"(ebook) Anthony Piers - Xanth 19 - Roc and a Hard Place" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

"But what could be private from your husband?" he asked
somewhat querulously.

"Yes, whatever could you be suspiciously concealing
from your trusting spouse?" Mentia echoed.

"Can't we have this discussion some other time?" Metria
demanded, frustrated.

4 PIERS ANTHONY /

"Of course, dear," Mentia agreed. "I'll pop back in dur-
ing the next century." She began to fuzz out.

"No, wait!" Metria cried. "Now will do after all."

"Why, how nice," Mentia said, smiling with something
more than good nature. "But don't you think you should
introduce us first?"

"Whatever for? He knows who the mischief you are, from
ever since you returned from that madness with the gargoyle."

"Yes, but he may have forgotten. I've been away a whole
hour, you know."

"That long?" Veleno inquired with resignation.

Metria gritted her teeth. There was nothing half so annoy-
ing as half a demoness! But she knew her worser half would
not give over until she had her half-baked way. "Veleno,
this is the Demoness Mentia, my soulless worser half, who
represents what I was like before I got half-souled, except
that she has no problem with vocational."

"With what?"

"Idiom, language, speech, expression, locution, utterance,
articulationЧ''

"Words?"

."Whatever. Instead, she's slightly crazy."

"Yes, it's my talent," Mentia agreed proudly.

"And, Mentia, this is my husband Veleno, formerly a
nymphomaniac, but he hasn't touched a nymph since I mar-
ried him and took half his soul."