"Robert Reed - Night Calls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

and arms and the long elegant necks covered with jewelry, their feet
balanced on impossibly delicate shoes.

She was testing him, Ferrum hoped.

Because every other possibility seemed more awful.

Suddenly a pair of young men approached. They wore smiles and
tool belts, and the nearest fellow called to him by name before saying,
тАЬCome with us.тАЭ

тАЬWhere to?тАЭ Ferrum asked.

тАЬOver there,тАЭ he said with a wave. тАЬShe told us you would help us.тАЭ

тАЬYou mean Rabiah?тАЭ

Just mentioning the name made both strangers laugh. Then the
second man, wrestling with the unfamiliar language, said, тАЬCome. Help.тАЭ

тАЬWith what?тАЭ
 тАЬThe show!тАЭ the first man shouted. тАЬWe are slow. We need cool
hands, please.тАЭ

Ferrum followed them through the noisy, happy crowd. He couldnтАЩt
see how he might help, but at least he wasnтАЩt standing in one place, waiting
for a woman who might never appear again.

тАЬHave I met you already?тАЭ he asked the first man.

That deserved another laugh.

тАЬIтАЩm sorry,тАЭ Ferrum continued. тАЬI donтАЩt remember namesтАФтАЭ

тАЬRabiah,тАЭ the man interrupted.

тАЬExcuse me?тАЭ

The stranger stopped and turned, and with his pleasure receding into
some other emotion, he said, тАЬYou are lucky. Very lucky, you know.тАЭ

тАЬIn what way?тАЭ

The second stranger asked a question of his companion.

An answer was offeredтАФan impatient bark of syllables. And then the
first stranger turned back to Ferrum, regarding him with a careful gaze
before saying, тАЬOr maybe you are not fortunate. Too soon to say, maybe.тАЭ

Again, the three men walked on. Eventually they fell into the open, and