"China Mieville - The Scar" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mieville China)

and had the Esperium authorities not been impressed by your records and references, I can assure
you . . .тАЭ He let the sentence dissipate.

тАЬI have no wish to make you feel uncomfortable. YouтАЩre berthing in the passengersтАЩ quarters. YouтАЩre
eating in the passenger mess. However, as you know, you are not a paying passenger. You are an
employee. You have been taken on by the agents of the Nova Esperium colony, and for the duration of
this journey I am their representative. And while that makes little difference to Sister Meriope and Dr.
Tearfly and the others, to you . . . it means I am your employer.

тАЬOf course you are not crew,тАЭ he continued. тАЬI would not order you as I order them. If you prefer, I
would onlyrequest your services. But I must insist that such requests are obeyed.тАЭ

They studied each other.

тАЬNow,тАЭ he said, his tone relaxing a little, тАЬI donтАЩt foresee any onerous demands. Most of the crew are
from New Crobuzon or the Grain Spiral, and those that arenтАЩt speak perfectly good Ragamoll. ItтАЩs in
Salkrikaltor that IтАЩll first need you, and weтАЩll not be there for a good week or more, so youтАЩve plenty of
time to relax, to meet the other passengers. We sail tomorrow morning, early. WeтАЩll be away by the time
youтАЩre up, I shouldnтАЩt doubt.тАЭ

тАЬTomorrow?тАЭ Bellis said. It was the first word she had spoken since entering.

The captain looked at her sharply. тАЬYes. Is there a problem?тАЭ

тАЬOriginally,тАЭ she said without inflection, тАЬyou told me we would sail on Dustday, Captain.тАЭ

тАЬI did, Miss Coldwine, but IтАЩve changed my mind. IтАЩve finished my paperwork a deal quicker than I
expected, and my brother officers are ready to transfer their inmates tonight. We sail tomorrow.тАЭ

тАЬI had hoped to return to town, to send a letter,тАЭ Bellis said. She kept her voice level. тАЬAn important
letter to a friend in New Crobuzon.тАЭ

тАЬOut of the question,тАЭ the captain said. тАЬIt cannot be done. IтАЩll not waste any more days here.тАЭ

Bellis sat still. She was not intimidated by this man, but she had no power over him, none at all. She
tried to work out what was most likely to engage his sympathy, make him acquiesce.

тАЬMiss Coldwine,тАЭ he said suddenly, and to her surprise his voice was a little gentler. тАЬI am afraid the
matter is in motion. If you wish I can give your letter to Lieutenant-Gaoler Catarrs, but I cannot in truth
recommend that as entirely reliable. YouтАЩll have the opportunity to deliver your message in Salkrikaltor.

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 The Scar


Even if there are no New Crobuzon ships docking there, there is a warehouse, to which all our captains
have the keys, for access to information, spare cargo, and mail. Leave your letter there. ItтАЩll be picked up
by the next home-bound ship. It wonтАЩt be much delayed.

тАЬYou can learn from this, Miss Coldwine,тАЭ he added. тАЬAt sea, you canтАЩt waste time. Remember that: