"Alfred Bester - Galatea Galante" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bester Alfred)

"Thank you, mahth-ter."
"Evicted!"
The silent Claudia printed: PLANTAINS FR ME PLS RENELLOS DE AMARILLO.
At one minute past eight Valera said, "It's fashionable to be a half-hour late, but I-Is it all right to come in?"
"Oh please! I've been biting my nails for a whole minute." "Thank you. To tell the truth, I tried to be chic, but it didn't take as long as I thought it would to walk up from Old Slip."
"Old Slip? Isn't that where your office is? Were you working late, poor soul?"
"I live there too, Gaily. A penthouse on top of the tower." "Ah, A la Alexander Eiffel?"
"Somewhat, but the Syndicate complex is no Tour Eiffel. What a fantastic place this is. I've never done more than peep beyond the waiting room."
"D'you want the full tour?"
"I'd like nothing better."
"You've got it, but drink first. What would you like?"
"What are you serving?"
"My dear Valera, I-"
"Tony. "
"Thank you. My dear Tony, I share this house with two and a half men and a mountain gorilla. We have everything


in stock."
"Stolichnaya, please. Half?"
"Igor, our housekeeper," Galatea explained as she brought a tray with a bucket of ice, a bottle, and shot glasses. She opened the vodka deftly and began revolving the bottle in the ice. "A biodroid replica of Baron Frankenstein's accomplice."
"Oh yes, I've met him. The lisping hunchback."
"A dear, dear soul, but only half with it."
"And a gorilla?"
"That's Claudia, my beloved nanny. She's beautiful. This vodka isn't chilled enough yet, but let's start anyway." She filled the glasses. "Russian style, eh? Knock it back, Tony. Death to the fascist, imperialist invaders from outer space."
"And their Conestoga star-wagons."
They knocked their shots back.
"Gaily, what miracle are you wearing?"
"L1, sir!" She did a quick kick-turn. "Like it?"
"I'm dazzled."
"If I tell you, promise not to turn me in?"
"I promise."
"I copied it from a Magda."
"Who or what is a Magda? Oh, thank you."
"I'm afraid I filled it too high, but boys like big sandwiches and big drinks. She's the vogue designer of the year. Down with countertenors."
"May they be heard only in Siberia. Why must I keep it a secret about your copy?"
"Good Lord! They hang, draw, and quarter you if you pinch a designer original."
"How did you manage?"
"I fell in love with it at one of her openings and memorized it."
"And made it yourself? From memory? You're remark-
able!"
"You're exaggerating. Don't you remember complicated stock manipulations?"
"Well, yes."
"So with me it's the same damn thing. Oops! That's the tag of a dirty joke. Apologies to the chairman."
"The chairman needs all the dirty jokes he can get for client entertainment. What's this one?"
"Maybe someday, if you coax me nicely."
"Where do you get them? Surely not from Dominie Manwright."
"From Claudia's naughty boys. Another shot to the damnation of Blue Laws, and then the guided tour."
Valera was bewildered and delighted by the madness of Manwright's house, and enchanted by the high style with which Galatea flowed through it with equally mad comments. An old song lyric haunted him:
Hey, diddle-dee-dee,
I've found the girl for me.