"Robert Reed - The Caldera of Good Fortune" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

by the looks of its belly. The creature took a deep breath and held the rich
air inside his long neck, assessing the captured odors. Then he bowed to
Crockett, but before he could speak, the human warned, тАЬI am claimed by
others, my friend. At present, I am helpless to help you.тАЭ

Without complaint, the alien stepped down the line and took another
defining breath, and after a few moments of conversation, hired a little
Janusian couple to be his Guides.

Human tourists happened to notice the rebuff. Judging by
appearances, they looked like a married couple, and married for a very long
time. The wife was less pretty than her husband, carrying quite a few
millennia on her bones. Both of them had stepped off a cable car that just
returned from the rim, wearing smiles and heavy, self-heating coats and tall
boots that had recently walked in the snow. The pretty man approached
Crockett. тАЬWe wish we could have stayed longer,тАЭ he confessed. тАЬBut our
guide was tired, and we had to ride back with her.тАЭ

Crockett shrugged. тАЬThe Luckies wonтАЩt let you stay up there alone.тАЭ

The old woman offered a respectable fee.

Crockett was tempted, but only to a point.

тАЬNot enough, is it?тАЭ her husband asked.

тАЬIтАЩm a little nervous,тАЭ Crockett lied. Then he glanced over his
shoulder, mentioning, тАЬThis eruption is late. It could come any time now.тАЭ

тАЬAre you certain?тАЭ the woman asked.
 тАЬMaybe,тАЭ Crockett conceded with an amiable laugh. тАЬThe lakeтАЩs been
simmering longer than usual, and eventually, all that warm water has to leap
into the sky.тАЭ

He had no real predictive skills. Only the Luckies knew when a full
eruption was imminent, and they never gave clues.

тАЬIs this your job?тАЭ the pretty man asked. тАЬWarning away the
innocent?тАЭ

тАЬIt would be good noble work,тАЭ Crockett allowed.

Then the wife tugged on her husbandтАЩs elbow. тАЬMaybe we should go
back to our room, dear.тАЭ

Crockett liked to believe that he understood women. One of the
attractions of living in this nameless place was the parade of wealthy,
carefree ladies. This particular old woman gave every sign of wanting
attention, and, for a few moments, Crockett imagined that he was her
husband. She seemed like an elegant creature, accustomed to money but