JК
The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) :: Bester Alfred
Страница: 70 из 164' I remember they were cementing her into the asteroid when I left. Don't remember where. Have to find her.»
The passages were airless, and their progress was soundless, but the vibrations carried through metal and rock. They paused once for breath alongside the pitted hull of an ancient warship. As they leaned against it they felt the vibrations of signals from within, a rhythmic knocking.
Foyle smiled grimly. «That's Joseph and The Scientific People inside,» he said. «Requesting a few words. I'll give 'em an evasive answer.» He pounded twice on the hull. «And now a personal message for my wife.» His face darkened. He smote the hull angrily and turned away. «Come on. Let's go.»
But as they continued the search, the signals followed them. It became apparent that the outer periphery of the asteroid had been abandoned; the tribe had withdrawn to the center. Then, far down a shaft wrought of beaten aluminum, a hatch opened, light blazed forth, and Joseph appeared in an ancient spacesuit fashioned of glass cloth. He stood in the clumsy sack, his devil face staring, his hands clutched in supplication, his devil mouth making motions.
Foyle stared at the old man, took a step toward him, and then stopped, fists clenched, throat working as fury arose within him. And Jisabella, looking at Foyle, cried out in horror. The old tattooing had returned to his face, blood red against the pallor of the skin, scarlet instead of black, truly a tiger mask in color as well as design.
«Gully!» she cried. «My God! Your face!»
Foyle ignored her and stood glaring at Joseph while the old man made beseeching gestures, motioned to them to enter the interior of the asteroid, and then disappeared. Only then did Foyle turn to Jisbella and ask: «What? What did you say?»
Through the clear globe of the helmet she could see his face distinctly. And as the rage within Foyle died away, Jisbella saw the blood-red tattooing fade and disappear.
«Did you see that joker?» Foyle demanded. «That was Joseph. Did you see him begging and pleading after what he did to me . . . ? What did you say?»
«Your face, Gully. I know what's happened to your face.»
«What are you talking about?»
«You wanted something that would control you, Gully. Well, you've got it. Your face. It…” Jisbella began to laugh hysterically. «You'll have to learn control now, Gully. You'll never be able to give way to emotion . .any emotion . . .because…”
But he was staring past her and suddenly he shot up the aluminum shaft with a yell. He jerked to a stop before an open door and began to whoop in triumph.
The passages were airless, and their progress was soundless, but the vibrations carried through metal and rock. They paused once for breath alongside the pitted hull of an ancient warship. As they leaned against it they felt the vibrations of signals from within, a rhythmic knocking.
Foyle smiled grimly. «That's Joseph and The Scientific People inside,» he said. «Requesting a few words. I'll give 'em an evasive answer.» He pounded twice on the hull. «And now a personal message for my wife.» His face darkened. He smote the hull angrily and turned away. «Come on. Let's go.»
But as they continued the search, the signals followed them. It became apparent that the outer periphery of the asteroid had been abandoned; the tribe had withdrawn to the center. Then, far down a shaft wrought of beaten aluminum, a hatch opened, light blazed forth, and Joseph appeared in an ancient spacesuit fashioned of glass cloth. He stood in the clumsy sack, his devil face staring, his hands clutched in supplication, his devil mouth making motions.
Foyle stared at the old man, took a step toward him, and then stopped, fists clenched, throat working as fury arose within him. And Jisabella, looking at Foyle, cried out in horror. The old tattooing had returned to his face, blood red against the pallor of the skin, scarlet instead of black, truly a tiger mask in color as well as design.
«Gully!» she cried. «My God! Your face!»
Foyle ignored her and stood glaring at Joseph while the old man made beseeching gestures, motioned to them to enter the interior of the asteroid, and then disappeared. Only then did Foyle turn to Jisbella and ask: «What? What did you say?»
Through the clear globe of the helmet she could see his face distinctly. And as the rage within Foyle died away, Jisbella saw the blood-red tattooing fade and disappear.
«Did you see that joker?» Foyle demanded. «That was Joseph. Did you see him begging and pleading after what he did to me . . . ? What did you say?»
«Your face, Gully. I know what's happened to your face.»
«What are you talking about?»
«You wanted something that would control you, Gully. Well, you've got it. Your face. It…” Jisbella began to laugh hysterically. «You'll have to learn control now, Gully. You'll never be able to give way to emotion . .any emotion . . .because…”
But he was staring past her and suddenly he shot up the aluminum shaft with a yell. He jerked to a stop before an open door and began to whoop in triumph.