"Oswald Bastable - 02 - The Land Leviathan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moorcock Michael)

friends, you and I,'
'Well, Moorcock, it's about Bastable's manuscript. A lot of people - mainly in
publishing, of course, but quite a few of them are members of the club - well,
they think you've been duped by the chap who told you that story.'
'Duped?' I raised my eyebrows.
He looked miserably at the carpet. 'Or worse,' he murmured.
'I think you'd better tell me what they're saying.' I frowned. 'I'm sure you
mean well and I assure you that I'll take anything you have to say in good part.
I've known you too long to be offended.'
He was plainly relieved and came and sat down in the next chair. 'Well,' he
began, 'most people think that you're the victim of a hoax. But a few are
beginning to believe that you've turned a bit - a bit eccentric. Like those
chaps who predict the end of the world all the time, or communicate with the
astral plane, and so on. You know what I mean, I suppose.'
My answering smile must have seemed to him a bit grim. 'I know exactly what you
mean. I had even considered it. It must seem a very rum go to someone who never
met Bastable. Now you mention it, I'm not surprised if I'm the gossip of half
London. Why shouldn't people think such things about me ? I'd be tempted to
think them myself aboutyou if you came to me with a story like Bastable's. As it
is, you've been extremely tolerant of me!'
His smile was weak as he tried to acknowledge my joke. I went on:
'So they think I'm a candidate for Colney Hatch, do they? Well, of course, I've
absolutely no proof to the contrary. If only I could produce Bastable himself.
Then people could make up their own minds about the business.'
'It bos become something of an obsession,' suggested my friend gently. 'Perhaps
it would be better to drop the whole thing?'
'You're right - it is an obsession. I happen to believe that Bastable was
telling the truth.'
'That's as may be . . .'
'You mean I should stop my efforts to get the account into print."
There was a hint of sorrow in his eyes. 'There isn't a publisher in London, old
man, who would touch it now. They have their reputations to think of. Anyone who
took it would be a laughing-stock. That's why you've had so much trouble in
placing it. Drop it, Moorcock, for your sake and everyone else's.'
'You could be right.' I sighed. 'Yet, if I could come up with some sort of
proof, possibly then they would stop laughing.'
'How could you find the proof which would convince them?'
'I could go and look for Bastable in China and tell him the trouble he's caused
me. I could hope that he would come back to London with me - talk to people
himself. I could put the matter into his hands and let him deal with his own
manuscript. What would you say to that ?'
He shrugged and made a gesture with his right hand. 'I agree it would be better
than nothing.'
'But your own opinion is that I should forget all about it. You think I should
burn the manuscript and have done with it, once and for all?'
"That's my opinion, yes. For your own sake, Moorcock -and your family's. You're
wasting so much of your time - not to mention your capital.'
'I know that you have my interests at heart,' I told him, 'but I made a promise
to Bastable (although he never heard me make it) and I intend to keep it, if I
can. However, I'm glad that you spoke to me. It took courage to do that and I