"Henry Kuttner - The Well of the Worlds" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kuttner Henry)

appealing sort of way that made him think of the ill-fated Lise Bolkonskaya in War and Peace,
whose pretty little upper lip was too short for her teeth. The planes of Jflai Ford's cheeks and
the way the round eyes were set fascinated him. He had never seen just those structural lines
before in any face on earth, and his experience had been wide.

Sawyer smiled at her. He had very white teeth in a very brown face, and his hair and eyes were a
few shades lighter than his skin. About him was that relaxed air of alertness a man acquires who
has reached a satisfactory compromise with life, and knows there will always be more compromises
to make, as long as life lasts.

Til do my best," he told her, trying to place the curious little accent that had sounded in the
girl's voice. "I don't even carry a gun, though. Our outfit usually works more with adding"
machines than with revolvers. Maybe you'd better tell me a little more. The Commissioner wouldn't
have sent me up here if he hadn't figured I could solve your problem, in my own plodding wayтАФwhich
may be the best way to tackleтАФyou said ghosts?"



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"Yes, ghosts," the girl said firmly, and her odd little accent was as maddening as a tune you
can't quite remember. "They're ruining our output. The miners won't even work some of the levels
any more. Our refineries down south report the percentage of uranium in the pitchblends is
dropping like that."

She snapped her fingers and looked at him anxiously. "The mine is haunted. I'm not crazy, Mr.
Sawyer, but I'm perfectly sure my partner would like you to think I am. That man's trying to close
the mine. I thinkтАФ" She clasped her hands tight and looked appealingly at Sawyer. "I know it
sounds mad," she said, "but somebody's trying to kill me."

"Can you prove it?" Sawyer asked mildly.

"I can."

"Good. As for closing the mine, I don't think the Commissioner would allow it, so you needn't
worry aboutтАФ"

"He won't have any choice, if the uranium ore keeps

melting away," the girl interrupted. "After all, the government only manages die mines by courtesy
these days. And AlperтАФ" She paused, drew a long breath and met Sawyer's quiet gaze squarely.

"I'm afraid of him," she said. "He's a strange old man-half crazy, I think. He's up to something
very odd. He's found something down in the mine. I should say he's found someoneтАФ" She broke off,
laughing helplessly. "It doesn't make sense. But film doesn't lie, does it? What I've got on film,
photographed in the mine, would be evidence, wouldn't it? That's why I sent for you, Mr. Sawyer. I
want to put a stop to this before Alper and I go stark raving crazy together. There's a woman down
in Level EightтАФor the shadow of a woman. Oh, I know how it sounds! But I can show you."