"C M Kornbluth - That Share Of Glory" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kornbluth C M)

after priceless liter of my fuel. And when we land the swindling Lyrans will without doubt make my ruin
complete by tricking me even out of the minute profit I hope to realize. Good Master Herald, let me have
the infant cheap and I'll bid you good day."



The Rector's shaggy eyebrows drew down in a frown. 'Trader," he said sonorously, "our mission of
galactic utilitarian culture is not concerned with your margin of profit. I ask you to test this youth and, if
you find him able, to take him as your Herald on your voyage. He will serve you well, for he has been
taught that commerce and words, its medium, are the unifying bonds which will one day unite the cosmos
into a single humankind. Do not conceive that the College and Order of Heralds is a mere aid to you in
your commercial adventure."



"Very well," growled the trader. He addressed Alen in broken Lyran: "Boy, how you make up Vegan
stones of three fires so Lyran womfen like, come buy, buy again?"



Alen smoothly replied: "The Vegan triple-fire gem finds most favor on Lyran and especially among its
women when set in a wide glass anklet if large, and when arranged in the Lyran 'lucky five' pattern in a
glass thumb-ring if small." He was glad, very glad, he had come acrossтАФand as a matter of course
memorized, in the relentless fashion of the OrderтАФa novel which touched briefly on the Lyran jewel
trade.



The trader glowered and switched to CepheanтАФapparently his native tongue. "That was well-enough
said, Herald. Now tell me whether you've got guts to man a squirt in case we're intercepted by the
thieving so-called Customs collectors of Eyolf's Realm between here and Lyra?"



Alen knew the Rector's eyes were on him. "The noble mission of our Order," he said, "forbids me to use
any weapon but the truth in furthering cosmic utilitarian civilization. No, master trader, I shall not man one
of your weapons."



The trader shrugged. "So I must take what I get. Good Master Herald, make me a price."



The Rector said casually: "I regard this chiefly as a training mission for our novice; the fee will be
nominal. Let us say twenty-five per cent of your net as of blastoff from Lyra, to be audited by
Journeyman-Herald Alen."