"Anthony Piers - Incarnations Of Immortality 1 - On A Pale Horse [uc]" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

As the ring touched his hand, the stone brightened,
turning a lighter blue, becoming translucent. Again his
mind faded to memory. LoveЧit was a second leg of his
guilt. There had been a woman, nice enough, pretty
enough, and she had wanted to marry him. But she had




6 OnA Pale Horse

lacked the one thing he had to have. He had liked her,
perhaps loved her, and she had certainly loved himЧtoo
much.

"The perfect romanceЧwithin the hour!" the propri-
etor exclaimed, seeming genuinely amazed. His voice
snapped Zane out of his reverie. "You are a remarkably
fortunate man, sir! I have never seen the Lovestone so
bright! So clearly directional!"

The perfect romance. He had, really, had that before.
How could the stone know his particular needs? He re-
turned it to the proprietor. "I can't afford it."

"You can't afford love within the hour?" the man af-
fected astonishment.

"Romance won't pay my rent."

The proprietor nodded with sudden understanding.
Something unscrupulous passed fleetingly through his
expression. "So it is finance you lack!"

Zane took a deep breath. "Yes. I suppose I've been
wasting my time hereЧand yours." He turned to go.

The proprietor grabbed his arm, in his eagerness for-
getting his savoir-faire. "Wait, sir! I do have a stone for
you!"

"How can I pay for it?" Zane demanded sourly.

"You can pay for it, sir!"

Zane shrugged him off. "You know why the Death-
stone turned black for me? Because I'll soon starve to
death! I have no money. I don't know why I came in here;

it was a completely irrational act. I can't afford the least