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

appreciate even if the rice growers couldnтАЩt. Wiping тАШem out wholesale was not an
option on my list, but I knew the farmers would be thinking along those lines if we
didnтАЩt come up with something by next growing season.
I donтАЩt mess with the Mirabilan ecology any more than I have to. We donтАЩt know
enough about it to know what weтАЩre getting into. Even if I thought we could do it,
weтАЩd be fools to try to wipe out any native species. The Earth-authentic species
weтАЩve imported have played havoc enough with the Mirabilan ecology.
I wasnтАЩt paying much attention to anything but the problem at hand, so when
Susan exclaimed, тАЬNoisy! You look awful,тАЭ I practically jumped out of my skin and
busted my elbow turning my chair.
She wasnтАЩt kidding. Leo did look awful. His white hair looked like something had
nested in it; he was bleedingтАФno, had bled profuselyтАФacross the cheek; his shirt
hung in tatters from the shoulder and there were raking claw marks along his upper
arms. Mike went scrambling for the emergency kit.
The only thing that spoiled the impact of all this disaster was that Leo was
grinning from ear to ear. тАЬNow, is that any way to greet an old friend?тАЭ he said to
Susan. тАЬEspecially one whoтАЩs come courting?тАЭ
He turned the grin on me and it got broader and brighter. Then he made me a
deep formal bow and started in: тАЬAnnie Jason Masmajean, I, Leonov Bellmaker
Denness, beg you to hear my petition.тАЭ
I got to my feet and bowed back, just as deeply and formally, to let him know IтАЩd
be glad to hear him out. He made a second bow, deeper than the first, and went on:
тАЬI have brought you a gift in symbol of my intentionsтАжтАЭ
Mike had the medical kit but he stood frozen. Chances were neither he nor Susan
had ever seen a shipтАЩs-formal proposal except in the old films. The novelty of it kept
either from interrupting. Just as well. I was enjoying the performance: Leo has flair.
Besides, I wouldnтАЩt dream of interrupting a man in the process of cataloguing my
virtues, even if some of those тАЬvirtuesтАЭ would have raised eyebrows in a lot of other
people. I especially liked being called тАЬreasonably stubborn.тАЭ
At last Leo got to the wrap-up. тАЬIt is my hope that you will accept my gift and
consider my suit.тАЭ He finished off with yet another bow.
Seeing he was done spurred Mike and Susan into action. Susan held Leo down
while Mike worked him over with alcohol swabs. тАЬNo respect for ritual,тАЭ Leo
complained. тАЬBack тАЩem off, Annie, canтАЩt you? IтАЩm not senile yet! I did clean the
wounds.тАЭ
Leo had spent years as a scout, so I didnтАЩt doubt his good sense. HeтАЩd hardly
have lived to the ripe old age he had if he hadnтАЩt been cautious about infection in the
bush.
 To the two of them, he protested, тАЬThe lady hasnтАЩt answered yet.тАЭ
тАЬBack off,тАЭ I told the kids.
They didnтАЩt until I advanced on them. Mike took two steps away from Leo, put
his hands behind his back, and said to Susan, тАЬNow heтАЩs going to get it.тАЭ Susan
nodded.
Leo just kept grinning, so I gave him a huge hug hello to make sure nothing was
broken. The rest of him looked just fine, so I stepped back and bowed once more to
meet the requirements of the ritual. тАЬLeo Bellmaker Denness, I, Annie Jason
Masmajean, am sufficiently intrigued to view your gift.тАЭ
He crooked a finger and led me outside, Mike and Susan right behind. тАЬIn the
back of the truck. DonтАЩt open that door until youтАЩve had a good look!тАЭ
So we climbed the back bumper and all crowded to the window for a good look.