"Fritz Leiber - Coming Attraction" - читать интересную книгу автора (Leiber Fritz)

I said doubtfully, "ThereтАЩs a place near the Consulate тАж "
"I know where we can be together and talk," she said rapidly. "If you donтАЩt mind."
As we entered the elevator I said, "IтАЩm afraid I dismissed the cab."
But the cab driver hadnтАЩt gone, for some reason of his own. He jumped out and smirkingly held the front
door open for us. I told him we preferred to sit in back. He sulkily opened the rear door, slammed it after
us, jumped in front and slammed the door behind him.
My companion leaned forward. "Heaven," she said.
The driver switched on the turbine and televisor.
"Why did you ask if I were a British subject?" I said, to start the conversation.
She leaned away from me, tilting her mask close to the window. "See the moon," she said in a quick,
dreamy voice.

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 COMING ATTRACTION - Fritz Leiber


"But why, really?" I pressed, conscious of an irritation that had nothing to do with her.
"ItтАЩs edging up into the purple of the sky."
"And whatтАЩs your name?"
"The purple makes it look yellower."
Just then I became aware of the source of my irritation. It lay in the square of writhing light in the front
of the cab beside the driver.
I donтАЩt object to ordinary wrestling matches, though they bore me, but I simply detest watching a man
wrestle a woman. The fact that the bouts are generally "on the level," with the man greatly outclassed in
weight and reach and the masked females young and personable, only makes them seem worse to me.
"Please turn off the screen," I requested the driver.
He shook his head without looking around. "Uh-uh, man," he said. "TheyтАЩve been grooming that babe
for weeks for this bout with Little Zirk."
Infuriated, I reached forward, but my companion caught my arm. "Please," she whispered frightenedly,
shaking her head.
I settled back, frustrated. She was closer to me now, but silent, and for a few moments I watched the
heaves and contortions of the powerful masked girl and her wiry masked opponent on the screen. His
frantic scrambling at her reminded me of a male spider.
I jerked around, facing my companion. "Why did those three men want to kill you?" I asked sharply.
The eyeholes of her mask faced the screen. "Because theyтАЩre jealous of me," she whispered.
"Why are they jealous?"
She still didnтАЩt look at me. "Because of him."
"Who?"
She didnтАЩt answer.
I put my arm around her shoulders. "Are you afraid to tell me?" I asked. "What is the matter?"
She still didnтАЩt look my way. She smelled nice.
"See here," I said laughingly, changing my tactics, "you really should tell me something about yourself.
I donтАЩt even know what you look like."
I half playfully lifted my hand to the band of her neck. She gave it an astonishingly swift slap. I pulled it


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 COMING ATTRACTION - Fritz Leiber