"Lewis Padgett - A Gnome There Was (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Padgett Lewis)

Just then they rounded a corner and almost blundered into the fight. A
seething mass of gnomes filled the tunnel, battling with frantic fury. Red and
blue pants and tunics moved in swift patchwork frenzy; turnip heads popped up
and down vigorously. It was apparently a free-for-all.
"See!" Gru gloated. "A fight! I could smell it six tunnels away. Oh, a
beauty!" He ducked as a malicious-looking little gnome sprang out of the
huddle to seize a rock and hurl it with vicious accuracy. The missile missed
its mark, and Gru, neglecting his captive, immediately hurled himself upon the
little gnome, bore him down on the cave floor, and began to beat his head
against it. Both parties shrieked at the tops of their voices, which were lost
in the deafening din that resounded through the tunnel.
"OhтАФmy," Crockett said weakly. He stood staring, which was a mistake. A very
large gnome emerged from the pile, seized Crockett by the feet, and threw him
away. The terrified inadvertent projectile sailed through the tunnel to crash
heavily into something which said "Whoo-oof!" There was a tangle of malformed
arms and legs.
Crockett arose to find that he had downed a vicious-
looking gnome with flaming red hair and four large diamond buttons on his
tunic. This repulsive creature lay motionless, out for the count. Crockett
took stock of his injuriesтАФthere were none. His new body was hardy, anyway.
"You saved me!" said a new voice. It belonged to aтАФlady gnome. Crockett
decided that if there was anything uglier than a gnome, it was the female of
the species. The creature stood crouching just behind him, clutching a large
rock in one capable hand.
Crockett ducked.
"I won't hurt you," the other howled above the din that filled the passage.
"You saved me! Mugza was trying to pull my ears offтАФoh! He's waking up!"
The red-haired gnome was indeed recovering consciousness. His first act was to
draw up his feet and, without rising, kick Crockett clear across the tunnel.
The feminine gnome immediately sat on Mugza's chest and pounded his head with
the rock till he subsided.
Then she arose. "You're not hurt? Good! I'm Brockle Buhn. . . . Oh, look!
He'll have his head off in a minute!"
Crockett turned to see that his erstwhile guide, Gru Magru, was gnomefully
tugging at the head of an unidentified opponent, attempting, apparently, to
twist it clear off. "What's it all about?" Crockett howled. "UhтАФBrockle Buhn!
Brockle Buhn!"
She turned unwillingly. "What?"
"The fight! What started it?"
"I did," she explained. "I said, 'Let's have a fight.' "
"Oh, that was all?"
"Then we started." Brockle Buhn nodded. "What's your name?"
"Crockett."
"You're new here, aren't you? OhтАФI know. You were a human being!" Suddenly a
new light appeared in her bulging eyes. "Grockett, maybe you can tell me
something. What's a kiss?"
"AтАФkiss?" Crockett repeated, in a baffled manner.
"Yes. I was listening inside a knoll once, and heard two human beings
talkingтАФmale and female, by their voices.