"Avram Davidson - The Kar-chee Reign" - читать интересную книгу автора (Davidson Avram)

gate posts came another party of guests, their cries and gestures as they
saw the new roof firmly in place already expressing a mixture of dismay
and self-reproach and rueful good humor.
Old Ren said, "Jow's peopleтАж late because they started lateтАж started
late because they didn't think to come at all. Only coming now because
Jow's got something on his mind that came up on a sudden. Well. Got to
feed them." He rose and prepared to welcome them.
His wife said, "Won't be enough meat. Kill or hunt?"
But he had already gestured his decision to his two younger sons, and
was now waiting for Jow to bring his people and his unhappy face up to
the bench to be welcomed.
 Lors, Duro, four or five of young nephews and cousins to beat and help
bear, and one of the just-arrived guests, uninvited, but not thereby
unwelcomeтАФtrotted off, hunt-bound. Duro was still young enough to love
hunting next to eating. Lors would much rather have stayed with his hand
on Mia's hipтАж he would much, much rather have gone with her where he
could put his hand somewhere elseтАж but his father's expression and
gesture were alike unmistakable and undeniable. Guests had to be fed,
there was no ignoring it, and it was up to the popa to decide if stock were
to be killed or if the huntsmen were to go out. The alternatives were
equally honorable to the guests. The fields lay, for the most part, up and
away from the sea. There were deer in the rainier lowlands; guanaco were
to be found only in the highs, well above the fields; and now, as they came
to the fork in the way, they had to decide which it was that they were to
hunt.
"We'd best go down," Lors said, trying to give his words the sound of
judicious reflection. "We can get deer quicker and not delay our guests."
Duro at once countered, seemingly innocently, "And then you can get
back and away quicker, and on top of Mia."
The younger boys laughed; the newcomer smiled. Lors wondered if he
should hit his brother, decided against it for the moment. "I was thinking
only of our guests," he said with dignity. And added, "How do they call
you, guest?"
"Tom-small," said the guest, putting the boys to giggling again. He was
about Lors' own age, and a rather large young man.
"I shouldn't like to have to share a sleeping-hammock with Tom-big,
whoever he is," said Duro. This was an acceptable excuse: Lors hit him.
"No way to talk to guests," he said, righteously.
"He's my uncle," the guest said, unannoyed. "I used to be smaller than
him, but the name sticksтАж" He looked up the fork to the right, raising his
head toward Mount Tihuaca, only partly obscured by drifting clouds. "I've
never been up there. I've heardтАж it's said that on a clear day you can see
the ocean on all sides, the whole coastline, from thereтАж" His voice ended
on a vaguely questioning note. He was a diffident, amiable one.
Duro said, "Yes, maybe, but I've never seen the day that was that clear.
There always seems to be at least some part of the coast you can't see."
Lors understood what Tom-small had in mind. "We really do not have
time to go that far today," he pointed out, kindly enough. His eyes were
blue-gray, his hair was long and black, his skin a light brown. "Maybe, if
you stay over, we could make a special tripтАФ" A half-smile of pleasurable,