"Anderson, Poul And Gordon R Dickson - Hokas Pokas" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anderson Poul)

herself. Let us listen.

"Damn and blast it to hell, anyway! Where is that little monster?"

As she passed the utility room, a small, round-bellied, yellow-furred
ursinoid popped out. This was Carruthers. His official title was
Secretary-in-Chief-to-the-Plenipotentiary, which meant whatever
Carruthers decided it should mean. Tanni felt relieved that today he
was dressed merely in anachronistic trousers, spats, coat, and
bowler hat, umbrella furled beneath one arm, and spoke proper
Oxford English. Last week it had been a toga, and he had brought
her messages written in Latin with Greek characters; he had also
buttonholed every passerby with the information that she, Tanni,
was above suspicion.

"The newsfax sheet, madam," he bowed. "Just came off the jolly
old printer, don't y'know."

"Oh. Thanks." She took the bulletin and swept her eyes down it.
Sensational tidings from Earth Headquarters: the delegates from
Worben and Porkelans accused of conspiracy; Goldfarb's Planet
awarded to Bagdadburgh; a League-wide alert for a Starflash
space yacht which had been seen carrying the Tertiary Receptacle
of Wisdom of Sanussi and the as-yet-unidentified dastards who
had kidnaped him from his planet's Terrestrial embassy;
commercial agreement governing the xisfthikl traffic signed
between Jruthn and PtrfskЧTanni handed it back. There were too
many worlds for anyone to remember; none of the names meant a
thing to her.

"Have you seen young Alex?" she inquired.

Carruthers screwed a monocle into one beady black eye and
tapped his short muzzle with the umbrella handle. "Why, yes, I do
believe so, eh, what, what, what?"

"Well, where is he?"

"He asked me not to tell, madam." Carruthers eyed her
reproachfully. "Couldn't peach on him, now could I? Old School Tie
and all that sort of bally old . . ."

Tanni stalked off with the secretary still bleating behind her. True,
she thought, her children did attend the same school which
educated the adult Hokas, but . . . Hah! In way, it was too bad Alex
was returning so soon. She had long felt that he didn't take a firm
enough line with his mercurial charges. He was too easily reduced
to gibbering bewilderment. Now she was made of sterner stuff,
andЧin a Boadicean mood, she swept through a glassite
passageway to the flitter garage.