"Fritz Leiber - A Bad Day for Sales" - читать интересную книгу автора (Leiber Fritz)

тАЬTake it, youngster,тАЭ he said after another pause. тАЬItтАЩs for you. DonтАЩt be afraid.тАЭ
His attention was distracted by other customers, who began to rise oddly here and there, twisting forms
that confused his reference silhouettes and would not stay to be scanned properly. One cried, тАЬWater,тАЭ
but no quarter clinked in RobieтАЩs claws when he caught the word and suggested.тАЬHow about a nice
refreshing drink of Poppy Pop?тАЭ
The rat-crackling of the flames had become a jungle muttering. The blind windows began to wink fire
again.
A little girl marched, stepping neatly over arms and legs she did not look at. A white dress and the once
taller bodies around her had shielded her from the brilliance and the blast. Her eyes were fixed on Robie.
In them was the same imperious confidence, though none of the delight, with which she had watched him
earlier.
тАЬHelp me, Robie,тАЭ she said. тАЬI want my mother.тАЭ
тАЬHello, youngster,тАЭ Robie said. тАЬWhat would you like?Comics? Candy?тАЭ
тАЬWhere is she, Robie? Take me to her.тАЭ
тАЬBalloons?Would you like to watch me blow up a balloon?тАЭ
The little girl began to cry. The sound triggered off another of RobieтАЩs novelty circuits, a service feature
that had brought in a lot of favorable publicity.
тАЬIs something wrong?тАЭ he asked. тАЬAre you in trouble? Are you lost?тАЭ
тАЬYes, Robie.Take me to my mother.тАЭ
тАЬStay right here,тАЭ Robie said reassuringly, тАЬand donтАЩt be frightened. I will call a policeman.тАЭ He whistled
shrilly, twice.
Time passed. Robie whistled again. The windows flared and roared. The little girl begged. тАЬTake me
away, Robie,тАЭ and jumped onto a little step in his hoopskirt.
тАЬGive me a dime,тАЭ Robie said.
The little girl found one in her pocket and put it in his claws.
тАЬYour weight,тАЭ Robie said, тАЬis fifty-four and one-half pounds.тАЭ
тАЬHave you seen my daughter, have you seen her?тАЭ a woman was crying somewhere. тАЬI left her watching
that thing while I stepped insideтАФRita!тАЭ
тАЬRobie helped me,тАЭ the little girl began babbling at her. тАЬHe knew I was lost. He even called the police,
but they didnтАЩt come. He weighed me, too. DidnтАЩt you, Robie?тАЭ
But Robie had gone off to peddle Poppy Pop to the members of a rescue squad which had just come
around the corner, more robotlike in their asbestos suits than he in his metal skin.