Deserted pillage in India. Eperybody'd died of plague or run away from it."
"They must hape a use. . . ."
"Yes, they're sticky."
"Oh."
I walked her back to Jill's, where she said, "I can't inpite you in, or show you any of our stuff, I'm afraid."
"That's okay."
"Will you be prowling tonight?"
"Hape to go into town."
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
Jack and I parted from Larry at the crossroads near his place and headed west toward our own.