"Chalker, Jack L - DG1 - The River of the Dancing Gods" - читать интересную книгу автора (Chalker Jack L)

"Good morning," he opened. What else was there to say to
start things off?

The man in the top hat didn't reply immediately, but seemed
to examine him from head to toe as an appraiser might look
at a diamond ring. "Oh, yes, you'll do nicely, I think," he said
in a pleasant, mellow voice with a hint of a British accent. He
looked up at the woman, still in the cab, seemingly oblivious
to the glare of the truck lights. "She, too, I suspect, although
I really wasn't expecting her. A pleasant bonus."

"Hey, look, you!" the driver called angrily, losing patience.
"What the hell is all this?"

"Oh, dear me, forgive my manners!" the stranger responded.
"But, you see, you came here, I didn't come to you. Where
do you think you are -- and where do you want to be?"

Because, the man was right, it put the driver on the defensive.
"Uh, urn, well, I seem to have taken a bum turn back on
Interstate 10. I'm just trying to get back to it."

The big man smiled gently. "But you never left that road.

15

JACK L. CHALKER

You're still on it. You'll be on it for another nineteen minutes
and eighteen seconds."

The driver just shook his head disgustedly. He must be as
nutty as he looked, that was for sure. "Look, friend. I got stuck
over here by accident in a thunderstorm and followed the road
back there to -- what was the town? Oh, yeah, Ruddygore. I
figure I'll turn around there. Can you just tell me how far it
is?"

"Oh, Ruddygore isn't an 'it,' sir," the strange man replied.
"You see, I'm Ruddygore. Throckmorton P. Ruddygore, at
your service." He doffed his top hat and made a small bow.
"At least, that's who I am when I'm here."

The driver gave an exasperated sigh. "Okay, that's it. Forget
it, buddy. I'll find my own way back."

"The way back is easy, Joe," Ruddygore said casually. "Just
follow the road back. But you'll die, Joe -- nineteen minutes
eighteen seconds after you rejoin your highway. A second storm
with hail and a small twister is up there, and it's going to cause