"Laumer, Keith - Retief of the COTUC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Laumer Keith)

pushed around by local hoodlums is even less
satisfying than being exploited from afar."

"Indeed so," Prinkle agreed. "In the case of
foreigners one can always gain a certain relief
by hurling descriptive epithets, mocking their
outlandish ways, and blaming everything on
their inherent moral leprosyЧan awkward
technique to use on one's relatives."

The landlord returned, beaming, with a
quart-sized wooden container topped by a re-
spectable head. Relief raised it in salute and
drank deep.

"And if what my nephew o'erheard be any
indication," Uncle Binkster went on, wiping
foam from his whiskers, "the worst is yet to
come. Hast related all to our benefactor, lad?"

"Not yet. Uncle." Prinkle turned to Relief.
"I was sweeping up crumbs in the VIP break-
fast room, my mind on other matters, when I
heard the word 'Tsugg' bandied among the
company still sitting at table. I cocked an
auricle, thinking to hear the scoundrels roundly
denounced, only to catch the intelligence that
their chief, that brawling bravo Hoobrik, rep-
resenting himself to be spokesman and natural
leader of all Oberon, withal, hath demanded
audience of His Impressiveness, Ambassador
Clawhammer! 'Twas but natural that I under-
took to disabuse Their Lordships of this im-

RETIEF OF THE CDT 17

pertinent notion, accidentally overturning a
pot of chocolate in process thereofЧ"

"Alas, my nephew is at times too enthusi-
astic in his espousal of his views," Uncle
Binkster put in. "Though 'tis beyond dispute,
in this instance he was sorely tried."

"In sooth, so was His Honor, Mr. Magnan,
when the cocoa landed in his lap," Prinkle
admitted. "Happily, 'twas somewhat cooled
by long standing."

"A grotesque prospect," Uncle Binkster ru-