"Avram Davidson - Naples" - читать интересную книгу автора (Davidson Avram)

тАФHe is a foreigner. He has, fool, son of a jackal, son of a strumpet, he has moneyтАФtheyoungman
turned, abruptly, to the traveler. SaidтАФShow himтАФ

The traveler hesitated, looked all about. His mouth moved.So, too, his nose.His hands, no.

тАФYou will have to show, you know. Can you pay without showingтАФ

The traveler suddenly took a wallet from an inner pocket of his coat, abruptly opened it, and abruptly
thrust it in again, placed his back not quite against the noisome wall, crossed his arms over his chest.

Slowly, slowly, the man on the bed slid his feet to the floor.

тАФWait outsideтАФhe said.тАФHalfwaydownтАФhe added.

On the half landing they waited.Listened.Heard.

Dragging, dragging footsteps. A voice they had not heard before.тАФNoNOтАФA voice as it might be
from behind the curtain or the blanket or the what-was-it in place of the door. The faint sounds of some
faint and grisly struggle.Voices but no further words.Gasps, only.

Something began to wail, in a horrid broken voice.Then, outside the doorframe, at the head of the stairs,
the man, tottering against the wall.Extending toward them his hands, together, as though enclosing
something within.

тАФBequickтАФhe said.Panting.
And, all the while, the dreadful wail went on from behind him.

Theyoungman sprang up the stairs, his left hand reaching forward. Behind his back his right hand formed
a fist with its thumb thrust out between first and second fingers; then both his hands swept up and met
both hands of the other. Theyoungman , face twisted, twisting, darted down the steps to the half landing.

тАФThe moneyтАФ

Again, hands met. The traveler thrust his deep into his bosom, kept one there,withdrew the other.
Withdrew his wallet, fumbled.

тАФNot here, not here, you knowтАФtheyoungman warned.тАФThe police, you knowтАФ

One look the older man flung about him.тАФOh no. Oh God, not hereтАФhe said.тАФOnthe shipтАФ

Theyoungman nodded. Roughly divided the money, tossed half of it up and behind without looking back.
He did not come close to the older man as they hurried down the stairs.

Above, the wailing ceased. That other voice spoke, in a manner not to be described, voice changing
register on every other word, almost.

тАФCurse the day my daughter's daughter gave you birth. May you burn, son of aStrega and son of a
strumpet, burn one hundred thousand years in Purgatory without remissionтАФ

The voice broke, crocked wordlessly a moment.Resumed.