JК
The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) :: Bester Alfred
Страница: 117 из 164One more punch like that and Terra's finished.»
He addressed this to the assistants jaunting in and out of his office, appearing and disappearing, dropping reports on his desk and chalking results and equations on the glass blackboard that covered one entire wall. Informality was the rule, and Y'ang-Yeovil was surprised and suspicious when an assistant knocked on his door and entered with elaborate formality.
«What larceny now?» he asked.
«Lady to see you, Yeo.»
«Is this the time for comedy?» Y'ang-Yeovil said in exasperated tones. He pointed to the Whitehead equations spelling disaster on the transparent blackboard. «Read that and weep on the way out.»
«Very special lady, Yeo. Your Venus from the Spanish Stairs.»
«Who? What Venus?»
«Your Congo Venus.»
«Oh? That one?» Y'ang-Yeovil hesitated. «Send her in.»
«You'll interview her in private, of course.»
«Of course nothing. There's a war on. Keep those reports coming, but tip everybody to switch to Secret Speech if they have to talk to me.»
Robin Wednesbury entered the office, still wearing the torn white evening gown. She had jaunted immediately from New York to London without bothering to change. Her face was strained, but lovely. Y'ang-Yeovil gave her a split-second inspection and realized that his first appreciation of her had not been mistaken. Robin returned the inspection and her eyes dilated. «But you're the cook from the Spanish Stairs! Angelo Poggi!»
As an Intelligence Officer, Y'ang-Yeovil was prepared to deal with this crisis. «Not a cook, madam. I haven't had time to change back to my usual fascinating self. Please sit here, Miss . . . ?»
«Wednesbury. Robin Wednesbury.»
«Charmed. I'm Captain Y'ang-Yeovil. How nice of you to come and see me, Miss Wednesbury. You've saved me a long, hard search.»
«B-But I don't understand. What were you doing on the Spanish Stairs? Why were you hunting…?»
Y'ang-Yeovil saw that her lips weren't moving. «Ah? You're a telepath, Miss Wednesbury? How is that possible? I thought I knew every telepath in the system.»
«I'm not a full telepath. I'm a telesend. I can only send.. . . not receive.»
«Which, of course, makes you worthless to the world. I see.» Y'ang-Yeovil cocked a sympathetic eye at her. «What a dirty trick, Miss Wednesbury to be saddled with all the disadvantages of telepathy, and be deprived of all the advantages. I do sympathize. Believe me.»
«Bless him! He's the first ever to realize that without being told.
He addressed this to the assistants jaunting in and out of his office, appearing and disappearing, dropping reports on his desk and chalking results and equations on the glass blackboard that covered one entire wall. Informality was the rule, and Y'ang-Yeovil was surprised and suspicious when an assistant knocked on his door and entered with elaborate formality.
«What larceny now?» he asked.
«Lady to see you, Yeo.»
«Is this the time for comedy?» Y'ang-Yeovil said in exasperated tones. He pointed to the Whitehead equations spelling disaster on the transparent blackboard. «Read that and weep on the way out.»
«Very special lady, Yeo. Your Venus from the Spanish Stairs.»
«Who? What Venus?»
«Your Congo Venus.»
«Oh? That one?» Y'ang-Yeovil hesitated. «Send her in.»
«You'll interview her in private, of course.»
«Of course nothing. There's a war on. Keep those reports coming, but tip everybody to switch to Secret Speech if they have to talk to me.»
Robin Wednesbury entered the office, still wearing the torn white evening gown. She had jaunted immediately from New York to London without bothering to change. Her face was strained, but lovely. Y'ang-Yeovil gave her a split-second inspection and realized that his first appreciation of her had not been mistaken. Robin returned the inspection and her eyes dilated. «But you're the cook from the Spanish Stairs! Angelo Poggi!»
As an Intelligence Officer, Y'ang-Yeovil was prepared to deal with this crisis. «Not a cook, madam. I haven't had time to change back to my usual fascinating self. Please sit here, Miss . . . ?»
«Wednesbury. Robin Wednesbury.»
«Charmed. I'm Captain Y'ang-Yeovil. How nice of you to come and see me, Miss Wednesbury. You've saved me a long, hard search.»
«B-But I don't understand. What were you doing on the Spanish Stairs? Why were you hunting…?»
Y'ang-Yeovil saw that her lips weren't moving. «Ah? You're a telepath, Miss Wednesbury? How is that possible? I thought I knew every telepath in the system.»
«I'm not a full telepath. I'm a telesend. I can only send.. . . not receive.»
«Which, of course, makes you worthless to the world. I see.» Y'ang-Yeovil cocked a sympathetic eye at her. «What a dirty trick, Miss Wednesbury to be saddled with all the disadvantages of telepathy, and be deprived of all the advantages. I do sympathize. Believe me.»
«Bless him! He's the first ever to realize that without being told.