"Alexander Kazantsev - The Destruction of Faena" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kazantsev Alexander)

"He's a better swimmer than you think," commented Mada vaguely.
"But why's he taken that board? It's frightening to watch."
Even so, she couldn't take her eyes off him.
Ave swam as far as the breakwater and climbed over it. He had now
attracted the attention of many swimmers.
"Why did you decide he's that particular stranger?" asked Mada.
"Because of his companion. Roundheaded, like me; a hunchback into
the bargain, yet he's as proud as if he was strolling along the beach of
Danjab. I feel ashamed for our own people. Isn't anyone going to teach
that show-off how to swim?"
"No, I don't want to," said Mada, watching as the gigantic breakers
swept the foreign visitor up onto their crests.
And suddenly all the holidaymakers on the beach stirred in amazement.
The swimmer chose the moment when a particularly big wave lifted
him up on its crest, jumped to his feet and waved his arms, as if wanting
to fly like a bird. He did not take off, however, but simply kept his balance
on the slippery board. He stood like that on the foaming crest and with
frightening speed swept towards the shore, clad in foam and spray. It
seemed incredible that he should stay on the moving watery mountain.
But the madman not only held his position; laughing defiantly, he began
gliding down the steep watery slope, then allowed the wave to throw him
upon its crest again.
The crowded beach gasped at this bold display of skill.
"But I must see how that's done," said Mada determinedly, casting off
the "ancient robe" and handing it to her worried nanny.
"What are you doing, my dear?" she protested, forgetting her recent
advice. "He'll bump you with his board. And is it fitting for the daughter
of Yar Jupi to swim beside him?"
Mada ran into the sea and dived into an oncoming wave. The dark cap
of stretch material protecting her thick hair from the water bobbed amid
the foaming crests.
Mada swam as far as the breakwater and climbed onto it. From there
she saw the foreign swimmer going back to the sea with his board for
another ride on the breakers. She waved to him, although he could not see
her.
 There was unlikely to be as skilful a swimmer on the Great Shore as
Mada. The ocean waves bore her up onto their crests and tried to hurl her
back. But she was not accustomed to giving up once she had set her heart
on something. She decided that she absolutely must stand on that magic
board, and no force in the world could have stopped her.
The foreigner swimming away from the shore didn't even look round.
Mada only had a glimpse of the stranger, but as she swam after him she
had the distinct impression of an athletic figure in a loincloth, strong
muscles rippling under the skin, and curly hair as tousled as that of a boy.
Suddenly, Mada saw him. He was standing on a foaming crest. The
water seemed to be boiling under him, and with reckless abandon he
began gliding down the watery slope straight at Mada.
Ave noticed her at the last moment and jumped, while Mada dived
under the board.
It seemed to her that the wave had crashed down on her, but it was just