"Philip Jose Farmer - Riverworld 4 - The Magic Labyrinth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Farmer Phillip Jose)

time. Malory took this as a good indication of the man's health. At least he
wasn't in such deep trauma that he was unable to express his grief.

"Where have the others gone?" the stranger demanded.

Then his sorrow became rage, and he shook his fist at the skies and howled
damnation at someone named Thorn. Later, he asked if anybody had seen or heard
another aircraft, a helicopter. Many had.

"Which way did it go?" he said.

Some said that the machine making the strange chopping noise had gone down-
River. Others said that it had gone up-River. Several days later, the report
came that the machine had been seen sinking into The River two hundred miles
upstream during a rainstorm. Only one person had witnessed that, and he
claimed that a man had swum from the sinking craft. A message via drum was
sent to the area asking if any strangers had suddenly appeared. The reply was
that none had been located.

A number of grails were found floating on The River, and these were brought to
the survivor. He identified one as his, and he ate a meal from it that
afternoon. Several of the grails were "free" containers. That is, they could
be opened by anybody, and these were confiscated by the state of New Hope.

The Frenchman then asked if any gigantic boats propelled by paddlewheels had
passed this point. He was told that one had, the Rex Grandissimus, commanded
by the infamous King John of England.

"Good," the man said. He thought for a while, then said, "I could just stay
here and wait until the Mark Twain comes by. But I don't think I will. I'm
going after Thorn."

By then, he felt recovered .enough to talk about himself. And how he talked
about himself!

"I am Savinien de Cyrano II de Bergerac," he said. "I prefer to be called
Savinien, but for some reason most people prefer Cyrano. So I allow that small
liberty. After all, later ages

The Magic Labyrinth I 11

referred to me as Cyrano, and though it was a mistake, I am so famous that
people cannot get used to my preference. They think they know better than I
do.

"No doubt you've heard of me."

He regarded his hosts as if they should feel honored to have such a great man
as their guest.