"Raymond Jones - Renegades of Time" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jones Raymond)

languages, most of them unknown to him. But he caught,
"idiotтАФfoolтАФstumbling jackas*, тАФempty-headed clodтАФ" and
references to ancestry that are common in any language. That
was his introduction to Tamarina. He didn't know then who she
was, of course. She was simply a bedraggled spitfire standing in
the rain, her presence in that setting as mysterious to him as his
own.

She was dressed in clothing that had a touch of the unknown,
yet it was not too different from that seen on the streets and in
the classrooms of Midland. Her tiny brown skirt looked like fine
leather, but was probably some plastic. Calf-length boots were
quite suitable for the sludge she waded through to approach Joe
Simmons. Her soaked blouse could have been of any place or
fashion.

Her blonde hair was long and fine and was normally filled
with golden light, Joe was sure. Now it was wet and straggly, and
the girl looked much like a drenched kitten Joe had once pulled
out of the creek when he was a kid.

He coudn't help smiling. He didn't know who the girl was or
where the two of them were, or what had brought him there. But
he felt sure it was no illusion now, and it was a delight to hear
the girl swear in the seventeen different languages she seemed all
mixed up in.

Joe grabbed a branch projecting over the puddle and jerked
to his feet. Still woozy, he managed to stay upright. He discarded
the soaked car coat he wore. The soggy mass was wholly
unnecessary in the warm rain.

"Take it easy," he said to the girl. "I don't know what you're
talking about, but I don't like some of the names you're calling
me. It might help us both if you told me what you know about
where we are."

Her expression was one of contempt. "English language. From
Bill Bradley's block. He said there was interference. I suppose you
are it. For making a mess of things your performance is a
beautiful, roaring success."

Joe took a step toward her, feeling less wobbly now. "If there's
anything I did to deliver us here it was purely accidental. Now
tell me who you are, and what you know about this placeтАФand,
most important, what you know about getting us out of here."

Joe touched her arm above the elbow, intending to be firm
and show her who was boss in this place and to shut off the
storm of abuse she was still throwing at him. His muscles