"George R. R. Martin -- Second Helpings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin George R R)

surfeit of them. You may keep the kittens there, aboard ship, technically outside the jurisdiction of the
Port of SтАЩuthlam. I will even leave you with sufficient food for five years, so that it cannot be said that you
are giving so-called vermin calories needed by hungry human beings. To further bolster your flagging
public image, you may tell the newsfeeds that these two felines are hostages against my promised return
to SтАЩuthlam five years hence.тАЭ
Tolly Mune let a crooked smile creep across her homely features. тАЬThat might work, damn it. YouтАЩre
making this hard to resist. A starship, too, you say?тАЭ
тАЬIndeed.тАЭ
She grinned. тАЬYouтАЩre too convincing. All right. Which two cats, now?тАЭ
тАЬDoubt,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf, тАЬand Ingratitude.тАЭ
тАЬThereтАЩs a pointed comment in that, IтАЩm sure,тАЭ Tolly Mune said. тАЬI wonтАЩt pursue it. And five yearsтАЩ
worth of food?тАЭ
тАЬSufficient until the day, five years hence, when I return again to repay the remainder of my note.тАЭ
Tolly Mune looked at himтАФthe long, still, white face, the pale hands folded neatly atop his bulging
stomach, the duck-billed cap resting on his bald head, the small black cat in his lap. She looked at him
long and hard and then, for no particular reason she could name, her hand trembled just a little, and beer
spilled from her open glass onto her sleeve. She felt the cold wetness soak into her shirt and trickle down
her wrist. тАЬOh, joy,тАЭ she said. тАЬTuf and Tuf again. I can hardly wait.тАЭ