"Janet Kagan - Mirabile" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kagan Janet)

 The best I could do was keep an eye on the surface of the water where it should
have been heading if it had followed a straight lineтАФand that was directly under my
boat. Looking straight down, I could barely make out a dark bulk. I could believe the
ton estimate.
It reached the other side. I lost sight of it momentarily. Then, with a surge that
brought up an entire float of lilies and splattered water all over me, it surfaced not ten
feet from my boat, to eye me with a glare.
IтАЩd thought SusanтАЩs odders were as ugly as things came, but this topped them
without even trying. Even through the mist, I could see it now.
Like SusanтАЩs Monster, it had that same old-boot-shaped head, the same flopping
mule ears, streaming water now. What IтАЩd taken for its head in the glimpse IтАЩd gotten
the previous night was actually the most unbelievable set of antlers IтАЩd ever seen in
my life, like huge gnarled up-raised palms. What Stirzaker had taken for grasping
hands, I realizedтАФonly at the moment they were filled to the brim with a tangle of
scarlet water lilies. From its throat, a flap of flesh dangled dripping like a wet beard.
It stared at me with solemn black eyes and munched thoughtfully on the nearest of
the dangling lilies. The drifting pollen was slowly turning it to gold.
I swear I didnтАЩt know whether to laugh or to cry.
For a moment, I just stared, and it stared back, looking away only long enough to
tilt another lily into its mouth. Then I remembered what I was there for and raised the
snagger. I got it first try, snapped the snagger to retrieve.
The thing jerked back, glared, then let out a bellow that Mike must have heard
back in the lab. It started to swim closer.
тАЬBACK OFF!тАЭ I bellowed. Truthfully, I didnтАЩt think it was angered, just nosy, but
I didnтАЩt want to find out the hard way. I raised the flare gun.
From the distance came the sound of splashing oars. тАЬAnnie!тАЭ Leo yelled. тАЬIтАЩm
coming. Hang on!тАЭ
The creature backpedaled in the water and cocked its head, lilies and all, toward
the sound of LeoтАЩs boat. Interested all over again, it started that way at a very
efficient paddle. I got a glimpse of a hump just at the shoulders, followed by the
curve of a rump, followed by a tiny flop of tail like a deerтАЩs. The same view Pastides
had gotten, no doubt.
Suddenly, from the direction of LeoтАЩs boat, there came the clamor of a bell. The
creature backpedaled again, ears twitching.
With a splash of utter panic, the creature turned around in the water, dived for
cover, and swam for shore. I could hear it crash into the undergrowth even over the
clanging of the bell.
тАЬEnough, Leo, enough! ItтАЩs gone!тАЭ He shut up with the bell and we called to each
other until he found me through the mist. IтАЩm sorry to say, by the time he pulled
alongside, I was laughing so hard there were tears streaming down my cheeks.
 LeoтАЩs faceтАФwhat I could see of itтАФwent through about three changes of
expression in as many seconds. He laid aside his bellтАФit was a big, bronze
beastly-scarebellтАФand sighed with relief. He too was gold from all the pollen.
I wiped my eyes and grinned at him. тАЬI wish I could say, тАШSaved by the bell,тАЩ but
the thing wasnтАЩt really a danger. Clumsy maybe. Possibly aggressive if annoyed,
butтАФтАЭ I burst into laughter again.
Leo said amiably, тАЬIтАЩm sure youтАЩll tell me about it when you get your breath
back.тАЭ
I nodded. Pulling in the sample the snagger had caught, I waved him toward the
shore. When we were halfway up the hill to the lodge, I said, тАЬPlease, Leo, donтАЩt ask