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

With raunchy style
And virgin guile
She's just the girl for me.
"Never mind the polite compliments, Tony," she said, pulling him down on a couch beside her and refilling his glass. "I'll give you the acid test. Of all things in this house, which would you be most likely to steal?"
"You."
"I didn't say kidnap. Come on, man, steal something."
"I think I spilled my drink."
"It's my fault; I joggled your arm. Don't mop. So?"
"You're so sudden, Gaily. Well . . . don't laugh.... The scarecrow mobile in the garden."


"Oh, I love you for that! I made it, when I was a little kid months ago." She gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek and jumped up. "Like some music?" She turned on the hi-fi and a soft murmuring drifted through the house.
Valera glanced at his watch. "Your guests must be frightfully chic."
"Oh?"
"You said eight. That was an hour ago. Where's everybody?"
"As a matter of fact, they came early."
"I'm the only one who was early."
"That's right."
"You mean I'm . . . ?"
"That's right."
"But you said a dinner party, Gaily."
"It's ready any time you are."
"The party is us? Just us?"
"I can call some more people if you're bored with me."
"You know that's not what I meant."
"No? What did you mean?"
"I-" He stopped himself.
"Go ahead," she bullied. "Say it. I dare you."
He capitulated. For perhaps the first time in his suave life he was overpowered. In a low voice he said, "I was remembering a tune from twenty years ago. Hey, diddle-dee-dee/ I've found the girl for me/With raunchy style/And virgin guile/She's just the girl for me."
She flushed and began to tremble. Then she took refuge in the hostess role. "Dinner," she said briskly. "Beef Stroganoff, potatoes baked with mushrooms, salad, lemon pie, and coffee. Mouton Rothschild. No, not upstairs, Tony; I've made special arrangements for you. Help me with the table."
Together, in a sort of domestic intimacy, they arranged a
gaming table alongside the marble pool with two painted Venetian chairs. She had already set the table with Spode china and Danish silver, so it needed some careful balancing. Before she began serving, she drew the cork from the Bordeaux bottle and poured a few drops into Valera's goblet.
"Try it, Tony," she said. "I've never been able to decide whether the concept of `letting a wine breathe' is fact or show-offey. I appeal to your sophistication. Give me your opinion."
He tasted and rolled his eyes to heaven. "Superb! You're magnificent with your compliments, Gaily. Sit down and try it yourself, I insist." And he filled her glass.
"Wait," she laughed. `The floor show first. I snowed electronics into bootlegging ultralight into the pool. That's why I wanted our table here. Wait till you see 20 Performing Piranhas 20." She ran to a wall, extinguished the living room lights, and flipped a switch. The pool glowed like lava, and the excited fish became a ballet of darting embers. Galatea returned to the table, sat opposite Valera, and raised her goblet to him. He smiled back into her face.
"Hey, diddle-dee-" he began and then froze. He stared. Then he started to his feet so violently that he overturned the table.
"Tony!" She was appalled.
"You goddamn bitch," he shouted. His face was black. "Where's the CB?"
"Tony!"
"Where's the goddamn CB? Tell me before I break your goddamn neck!"
"Th-that table." She pointed. "B-but I don't understand. What's -"
"You'll understand soon enough." He punched buttons. "By God, you and this whole damn lying house will understand. Rip me? Play me for a patsy?" His rage was a terrify-


ing echo of Manwright at his worst. "Hello. Larson? Valera. Don't waste time with visual. Crash mission. Call full Security and comb the city for a son of a bitch named Regis Manwright. Yes, that's the pig. I give you a half hour to find him and-"
"B-but I know where he is," Galatea faltered.
"Hold it, Larson. You do? Where?"
"The Gastrologue."
"The bastard's in The Gastrologue Club, Larson. Go get him and bring him to his house, which is where I am now. And if you want to get rough with him I'll pay all legals and add a bonus. I'm going to teach that lying pimp and his bitch a lesson they'll remember for the rest of their lives."
The four were herded into the main floor of Manwright's house at the point of a naked laser which Larson thought advisable in view of the threat of Claudia's mass. They saw a grotesque: Valera and Galatea silhouetted before the glowing pool in the dark room. Valera was holding the weeping girl by her hair, for all the world like a chattel in a slave market.