"MIchael Moorcock - The Dancers At The End Of Time 01 - An Alien Heat" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

course. But I'll admit that I'm thinking of going back to being a man again. And maybe a gorilla. Your
mother was a gorilla for a while, wasn't she? How did she enjoy it?"
"I was too young to remember, Mistress Christia."
"Of course you were!" She looked him over. "A baby! I remember."
"You would, my delicacy."
 "There is nothing to stop anyone becoming a child for a while. I wonder why more people don't do
it?"
"The fashion never did catch on," Jherek agreed, seizing her about the waist and kissing her neck
and shoulders. She kissed him back. She really was one of the most perfect identity-creations in the
world. No man could resist her. Whatever he felt like he had to kiss her and often had to make love to
her. Even Mongrove. Even Werther de Goethe who, as a boy, had never enjoyed her.
"Have you seen Werther de Goethe?" Jherek asked.
"He was here, earlier," said Mistress Christia looking about her. "I saw him with Mongrove. They
do like one another's company, don't they?"
"Mongrove learns from Werther, I think," said Jherek. "And Werther says that Mongrove is the
only sane person in the whole world."
"Perhaps it's true. What does 'sane' mean?"
"I shan't tell you. I've had enough of defining difficult words and ideas today."
"Oh, Jherek! What are you up to?"
"Very little. My interests have always tended towards the abstract. It makes me poor company and
I am determined to improve."
"You're lovely company, Jherek. Everyone loves you."
"I know. And I intend to continue being loved. You know how tiresome I'd become тАФ like Li Pao
тАФ if I did nothing but talk and invented little."
"Everyone loves Li Pao!"
"Of course. But I do not wish to be loved in the way Li Pao is loved."
She offered him a glance of secret amusement.
"Is that how I'm loved!" he asked in horror.
"Not quite. But you were a child, Jherek. The questions you asked!"
"I'm mortified." He was not. He realised that he did not really care. He laughed.
"You're right," she said. "Li Pao is a bore and even I find him tiresome occasionally. Have you
heard that the Duke of Queens has a surprise for us?"
"Another."
"Jherek тАФ you are not generous to the Duke of Queens. And that isn't fair, for the Duke is a very
generous host."
"Yes, I know. What is the nature of this new surprise?"
"That, too, is a surprise." High above little African flying machines began to bomb the city. Bright
lights burst everywhere and screamed as they burst. "Oh, that's how it started!" exclaimed Mistress
Christia. "He's put it on again for the people who missed it." Mistress Christia could have been the only
witness to the original display. She was always the first to arrive anywhere.
"Come on, Jherek. Everyone's to go to Wolverhampton. That's where we'll be shown the surprise."
"Very well." Jherek let her take his hand and lead him towards Wolverhampton, on the far side of
the collection of cities.
And then suddenly all the flames went out and they were in complete darkness.
Silence fell.
"Delicious," whispered Mistress Christia, squeezing his hand.
Jherek closed his eyes.