"R. A. Lafferty - Melchisedek 02 - Tales of Midnight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lafferty R A)

keep for his own gusty enjoyment and cry out "Gad, what genius I had when I
did them!"
Henri Salvatore, the Fat Frenchman from the Swamps, was the center
of gravity of any room or building he was in. He was this by sheer weight.
Henri was a whopper in color and texture and movement and sound. But
balanced proportion was not in him at all.
And Absalom! "Absalom, take off that purple cape with the scarlet
lining! It's just too much!" Oh, but he wasn't wearing a purple cape with a
scarlet lining at all. He was wearing a simple unfigured sports shirt. It
was just something extravagant about him that gave Duffey the impression
that he was wearing the outlandwash get-up.
The twelve talismanic creations of Melchiscdech Duffey were these:
Finnegan, who was the salt of their lives, who was properly named
John Solli, who was (hold onto yourself) the son of Monster Giulio. He'll be
here tomorrow.
John Schultz who was Hans.
Henri Salvatore, who was going to give Duffey the scenario for the
rest of his life.
Vincent Stranahan, the son of Patrick Stranahan and Monica Murray
Stranahan, who was going to get married Saturday.
Casey Szymansky, now seen for the thousand-and-first time, and seen
with new eyes.
Dotty Yekouris.
Mary Monaghan Schultz.
Mary Virginia Schaeffer.
Teresa (Show Boat) Piccone.
(Give more space than that and they'll run away with it.)
Absalom Stein.
Mr. X.
Twelve of them. There was a puzzle how Duffey could have been
spiritual and magic father to Mr. X who claimed to be a bit older than
Duffey. The answer was that Mr. X was an unrepentant liar who was actually
slightly younger than Duffey. There had been the case of Duffey, when he was
very young, giving a talisman to an Italian man who was selling some kind of
confection out of a hokey-pokey push-cart. But X must be reserved for later.


2

The Animated Marvels left, suddenly, a with a great flourish. And
people smthed their 'ain't-they-something' smiies.
Then another of them came in with agr up.
Charley Murray came into the Rounders' Club with his sister Monica
Murray Strnahan and her husband Patrick Stranahan. And with them was Papa
Piccone of the old Star and Garter Theatre. And another person, quite
special.
Charley Murray had given orders for a supper to be served in a
thrice-special room upstairs. Charley was the acting manager of Rounders'.
Duffey was only the King of the place, and the founder, angd the half-owner.