JК
The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) :: Bester Alfred
Страница: 90 из 164»
«Lady Elizabeth Citroen.»
«Is it true you travel with a portable college?»
«The light touch here.»
«A portable high school, Lady Elizabeth.»
«But why on earth, Fourmyle?»
«Oh, madam, it's so difficult to spend money these days. We have to find the silliest excuses. If only someone would invent a new extravagance.»
«You ought to travel with a portable inventor, Fourmyle.»
«I've got one. Haven't I, Robin? But he wastes his time on perpetual motion. What I need is a resident spendthrift. Would any of your clans care to lend me a younger son?»
«Would any of us care to!? There's many a clan would pay for the privilege of unloading.»
«Isn't perpetual motion spendthrift enough for you, Fourmyle?»
«No. It's a shocking waste of money. The whole point of extravagance is to act like a fool and feel like a fool, but enjoy it. Where's the joy in perpetual motion? Is there any extravagance in entropy? Millions for nonsense but not one cent for entropy. My slogan.»
They laughed and the crowd clustering around Fourmyle grew. They were delighted and amused. He was a new toy. Then it was midnight, and as the great clock tolled in the New Year, the gathering prepared to jaunte with midnight around the world.
«Come with us to Java, Fourmyle. Regis Sheffield's giving a marvelous legal party. We're going to play 'Sober The Judge.»
«Hong Kong, Fourmyle.»
«Tokyo, Fourmyle. It's raining in Hong Kong. Come to Tokyo and bring your Circus.»
«Thank you, no. Shanghai for me. The Soviet Duomo. I promise an extravagant reward to the first one who discovers the deception of my costume. Meet you all in two hours. Ready, Robin?»
«Don't jaunte. Bad manners. Walk out. Slowly. Languor is chic. Respects to the Governor . . . To the Commissioner . . . Their Ladies . . . Bien. Don't forget to tip the attendants. Not him, idiot! That's the Lieutenant Governor. All right. You made a hit. You're accepted. Now what?»
«Now what we came to Canberra for.»
«I thought we came for the ball.»
«The ball and a man named Forrest.»
«Who's that?»
«Ben Forrest, spaceman off the 'Vorga.' I've got three leads to the man who gave the order to let me die. Three names. A cook in Rome named Poggi; a quack in Shanghai named Orel; and this man, Forrest. This is a combined operation . . . society and search. Understand?»
«I understand.»
«We've got two hours to rip Forrest open.
«Lady Elizabeth Citroen.»
«Is it true you travel with a portable college?»
«The light touch here.»
«A portable high school, Lady Elizabeth.»
«But why on earth, Fourmyle?»
«Oh, madam, it's so difficult to spend money these days. We have to find the silliest excuses. If only someone would invent a new extravagance.»
«You ought to travel with a portable inventor, Fourmyle.»
«I've got one. Haven't I, Robin? But he wastes his time on perpetual motion. What I need is a resident spendthrift. Would any of your clans care to lend me a younger son?»
«Would any of us care to!? There's many a clan would pay for the privilege of unloading.»
«Isn't perpetual motion spendthrift enough for you, Fourmyle?»
«No. It's a shocking waste of money. The whole point of extravagance is to act like a fool and feel like a fool, but enjoy it. Where's the joy in perpetual motion? Is there any extravagance in entropy? Millions for nonsense but not one cent for entropy. My slogan.»
They laughed and the crowd clustering around Fourmyle grew. They were delighted and amused. He was a new toy. Then it was midnight, and as the great clock tolled in the New Year, the gathering prepared to jaunte with midnight around the world.
«Come with us to Java, Fourmyle. Regis Sheffield's giving a marvelous legal party. We're going to play 'Sober The Judge.»
«Hong Kong, Fourmyle.»
«Tokyo, Fourmyle. It's raining in Hong Kong. Come to Tokyo and bring your Circus.»
«Thank you, no. Shanghai for me. The Soviet Duomo. I promise an extravagant reward to the first one who discovers the deception of my costume. Meet you all in two hours. Ready, Robin?»
«Don't jaunte. Bad manners. Walk out. Slowly. Languor is chic. Respects to the Governor . . . To the Commissioner . . . Their Ladies . . . Bien. Don't forget to tip the attendants. Not him, idiot! That's the Lieutenant Governor. All right. You made a hit. You're accepted. Now what?»
«Now what we came to Canberra for.»
«I thought we came for the ball.»
«The ball and a man named Forrest.»
«Who's that?»
«Ben Forrest, spaceman off the 'Vorga.' I've got three leads to the man who gave the order to let me die. Three names. A cook in Rome named Poggi; a quack in Shanghai named Orel; and this man, Forrest. This is a combined operation . . . society and search. Understand?»
«I understand.»
«We've got two hours to rip Forrest open.