"Foster, Alan Dean - SS3 - The Day of the Dissonance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

fine, thank you." He glanced back at the bench. "Is just
that I was looking for a certain bottle."

"What bottle?"

"Not marked, thish one." Sorbl looked conspiratorial
and winked knowingly with one great bloodshot eye.
"Medicinal liquid. Not for his ancientness in there. My
bottle," he finished, suddenly belligerent. "Nectar."

"Nectar? I thought owls liked mice."

"What?" said the outraged famulus. For an instant
Jon-Tom had forgotten where he was. The rodents here-
abouts were as intelligent and lively as any of the other
citizens of this world. "If I tried to take a bite out of a
mouse, his relatives would come string me up. I'll stick to
small lizards and snakishes. Listen," he continued more
softly, "it's hard working for this wizard. I need a lil'
lubrication now and then."

"You get any more lubricated," Jon-Tom observed
distastefully, "and your brains are going to slide out your
ass."

"Nonshensh. I am in complete control of myself." He
turned back toward the bench, staggered over to the edge,
and commenced a minute inspection of the surface with
eyes that should have been capable of spotting an ant from
a hundred yards away. At the moment, however, those
huge orbs were operating at less than maximum efficiency.

Jon-Tom shook his head in disgust and returned to the
wizard's bedside.

THE DAY OF THK DISSONANCE 7

"Well," asked Clothahump meaningfully, "what is your
opinion of my new famulus?"

"I think I see what you're driving at. I didn't notice any
of the qualities you said he possesses. I'm pretty sure he
was drunk."

"Really?" said Clothahump dryly. "What a profound
observation. We'll make a perceptive spellsinger out of
you yet. He is like that too much of the time, my boy. I am
blessed with a potentially brilliant famulus, a first-rate,
worthy assistant. Sadly, Sorbl is also a lush. Do you know
that I have to make him take a cart into town to buy