"Mike Resnick - A Miracle Of Rare Design" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

тАЬYou can lie to yourself, but you can't lie to me,тАЭ she continued. тАЬI know you too well. I used to think that you
were just an overgrown boy, that you loved to go off on adventures, and that someday you'd grow up.тАЭ
тАЬYou were wrong.тАЭ
тАЬI know,тАЭ she said. тАЬI was wrong about a lot of things. Thinking of you as an immature adventurer was too
simplistic.тАЭ She paused and stared at him. тАЬI think you've only truly loved two things in your life, Xavier:
yourselfтАФand death.тАЭ She smiled wryly. тАЬHere you are, risking your life on all these alien worlds, and
publishers actually pay you to do it.тАЭ She uttered a short, dry laugh. тАЬIf they only knew you as I do,
they'dcharge you.тАЭ
тАЬThe amateur psychiatrist strikes again,тАЭ he shot back contemptuously. тАЬAren't you tired of analyzing me?тАЭ
тАЬIt goes hand-in-glove with knowing you,тАЭ she replied seriously. тАЬI've been doing it ever since our marriage
started falling apart. If you'd been attracted to another woman, or even to a man, I would have known what to
do, how to fight back. But I lost you to a series of nameless dangers on uncharted worlds. I didn't know how
to compete with them, so I tried to find out why you were so obsessed by them.тАЭ
тАЬIt's the way I make my living,тАЭ he said defensively. тАЬNone of you ever understood that.тАЭ
She stared briefly at the various alien artifacts that lined the walls of the study, then answered him.
тАЬOther men and women have made their livings visiting alien worlds and writing up their experiences. Onlyyou
feel compelled to continually put your life at risk.тАЭ
тАЬThe reason my books sell so well is because I don't just dabble on the surface of things,тАЭ he explained
irritably. тАЬI don't justobserve the natives; Ilive with them. I share their food and their quarters, I learn their
customs and their beliefs. When you're through with one of my books, youknow what a world is like!тАЭ
тАЬAnd you really think that's why people buy your books?тАЭ
тАЬWhat other reason is there?тАЭ
тАЬThey're voyeurs, Xavier. They don't want to learn about aliens. They want your account of swallowing a live
snake on Bareimus II, or that aberrant inter-species sexual escapade that got you kicked out of the Albion
Cluster.тАЭ She paused. тАЬThey won't give a damn about the Fireflies, but they'll buy a million copies of your next
book just to read about your mutilation.тАЭ
тАЬI've had enough!тАЭ snapped Lennox angrily, slamming a hand down on the arm of his chair. тАЬMy books
areimportant . Maybe I had to listen to all this shit when we were married, but I sure as hell don't have to now.
If you don't like what I write, just say so and I'll get a new agent!тАЭ
тАЬAs long as your books sell, I'm your agent, and a damned good one at that,тАЭ she shot back. тАЬYou owe me
that much for all the hell you put me through.тАЭ
тАЬIf you're not trying to end our business relationship, what the hell is this all about?тАЭ
тАЬIf you weren't so totally self-absorbed, you'dknow what it's about,тАЭ said Angela. тАЬI don't want you to go back
to die on Medina.тАЭ
тАЬIs that my wife speaking, or my agent?тАЭ he asked sarcastically.
тАЬBoth,тАЭ she said. тАЬYour agent doesn't want her best source of income to dry up, and your ex-wife still feels
some slight affection for you, God knows why.тАЭ
тАЬYou make me sound like a psychological basket case.тАЭ He held up his fingerless hands. тАЬWhat I am is
aphysical basket case. Nothing could get me to go back there.тАЭ
тАЬWho do you think you're kidding?тАЭ said Angela. тАЬI'm the woman you left behind to go to Jefferson III and New
Ghana and Cinderblock. If your publisher gives you the tiniest excuse, you'll be packing your bags two
minutes later.тАЭ
Lennox shook his head adamantly. тАЬNot this time. Those bastards cut me to ribbons.тАЭ
тАЬI know.тАЭ
тАЬThey impaled me with their spears and left me for dead,тАЭ he continued with an involuntary shudder. тАЬAnd you
think I'd go back after that?тАЭ
Angela paused for a moment before answering. тАЬThe truth?тАЭ she said at last. тАЬI think you'd go backbecause of
that.тАЭ
тАЬNot without protection.тАЭ
тАЬThen youhave been thinking of it,тАЭ she said accusingly.