"Damon Knight - The Handler" - читать интересную книгу автора (Knight Damon)

THE HANDLER



THE HANDLER

by Damon Knight

from Rogue


In one of the two very small towns where both he and I live -Milford, Pa., a river valley resort on the
edge of the Poconos-Damon Knight is known as, "You know, the one who always walks down Broad
Street reading!"

Milford, with more than a thousand year-round regular residents can, and does, offer a sort of pleased,
affectionate, perhaps slightly proud, understanding to its reckless-reader street-crosser. The other (and
much smaller) town we both live in-the curiously close-knit community of "science-fictionists"-is less
indulgent by far: not that anyone minds how much reading he does; it's what he says afterward that
hurts.

When Anthony Boucher retired as reviewer for Fantasy and Science Fiction, the only logical successor
to the post was Damon Knight, then already firmly established as "'he other critic" in science fantasy. (I
do mean "critic." Damon has been known to like a book-but rarely to say so. All in all, he has probably
poured more vinegar on troubled authors than any other monthly columnist ever thought to keep in
stock).

It is a double pleasure then, to an author-editor like myself, to see him turn his acerbity, auctorially, on a
field once-removed from publishing-the world of entertainment.




When the big man came in, there was a movement in the room like a lot of bird dogs pointing. Piano
player quits pounding, the two singing drunks shut up, all the beautiful people with cocktails in their
hands stop talking and laughing.

"Pete!" the nearest women shrilled, and he walked straight into the room, arms around two girls, hugging
them tight. "How's my sweetheart? Susy, you look good enough to eat, but I had it for lunch. George,
you pirate"-he let go both girls, grabbed a bald blushing little man and thumped him on the arm- "you
were great, sweetheart, I mean it, really great. Now HEAR THIS!" he shouted, over all the voices that
were clamoring Pete this, Pete that.

file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Damon%20Knight%20-%20The%20Handler.htm (1 of 5) [10/31/2004 11:07:13 PM]
 THE HANDLER




Somebody put a martini in his hand and he stood holding it, bronzed and tall in his dinner jacket, teeth