JК
The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) :: Bester Alfred
Страница: 141 из 164We'll get full news coverage and do a full broadcast. If Foyle's anywhere in the Inner Planets, he'll hear about it.»
«Not about it,» Jisbella said in despair. «He'll hear it. It'll be the last thing any of us hear.»
«Will and Idea,» Presteign whispered.
As always, when he returned from a stormy civil court session in Leningrad, Regis Sheffield was pleased and complacent, rather like a cocky prizefighter who's won a tough fight. He stopped off at Blekmann's in Berlin for a drink and some war talk, had a second and more war talk in a legal hangout on the Quai D'Orsay, and a third session in the Skin amp; Bones opposite Temple Bar. By the time he arrived in his New York office he was pleasantly illuminated.
As he strode through the clattering corridors and outer rooms, he was greeted by his secretary with a handful of memo-beads.
«Knocked Djargo-Dantchenko for a loop,» Sheffield reported triumphantly. «Judgment and full damages. Old DD's sore as a boil. This makes the score eleven to five, my favor.» He took the beads, juggled them, and then began tossing them into unlikely receptacles all over the office, including the open mouth of a gaping clerk.
«Really, Mr. Sheffield! Have you been drinking?»
«No more work today. The war news is too damned gloomy. Have to do something to stay cheerful. What say we brawl in the streets?»
«Mr. Sheffield!»
«Anything waiting for me that can't wait another day?»
«There's a gentleman in your office.»
«He made you let him get that far?» Sheffield looked impressed. «Who is he? God, or somebody?»
«He won't give his name. He gave me this.»
The secretary handed Sheffield a sealed envelope. On it was scrawled:
«URGENT.» Sheffield tore it open, his blunt features crinkling with curiosity. Then his eyes widened. Inside the envelope were two ~r 50,000 notes. Sheffield turned without a word and burst into his private office. Foyle arose from his chair.
«These are genuine,» Sheffield blurted.
«To the best of my knowledge.»
«Exactly twenty of these notes were minted last year. All are on deposit in Terran treasuries. How did you get hold of these two?»
«Mr. Sheffield?»
«Who else? How did you get hold of these notes?»
«Bribery.»
«Why?»
«I thought at the time that it might be convenient to have them available.»
«For what? More bribery?»
«If legal fees are bribery.»
«I set my own fees,» Sheffield said.
«Not about it,» Jisbella said in despair. «He'll hear it. It'll be the last thing any of us hear.»
«Will and Idea,» Presteign whispered.
As always, when he returned from a stormy civil court session in Leningrad, Regis Sheffield was pleased and complacent, rather like a cocky prizefighter who's won a tough fight. He stopped off at Blekmann's in Berlin for a drink and some war talk, had a second and more war talk in a legal hangout on the Quai D'Orsay, and a third session in the Skin amp; Bones opposite Temple Bar. By the time he arrived in his New York office he was pleasantly illuminated.
As he strode through the clattering corridors and outer rooms, he was greeted by his secretary with a handful of memo-beads.
«Knocked Djargo-Dantchenko for a loop,» Sheffield reported triumphantly. «Judgment and full damages. Old DD's sore as a boil. This makes the score eleven to five, my favor.» He took the beads, juggled them, and then began tossing them into unlikely receptacles all over the office, including the open mouth of a gaping clerk.
«Really, Mr. Sheffield! Have you been drinking?»
«No more work today. The war news is too damned gloomy. Have to do something to stay cheerful. What say we brawl in the streets?»
«Mr. Sheffield!»
«Anything waiting for me that can't wait another day?»
«There's a gentleman in your office.»
«He made you let him get that far?» Sheffield looked impressed. «Who is he? God, or somebody?»
«He won't give his name. He gave me this.»
The secretary handed Sheffield a sealed envelope. On it was scrawled:
«URGENT.» Sheffield tore it open, his blunt features crinkling with curiosity. Then his eyes widened. Inside the envelope were two ~r 50,000 notes. Sheffield turned without a word and burst into his private office. Foyle arose from his chair.
«These are genuine,» Sheffield blurted.
«To the best of my knowledge.»
«Exactly twenty of these notes were minted last year. All are on deposit in Terran treasuries. How did you get hold of these two?»
«Mr. Sheffield?»
«Who else? How did you get hold of these notes?»
«Bribery.»
«Why?»
«I thought at the time that it might be convenient to have them available.»
«For what? More bribery?»
«If legal fees are bribery.»
«I set my own fees,» Sheffield said.