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The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) :: Bester Alfred
Страница: 89 из 164The resources had never manifested themselves and the House of Ceres had gone into eclipse but had never become extinct. Apparently it was now being revived.
«Fourmyle? The clown?»
«Yes. The Four Mile Circus. Everybody's talking about him.»
«Is that the same man?»
«Couldn't be. He looks human.»
Society clustered around Fourmyle, curious but wary.
«Here they come,» Foyle muttered to Robin.
«Relax. They want the light touch. They'll accept anything if it's amusing. Stay tuned.»
«Are you that dreadful man with the circus, Fourmyle?»
«Sure you are. Smile.»
«I am, madam. You may touch me.»
«Why, you actually seem proud. Are you proud of your bad taste?»
«The problem today is to have any taste at all.»
«The problem today is to have any taste at all. I think I'm lucky.»
«Lucky but dreadfully indecent.»
«Indecent but not dull.»
«And dreadful but delightful. Why aren't you cavorting now?»
«I'm 'under the influence,' Madam.»
«Oh dear. Are you drunk? I'm Lady Shrapnel. When will you be sober again?»
«I'm under your influence, Lady Shrapnel.»
«You wicked young man. Charles! Charles, come here and save Fourmyle. I'm ruining him.»
«That's Victor of RCA Victor.»
«Fourmyle, is it? Delighted. What's that entourage of yours cost?»
«Tell him the truth.»
«Forty thousand, Victor.»
«Good Lord! A week?»
«A day.»
«A day! What on earth d'you want to spend all that money for?»
«The truth!»
«For notoriety, Victor.»
«Ha! Are you serious?»
«I told you he was wicked, Charles.»
«Damned refreshing. Klaus! Here a moment. This impudent young man is spending forty thousand a day. . . for notoriety, if you please.»
«Skoda of Skoda.»
«Good evening, Fourmyle. I am much interested in this revival of the name. You are, perhaps, a cadet descendant of the original founding board of Ceres, Inc.?»
«Give him the truth.»
«No, Skoda. It's a title by purchase. I bought the company. I'm an upstart.»
«Good. Toujours de l'audace!»
«My word, Fourmyle! You're frank.»
«Told you he was impudent. Very refreshing. There's a parcel of damned upstarts about, young man, but they don't admit it. Elizabeth, come and meet Fourmyle of Ceres.»
«Fourmyle! I've been dying to meet you.
«Fourmyle? The clown?»
«Yes. The Four Mile Circus. Everybody's talking about him.»
«Is that the same man?»
«Couldn't be. He looks human.»
Society clustered around Fourmyle, curious but wary.
«Here they come,» Foyle muttered to Robin.
«Relax. They want the light touch. They'll accept anything if it's amusing. Stay tuned.»
«Are you that dreadful man with the circus, Fourmyle?»
«Sure you are. Smile.»
«I am, madam. You may touch me.»
«Why, you actually seem proud. Are you proud of your bad taste?»
«The problem today is to have any taste at all.»
«The problem today is to have any taste at all. I think I'm lucky.»
«Lucky but dreadfully indecent.»
«Indecent but not dull.»
«And dreadful but delightful. Why aren't you cavorting now?»
«I'm 'under the influence,' Madam.»
«Oh dear. Are you drunk? I'm Lady Shrapnel. When will you be sober again?»
«I'm under your influence, Lady Shrapnel.»
«You wicked young man. Charles! Charles, come here and save Fourmyle. I'm ruining him.»
«That's Victor of RCA Victor.»
«Fourmyle, is it? Delighted. What's that entourage of yours cost?»
«Tell him the truth.»
«Forty thousand, Victor.»
«Good Lord! A week?»
«A day.»
«A day! What on earth d'you want to spend all that money for?»
«The truth!»
«For notoriety, Victor.»
«Ha! Are you serious?»
«I told you he was wicked, Charles.»
«Damned refreshing. Klaus! Here a moment. This impudent young man is spending forty thousand a day. . . for notoriety, if you please.»
«Skoda of Skoda.»
«Good evening, Fourmyle. I am much interested in this revival of the name. You are, perhaps, a cadet descendant of the original founding board of Ceres, Inc.?»
«Give him the truth.»
«No, Skoda. It's a title by purchase. I bought the company. I'm an upstart.»
«Good. Toujours de l'audace!»
«My word, Fourmyle! You're frank.»
«Told you he was impudent. Very refreshing. There's a parcel of damned upstarts about, young man, but they don't admit it. Elizabeth, come and meet Fourmyle of Ceres.»
«Fourmyle! I've been dying to meet you.