"Ian R. MacLeod - Nevermore" - читать интересную книгу автора (Macleod Ian R)

know, things have changed.тАЭ

тАЬSure, and youтАЩre going to tell me next that youтАФтАЭ

тАЬтАФYes, would like to meet up. WeтАЩre arranging this party. I ran into
Marcel in VeniceтАФheтАЩs currently Doge there, you knowтАФand we got talking
about old times and all the old gang. And so we decided we were due for a
reunion. YouтАЩve been one of the hardest ones to find, Gus. And then I
remembered that old tenement...тАЭ

тАЬLike you say, IтАЩm still here.тАЭ

тАЬStill painting?тАЭ

тАЬOf course IтАЩm still painting! ItтАЩs what I do.тАЭ

тАЬThatтАЩs great. WellтАФsorry to give you so little time, but the whole
thingтАЩs fixed for this evening. You wonтАЩt believe what everyoneтАЩs up to now!
But then, I suppose youтАЩve seen Francine across the sky.тАЭ

тАЬLook, IтАЩm not sure that IтАФтАЭ

тАЬтАФAnd weтАЩre going for Paris, 1890. Should be right up your street.
IтАЩve splashed out on all-senses. And the food and the drinkтАЩll be foreal. So
youтАЩll come, wonтАЩt you? The past is the past, and IтАЩve honestly forgotten
about much of it since I passed on. Put it into context, anyway. I really donтАЩt
bear a grudge. So you will come? Remember how it was, Gus? Just smile
for me the way you used to. And remember...тАЭ

****

Of course he remembered. But he still didnтАЩt know what the hell to expect
that evening as he waitedтАФtoo early, despite the fact that heтАЩd done his
best to be pointedly lateтАФin the virtual glow of a pavement caf├й off the Rue
St-Jacques beneath a sky fuzzy with Van Gogh stars.

Searching the daubed figures strolling along the cob-bles, Gustav
spotted Elanore coming along before she saw him. He raised a hand, and
she came over, sitting down on a wobbly chair at the uneven swirl of the
table. Doing his best to maintain a grumpy pose, Gustav called the waiter
for wine, and raised his glass to her with trembling fingers. He swallowed it
all down. Just as sheтАЩd promised, the stuff was foreal.

Elanore smiled at him. And Elanore looked beautiful. Elanore was
dressed for the era in a long dress of pure ultramarine. Her red hair was
bunched up beneath a narrow-brimmed hat adorned with flowers.

тАЬItтАЩs about now,тАЭ she said, тАЬthat you tell me I havenтАЩt changed.тАЭ

тАЬAnd you tell me that I have.тАЭ