"Jody Lynn Nye - The Grand Tour" - читать интересную книгу автора (Nye Jody Lynn)

seventies twinkled at him over her knitting. Chuck glanced at the mass of wool depending from her
needles, but couldnтАЩt guess what it would be when it was finished. Beside her, in the pair of seats
nearest to the window, a middle-aged married couple had just finished putting their bags away. The
man favored Chuck with a curt nod.
 тАЬMay I have your attention, please?тАЭ Keir said, standing between the rows. тАЬI am very pleased to
welcome you all. Not many Visitors from the Waking World come to travel the Dreamland in person. I
find it most gratifying that the numbers have increased more greatly in the last few years than in
centuries. I am pleased you were all able to make it.тАЭ
тАЬIt is good to be here,тАЭ said the man with the beard. The others, including Chuck, nodded vigorous
agreement. The bearded man continued.
тАЬMany millennia ago there used to be far more transit between the worlds, when the sense of
consciousness was not as physically centered as it is now. As these tours have recently been reinstated,
we may have a few problems that need to be shaken out. I need to ask you to try not to cause
complications. Otherwise we may not be able to offer such tours in the future, and that would be a
tragedy for everyone. Dream tours are a great service to the Waking World, though I am afraid others
feel it is just a burden. ItтАЩs difficult enough to find yourself, in ideal circumstances.тАЭ The others
chuckled politely.
тАЬMy name is Keir, although you should all know that by now. Shall we all go around and introduce
ourselves? After all, we will be spending an intense and interesting time together.тАЭ
тАЬOkay,тАЭ Chuck said, when no one spoke first. тАЬHi, all. IтАЩm Chuck Meadows.тАЭ
тАЬBeddoes?тАЭ asked the plump man across from him, in a cultured though not affected voice. тАЬThatтАЩs
a good Dreamish name.тАЭ
тАЬEr, IтАЩm not from around here,тАЭ Chuck said. тАЬIтАЩm an American. Say, youтАЩre an American, too,
arenтАЩt you?тАЭ he asked the bearded man.
тАЬI donтАЩt believe so,тАЭ said the man with the beard, in his pleasant, unaccented baritone, looking
faintly troubled.
тАЬNo?тАЭ Chuck asked, trying to be helpful. тАЬYou sure sound American. CanтАЩt you remember where
you came from?тАЭ
тАЬCelestia,тАЭ said the plumpish little man with a shining, rosy face, leaning forward to pump ChuckтАЩs
hand. тАЬOr do you mean specifically? Or just now? The hotel. Very nice. YouтАЩd like it. Hope you can
stay over a night when we get back.тАЭ
тАЬThis is over one night,тАЭ Chuck said, very worried. He looked up at Keir. тАЬI . . . havenтАЩt lapsed into
a coma, have I? I mean, I will wake up.тАЭ
тАЬNo, no,тАЭ Keir assured him, soothingly. тАЬItтАЩs just as you say.тАЭ
тАЬOh, yes, time goes very differently where youтАЩre from, doesnтАЩt it?тАЭ said the plump man. тАЬI am
Bergold Nestledown. IтАЩm from the Ministry of History in the capital city of Mnemosyne. IтАЩm not in
need of KeirтАЩs kind of guidance. IтАЩm here as a kind of adjunct of the court, to find out more about you.
We want the most accurate information about the Waking World that we can get. ItтАЩs so nice that
youтАЩve been able to come here. Did you find the journey difficult?тАЭ
тАЬI really donтАЩt remember much about it,тАЭ Chuck began, thinking that he would enjoy being
interviewed. тАЬI was in my room, lying on my back . . .тАЭ Bergold took a notebook out of his pocket and
began to write in it with a pencil. He only seemed to be wiggling the point along the page, but neat
words appeared rapidly in neat lines. Bergold was full of questions. Chuck could hardly finish one
before he asked another.
тАЬNow, now,тАЭ Keir said, interrupting them. тАЬYou can get more information from him later,
Historian.тАЭ The plump man looked abashed, but he put the notebook away.
тАЬI am sorry. My enthusiasm often blinds me to anything but the object of my focus. I hope you
donтАЩt mind being objectified.тАЭ
тАЬNo,тАЭ Chuck said, with a sly look at Keir. тАЬI donтАЩt object at all.тАЭ Bergold laughed. The bearded man
smiled, the corners of his mustache turning upward. He extended a hand to Chuck, and delivered a