"Harry Harrison - SSR 09 - The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to He" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

the news-"
"Vicarious thrills and sheer jealousy. There isn't one person in a trillion who could even
afford a day's visit there."
"We could. I'm sure."
"Of course-"
Of course. Famous Last Words. Springing to my lips engendered by relaxation and mental
sloth. By hindsight it was obvious that every word of that simple conversation was planned and
orchestrated by my dearest. She was a woman who, when she knew what she wanted done, got it done.
Lussuoso. Famous in myth and legend and galactic soap operas. A paradise planet. Populated
only by the very, very rich and those who were richer. I had been intrigued by this phenomenon at
first and had done a bit of research. I was in an exotic enough income bracket to quickly discover
why it was so attractive,
It was the galactic center for rejuvenation treatments. These were so hideously expensive
that you had to be a millionaire to even see their price list. The treatments were painless but
time-consuming. Depending upon the degree of customer decay this could take years. Since a clinic
would be a bore, and there was no shortage of money in the project, an entire planet had been
terraformed into a holiday world. Luxury villas rivaled each other in exuberance. Operas, theaters
and entertainments of all kinds abounded. All the sports from deep-sea diving and fishing to
mountain climbing and hunting were there for the taking. But hidden away from all this consumptive
capitalism were the clinics and surgeries where the rich got younger and, if possible, poorer.
This was the taboo subject and never mentioned-but was the real reason why the planet existed in
the first place.
I had discovered all this and had instantly forgotten it. Angelina had not. I knew that
my fate was sealed, my goose well-cooked, served and carved, when she stopped in front of the hall
mirror one day just before we left for dinner. She patted her immaculately groomed hair as women
are wont to do-then leaned closer. Touching the corner of one eye with a delicate fingertip.
"Jim-is that a line, right here?"
"Of course not. Just the way the light is falling."
Even as I spoke these polite, truthful and simple words my thoughts were briskly whirring
forwards. Years of happy marriage had taught me one important fact-if not a lot of important
facts. Women speak with many levels of meaning. As simple a question as Are you hungry? can mean I
am hungry. Or have you forgotten we have a dinner appointment? Or I'm not hungry but I'm sure you
will be bothering me about lunch soon. Or any other of countless convoluted interpretations. So a
possible line in the corner of an eye, following soon after a simple query about Lussuoso and the
chance appearance of a gilt brochure on the end table could mean only thing. I smiled.
"I am beginning to feel that this world has worn out its welcome and is starting to bore
more than a little. Have you ever thought of passing a spell on, I don't know, some grander and
more exciting planet?"
She whirled about and kissed me enthusiastically. "Jim-you must be a mind reader! What do
you think about..."
I really didn't have much to think about. Other than remembering long-forgotten bank
accounts.
But it had been well worth it. For awhile. Angelina absented herself from time to time-but
we never discussed the rejuvenation treatments. I am forced to admit that, after noting my touches
of gray hair, as well as a slight tendency to be short of breath after serious exercise, I was not
that adverse to a medical session or two myself. After all I was paying for it. And Lussuoso was
as jolly and entertaining as the brochures had said. Our house was lovely and our friends lovelier
still. I don't know how beautiful these people had been before they had become beautiful people-
but they were sure good to look at now. Neither age shall wither nor time detract. They used to
say that money couldn't buy everything, but this cliche had long been extinct. On Lussuoso they