"Edward L. Ferman - Best From F&SF, 23rd Edition" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ferman Edward L)

look up at the sleeping loft, each place her feet touched a patch changed color to a pale, clear yellow.
She stared, then laughed and ran her hands along the back of a chair. It, too, changed color, to a pattern
of pastel greens and yellows.
"PolySensitives," she said. "I haven't seen any of these since I was a little girt." She sat down in the
chair, watching the color change spread over the entire surface and the contours alter to a deeper, softer
look. "How fun."
Unfortunately the polys were not always fun. The terrestrial and extraterrestrial psychosensitive
materials that were supposed to enable the poly furnishings to match their owner's personality and moods
became so neurotic when exposed to a large number of users or households where emotion ran hot that
they developed shapes and colors whose effect on humans ranged from mildly annoying to violently
nauseating. Polys were appropriate for Amanda, though. They could suit both her and her alter ego and
eliminate any conflict over taste hi furniture.
Amanda said, "I think this will be fine. Where do I sign the lease?"
That brought her alter to mind. "Will Selene be signing, too?"
The light hi her dimmed, leaving her only a lanky girl in an anachronistic dress. She pulled at a copper
lock dangling down over her temple. "There's no need. The courts won't recognize us as separate
people. What one does is legally binding on the other."
 I was dismayed by the effect the question had on her. I forced heartiness into my voice. "Then let's
drive back to the office and sign. Yon can move in today."
Driving down the mountain, I pointed out the villas and estates of some of our celebrity citizens:
actress Lillith Manners, novelist Forrest Jakovich, and our extraterrestrial, Gepbhal Gepbhanna. I was
finally rewarded by seeing the light come back on in her. At the office I explained that the owner of No.
43 would only let the cabin until May. Was that all right with her?
"I hope m be gone before then. I'm just on holiday until I decide what to do with my life."
I raised my brows. "You've given up being hostess for your father?"
She lowered her eyes. "My father remarried last month. He doesn't need me any longer. But a
woman of twenty-six ought to be leaving home anyway."
тАЬIтАЩm surprised there's any problem what to do. Your dancing has already won critical acclaim."
The light in her dimmed. "Selene is the dancer. I don't know anything about it."
"But if she knowsтАФ" I began, then, as her light went out entirely, said, тАЬIтАЩm sorry; I didn't mean to
upset you. I was just carious. . . ."
"Everyone is." Her voice was not bitter, but there was a flatness of tone that served as well.
I brought the subject back to business. "If you come to May and aren't ready to leave, IтАЩll find you
another cabin."
She tugged at the lock of hair over her temple again. "By that time, it will be Selene's decision."
My curiosity reared up again. The gossip columnists speculated a great deal about how Amanda and
Selene managed their dual existence, but because neither personality gave interviews on the subject, it
had to remain only speculation. The custody decision, however, was public knowledge. January to June
had gone to Margot Randall, July to December to the Senator. It sounded like the alters might still divide
their year that way. But rather than distress Amanda further by asking about it, I bit my tongue and
hurried out to get the lease from my secretary.
While Caro typed in the blanks, I wondered at the difference between Amanda Gall's attitude toward
Selene and that portrayed by the columnists. They made it sound like kinky fun. Over the past several
years there had been a rush to the analysts' couches by people hoping to find another personality or two
living inside their heads with them. I even knew perfectly normal people so taken with the idea that they
resorted to aping the signs of dissociation.
Amanda was still very quiet when I took the lease in to her. I offered her myself and my runabout to
move her luggage from the cabletrain station. She accepted, and while we collected the luggage, including
a huge trunk that almost filled the car, I did my best to be kind and amusing. Finally, she started glowing
again. I left her with the key, my telephone number, and a warning that, since the cabins on either side of