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Isle Of The Dead :: Zelazny Roger
Страница: 10 из 110"What are you drinking?"
"Scotch and soda," she said, as always. "Lovely night!"
I looked into her two too blue eyes and smiled. "Yes," as I punched out her order and the drink was made and delivered, "it is."
"You've changed. You're lighter."
"Yes."
"You're up to no good, I hope."
"Probably." I passed it to her. "It's been what? --Five months now?"
"A bit more."
"Your contract was for a year."
"That's right."
I passed her an envelope, and, "This cancels it," I said.
"What do you mean?" she asked, the smile freezing, diminishing, gone.
"Whatever I say, always," I said.
"You mean I'm dismissed?"
"I'm afraid so," I told her, "and here's a similar amount, to prove to you it isn't what you think." I passed her the second envelope.
"What is it, then?" she asked.
"I've got to go away. No sense to your wilting here in the meantime. I might be gone quite awhile."
"I'll wait."
"No."
"Then I'll go with you."
"Even if it means you might die along with me, if things go bad?"
I hoped she'd say yes. But after all this time I think I know something about people. That's why Reference A was handy.
"It's possible, this time around," I said. "Sometimes a guy like me has to take a few risks."
"Will you give me a reference?" she said.
"I have it here."
She sipped her drink.
"All right," she said.
I passed it to her.
"Do you hate me?" she asked.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm weak, and I value my life."
"So do I, though I can't guarantee it."
"That's why I'll accept the referral."
"That's why I have it ready."
"You think you know everything, don't you?"
"No."
"What will we do tonight?" she asked, finishing her drink.
"I don't know everything."
"Well, I know something. You've treated me all right."
"Thanks."
"I'd like to hang onto you."
"But I just scared you?"
"Yes."
"Too much?"
"Too much."
I finished my Cognac, puffed on the cigar, studied Florida and my white moon Cue Ball.
"Tonight," she said, taking my hand, "you'll at least forget to hate me."
She didn't open her envelopes. She sipped her second drink and regarded Florida and Cue Ball also.
"When will you leave?"
"Ere dawn," I said.
"God, you're poetical.
"Scotch and soda," she said, as always. "Lovely night!"
I looked into her two too blue eyes and smiled. "Yes," as I punched out her order and the drink was made and delivered, "it is."
"You've changed. You're lighter."
"Yes."
"You're up to no good, I hope."
"Probably." I passed it to her. "It's been what? --Five months now?"
"A bit more."
"Your contract was for a year."
"That's right."
I passed her an envelope, and, "This cancels it," I said.
"What do you mean?" she asked, the smile freezing, diminishing, gone.
"Whatever I say, always," I said.
"You mean I'm dismissed?"
"I'm afraid so," I told her, "and here's a similar amount, to prove to you it isn't what you think." I passed her the second envelope.
"What is it, then?" she asked.
"I've got to go away. No sense to your wilting here in the meantime. I might be gone quite awhile."
"I'll wait."
"No."
"Then I'll go with you."
"Even if it means you might die along with me, if things go bad?"
I hoped she'd say yes. But after all this time I think I know something about people. That's why Reference A was handy.
"It's possible, this time around," I said. "Sometimes a guy like me has to take a few risks."
"Will you give me a reference?" she said.
"I have it here."
She sipped her drink.
"All right," she said.
I passed it to her.
"Do you hate me?" she asked.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm weak, and I value my life."
"So do I, though I can't guarantee it."
"That's why I'll accept the referral."
"That's why I have it ready."
"You think you know everything, don't you?"
"No."
"What will we do tonight?" she asked, finishing her drink.
"I don't know everything."
"Well, I know something. You've treated me all right."
"Thanks."
"I'd like to hang onto you."
"But I just scared you?"
"Yes."
"Too much?"
"Too much."
I finished my Cognac, puffed on the cigar, studied Florida and my white moon Cue Ball.
"Tonight," she said, taking my hand, "you'll at least forget to hate me."
She didn't open her envelopes. She sipped her second drink and regarded Florida and Cue Ball also.
"When will you leave?"
"Ere dawn," I said.
"God, you're poetical.