"Laura Resnick - The Abominable Snowman" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Laura)

"Nothing to it. Something of a linguist, y'know," said Sir Hilary
modestly. His long nose had grown quite red in the cold, and some ice was
crusted on his enormous blond moustache. He was dressed in sensible, warm,
arctic gear and was carrying a big knapsack on his back.
"Would you like me to carry your camping supplies?" Yeti asked
politely. Lost explorers were usually pretty tired by the time they got this
far off the beaten path.
"Not camping supplies," Sir Hilary said. "Had to leave them behind when
the last sled dog died. Roughing it now."
"How dreadful for you!"
"Oh, piffle! Nothing to it. Enjoy a bit of a challenge, y'know."
"I see. Then what's in the backpack?"
"Scientific equipment, of course! Mustn't leave that behind. Mustn't
let my end down just because of a few mishaps. One has one's duty to fulfill,
and all that."
"Yes, of course. What are you looking for?"
"Why, the North Pole, man!"
"Really?"
"Any idea whereabouts I might find it?"
"Well ... This is it, actually." Yeti was basically a goodhearted
fellow, and he hoped the anticlimax wouldn't be too much of a blow to Sir
Hilary.
"Marvelous!" cried Sir Hilary, rallying to the occasion. "Simply
marvelous!"
Yeti smiled, causing even an intrepid fellow like Sir Hilary to fall
back a step or two. "I say! Are you some relation to Gigantopithecus?"
"I don't know. I'm afraid my Latin's not very good."
"Ah, educated at Harrow, eh? Damned misfortune. Nothing like a good
grasp of Latin to give one the basics of a sound classical education. Went to
Eton, m'self," he added, as if Yeti hadn't already guessed. He stepped closer
and studied Yeti with interest. "I must say, if you don't mind my saying so,
you're a fascinating looking chap." After another moment of professional
evaluation, he said, "An Abominable Snowman, aren't you?"
"Yes," Yeti admitted.
"Yes, yes, thought so. The auxiliary maxillae and prehensile vertebrae
are a dead giveaway," Sir Hilary muttered almost to himself. "Should have
noticed right away, but feeling a trifle fatigued, y'know."
"You don't mind?" Yeti asked, surprised. Most people were very nervous
about the idea of socializing with an Abominable Snowman, even in a tolerant
place like the North Pole.
 "Of course not! You seem a decent sort of a chap." He peered at Yeti
and asked abruptly, "Not a socialist, are you?"
"No. I'm fairly apolitical," Yeti assured him.
"Well, then, jolly good, we'll rub along tolerably well together, I
should think. Now, to business."
"What business?" Yeti asked curiously.
"Must stake my claim, mark my discovery, that sort of thing. Honor of
Queen and country, y'know." He pulled a British flag out of his backpack,
planted it firmly in the ice outside Yeti's cave, and sang _God Save the
Queen_. Then, brushing off some of the snow which had accumulated on his