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

"Pigs, both of you," Manwright snorted and dashed for the stairs. Corque rolled his eyes to heaven, grabbed a slice of tart, winked at Igor, and followed, chewing ecstatically.
One would expect the chairman of a syndicate with a seventeen-figure CB telephone number to look like Attila the Hun. Anthony Valera looked and dressed like a suave Spanish grandee; he was black and silver, including ribboned peruke. He was very much au courant, for as Corque entered he smiled, bowed, and murmured, "What a happy surprise, Professor Corque. Delighted. I had the pleasure of hearing you speak at the Trivium Charontis convention." And Mr. Valera considerately offered his left palm, Corque's right hand being busy with the tart.
"He wants an ideal executive secretary." Manwright refused to waste time on courtesies. "And I told him that my biodroid talents are damned expensive."
"To which I was about to respond when you most happily


entered, Professor Corque, that Vortex is criminally solvent."
"Then it's to be a company contract?"
"No, Dominie, personal." Mr. Valera smiled. "I, also, am criminally solvent."
"Good. I hate doing business with committees. You must know the old saw about camels. Let's discuss the specs and see whether we understand each other. Sex?"
"Female, of course."
"Of course. Physical appearance?"
"You don't take notes?"
"Total recall."
"You are lucky. Well, then. Fair. Medium tall. Endowed with soft grace. Soft voice. Blue eyes. Clear skin. Slender hands. Slender neck. Auburn hair."
"Mmm. Got any particular example of the type in mind?" "Yes. Botticelli's Birth of Venus."
"Ha! Venus on the Half-shell. Lovely model. Character?" "What one would expect of a secretary: sterling, faithful, devoted . . . to my work, of course."
"To your work, of course."
"And clever."
"D'you mean clever or intelligent?"
"Aren't they the same?"
"No. Cleverness requires humor. Intelligence does not."
"Then clever. I'll provide the intelligence. She must be able to learn quickly and remember. She must be able to acquire any skill necessary for my work. She must be perceptive and understand the stresses and conflicts that make a chairman's life one constant battle."
"So far you could hire such a girl," Manwright objected. "Why come to me?"
"I haven't finished, Dominie. She must have no private life and be willing to drop everything and be instantly availa-
ble at all times."
"Available for what?"
"Business luncheons, dinners, last-minute parties, client entertainment, and so forth. She must be chic and fashionable and able to dazzle men. You would not believe how many tough tycoons have been charmed into dubious deals by a seductive secretary."
"You've left out an important point. On what salary will she be seducting?"
"Oh, I'll provide the money for the wardrobe, the maquillage, and so forth. She must provide the taste, the charm, the wit, the entertaining conversation."
"Then you want a talker?"
"But only when I want her to talk. Otherwise, mum."
Corque whistled softly. "But you're describing a paragon, my dear sir."
"I would say a miracle, Professor Corque, but Dominie Manwright is celebrated for his miraculous creations."
"You married?" Manwright shot.
"Five times."
"Then you're a chaser."
"Dominie!"
"And easily landed."
"Really, you're extraordinarily blunt. A chaser? Well . . . let's say that I'm attracted, occasionally"
"Would you want your executive secretary to be responsive-occasionally? Is that to be programmed?"
"Only unilaterally. If I should happen to desire, I would want a beautiful response. But she is not to make demands. Nevertheless she will, of course, be faithful to me."
"These parameters are preposterous," Corque exclaimed indignantly.
"Not at all, Charles, not at all," Manwright soothed. "Mr. Valera is merely describing what all men desire in a woman:


an Aspasia, the beautiful femme galante who was the adoring mistress and adviser to Pericles of ancient Greece. It's wishful fantasy, but my business is turning fantasy into reality, and I welcome the challenge. This girl may be my magnum opus." Again he fired a shot at Valera. "And you'll become very bored."
"What?"
"Within six months this adoring, talented, dedicated slave will bore you to tears."
"But how? Why?"