JК
The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) :: Bester Alfred
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After another pause, Quatt asked: «Can I go home now?»
«You've had a rough time, haven't you, Sam?»
«I think I died about a thousand times nurse-maidin' that tiger around the circuit.»
«I'm sorry, Sam.»
«I had it coming to me after what I did to you when you were copped in Memphis.»
«Running out on me was only natural, Sam.»
«We always do what's natural, only sometimes we shouldn't do it.»
«I know, Sam. I know.»
«And you spend the rest of your life trying to make up for it. I figure I'm lucky, Jiz. I was able to square it tonight. Can I go home now?»
«Back to Joburg and the happy life?»
«Uh-huh.»
«Don't leave me alone, yet, Sam. I'm ashamed of myself.»
«What for?»
«Cruelty to dumb animals.»
«What's that supposed to mean?»
«Never mind. Hang around a little. Tell me about the happy life. What's so happy about it?»
«Well,» Quatt said reflectively. «It's having everything you wanted when you were a kid. If you can have everything at fifty that you wanted when you were fifteen, you're happy. Now when I was fifteen . . .» And Quart went on and on describing the symbols, ambitions, and frustrations of his boyhood which he was now satisfying until Baker came out of the operating theater.
«Finished?» Jisbella asked eagerly.
«Finished. After I put him under I was able to work faster. They're bandaging his face now. He'll be out in a few minutes.»
«Weak?»
«Naturally.»
«How long before the bandages come off?»
«Six or seven days.»
«His face'll be clean?»
«I thought you weren't interested in his face, dear. It ought to be clean.
I don't think I missed a spot of pigment. You may admire my skill, Jisbella also my sagacity. I'm going to back Foyle's salvage trip.»
«What?» Quatt laughed. «You taking a thousand-to-one gamble, Baker? I thought you were smart.»
«I am. The pain was too much for him and he talked under the anesthesia. There's twenty million in platinum bullion aboard the 'Nomad.'»
«Twenty million!» Sam Quatt's face darkened and he turned on Jisbella. But she was furious too.
«Don't look at me, Sam. I didn't know. He held out on me too. Swore he never knew why Dagenham was hounding him.»
«It was Dagenham who told him,» Baker said. «He let that slip too.»
«I'll kill him,» Jisbella said. «I'll tear him apart with my own two hands and you won't find anything inside his carcass but black rot.
After another pause, Quatt asked: «Can I go home now?»
«You've had a rough time, haven't you, Sam?»
«I think I died about a thousand times nurse-maidin' that tiger around the circuit.»
«I'm sorry, Sam.»
«I had it coming to me after what I did to you when you were copped in Memphis.»
«Running out on me was only natural, Sam.»
«We always do what's natural, only sometimes we shouldn't do it.»
«I know, Sam. I know.»
«And you spend the rest of your life trying to make up for it. I figure I'm lucky, Jiz. I was able to square it tonight. Can I go home now?»
«Back to Joburg and the happy life?»
«Uh-huh.»
«Don't leave me alone, yet, Sam. I'm ashamed of myself.»
«What for?»
«Cruelty to dumb animals.»
«What's that supposed to mean?»
«Never mind. Hang around a little. Tell me about the happy life. What's so happy about it?»
«Well,» Quatt said reflectively. «It's having everything you wanted when you were a kid. If you can have everything at fifty that you wanted when you were fifteen, you're happy. Now when I was fifteen . . .» And Quart went on and on describing the symbols, ambitions, and frustrations of his boyhood which he was now satisfying until Baker came out of the operating theater.
«Finished?» Jisbella asked eagerly.
«Finished. After I put him under I was able to work faster. They're bandaging his face now. He'll be out in a few minutes.»
«Weak?»
«Naturally.»
«How long before the bandages come off?»
«Six or seven days.»
«His face'll be clean?»
«I thought you weren't interested in his face, dear. It ought to be clean.
I don't think I missed a spot of pigment. You may admire my skill, Jisbella also my sagacity. I'm going to back Foyle's salvage trip.»
«What?» Quatt laughed. «You taking a thousand-to-one gamble, Baker? I thought you were smart.»
«I am. The pain was too much for him and he talked under the anesthesia. There's twenty million in platinum bullion aboard the 'Nomad.'»
«Twenty million!» Sam Quatt's face darkened and he turned on Jisbella. But she was furious too.
«Don't look at me, Sam. I didn't know. He held out on me too. Swore he never knew why Dagenham was hounding him.»
«It was Dagenham who told him,» Baker said. «He let that slip too.»
«I'll kill him,» Jisbella said. «I'll tear him apart with my own two hands and you won't find anything inside his carcass but black rot.