"Philip Jose Farmer - Night of Light" - читать интересную книгу автора (Farmer Phillip Jose)

At that moment he heard his name called by someone passing along the street. тАЬCome
on in, Tand!тАЭ Carmody shouted back in Kareenan. тАЬI thought youтАЩd gone to Sleep.
YouтАЩre not going to take the Chance, are you?тАЭ
Tand offered him a native-made cigarette, lit one of his own, blew smoke through
narrow nostrils, and replied, тАЬIтАЩve a very important deal to finish. It may take some time
to complete it. SoтАФIтАЩll have to put off Sleeping as long as possible.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs strange,тАЭ said Carmody, mentally noting that Tand had answered him in terms
as vague as possible. тАЬIтАЩve heard that you Kareenans think only about ethics and the
nature of the universe and improving your shining souls, not at all about dirty old
money.тАЭ
Tand smiled. тАЬWe are no different than most peoples. We have our saints, our sinners,
and our in-betweens. But we do seem to have a Galaxy-wide reputation, though quite a
contradictory one. One depicts us as a race of ascetic and holy men; the other, as the most
sensual and vile of so-called civilized people. And, of course, strange stories are told
about us, largely because of the Night of Light. Whenever we travel to another planet, we
find ourselves treated as something quite unique. Which I suppose we are, just as all
peoples are.тАЭ
Carmody did not ask the nature of the important deal that was keeping Tand from
going to Sleep at once. It would have been bad Kareenan form to do so. Over the glowing
tip of his cigarette he studied him. The fellow was about six feet tall, handsome according
to his own raceтАЩs standards. Like most intelligent beings of the Galaxy, he could pass for
a member of Homo sapiens at a distance, his ancestors having evolved along lines
parallel to those of Terrestrials. Only when he got closer could you see that his face,
though manlike, was not quite human. And the feathery-looking hair and blue-tinged
nails and teeth gave you a start when you first met a native of DanteтАЩs Joy.
Tand wore a gray, brimless, conical headpiece like a foolтАЩs cap, stuck jauntily onto
one side; his hair was clipped quite close except just above the wolflike ears, where it fell
straight down to cover them; his neck was encircled in a high lacy collar but his thigh-
length, bright violet shirt was severe enough. A broad gray velvet belt gathered it in at the
waist. His legs were bare, and his four-toed feet wore sandals.
Carmody had long suspected that the fellow was a member of the police force of this
city of Rak. He always seemed to be around, and he had moved into the place that lodged
Carmody the day after the Earthman had signed housepeace there.
Not that it mattered, thought Carmody. Even the police would be Sleeping in a day or
so. тАЬWhat about yourself?тАЭ asked Tand. тАЬAre you still insistent on taking the Chance?тАЭ
Carmody nodded and shot Tand a confident smile.
тАЬWhat were you chasing?тАЭ added Tand.
Suddenly, CarmodyтАЩs hands trembled, and he had to dig them in his pockets to hide
them. His lips writhed in silent talk to himself.
Now, now, Carmody, none of this. You know nothing ever bothers you. But if that is
so, why this shaking, this cold sickness in the dead center of your belly?
It was TandтАЩs turn to smile, exposing his humanly shaped but blue-tinged teeth.
тАЬI caught a glimpse of that thing you were chasing so desperately. It was the
beginnings of a face, whether Kareenian or Terrestrial, I couldnтАЩt say. But since you
doubtless conceived it, it must have been human.тАЭ
тАЬWh-what dтАЩya mean, conceived? I, Conceived. . .?тАЭ
тАЬOh, yes. You saw it form in the air in front of you, didnтАЩt you?тАЭ
тАЬImpossible!тАЭ
тАЬNo, nor fantastic. The phenomenon, though not common, does occur now and then.
Usually, a change takes place in the body of the conceiver, not outside. Your problem