"Gordon R. Dickson - The Last Dream" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

тАЬWellтАФif your worship really doesnтАЩtтАжтАЭ Secoh had been sidling forward in fawning fashion. тАЬIf youтАЩll
excuse my table manners, sir. IтАЩm just a mere-dragonтАФтАЭ and he tore into the meat before him in sudden,
terrified, starving fashion.

Jim watched. Unexpectedly, his long tongue flickered out to lick his chops. His belly rumbled. He was
astounded at himself. Raw meat? Off a dead animalтАФflesh, bones, hide and all? He took a firm grip on
his appetites.

тАЬEr, Secoh,тАЭ he said. тАЬIтАЩm a stranger around these parts. I suppose you know the territoryтАж Say, how
does that cow taste, anyway?тАЭ

тАЬOh, terrubbleтАФmumpfтАФтАЭ replied Secoh, with his mouth full. тАЬStringyтАФold. Good enough for a
mere-dragon like myself, but notтАФтАЭ

тАЬWell, about these directionsтАФтАЭ

тАЬYes, your highness?тАЭ

тАЬI thinkтАж you know itтАЩs your cowтАжтАЭ

тАЬThatтАЩs what your honor said,тАЭ replied Secoh, cautiously.

тАЬBut I just wonderтАж you know IтАЩve never tasted a cow like that.тАЭ

Secoh muttered something despairingly under his breath.

тАЬWhat?тАЭ said Jim.

тАЬI said,тАЭ said Secoh, resignedly, тАЬwouldnтАЩt your worship like to t-taste itтАФтАЭ

тАЬNot if youтАЩre going to cry about it,тАЭ said Jim.

тАЬI bit my tongue.тАЭ

тАЬWell, in that caseтАжтАЭ Jim walked up and sank his teeth in the shoulder of the carcass. Rich juices
trickled enticingly over his tongueтАж

Some little time later he and Secoh sat back polishing bones with the rough uppers of their tongues which
were as abrasive as steel files.

тАЬDid you get enough to eat, Secoh?тАЭ asked Jim.

тАЬMore than enough, sir,тАЭ replied the mere-dragon, staring at the white skeleton with a wild and famished
eye. тАЬAlthough, if your exaltedness doesnтАЩt mind, IтАЩve a weakness for marrowтАжтАЭ He picked up a
thighbone and began to crunch it like a stick of candy.

тАЬNow,тАЭ said Jim. тАЬAbout this Loathly Tower. Where is it?тАЭ

тАЬThe wh-what?тАЭ stammered Secoh, dropping the thighbone.