"Mike Resnick - Song of a Dry River" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬBut then Wambu and Kibo will be unhappy.тАЭ

тАЬThen perhaps there are no Utopias, and we must each be concerned with our own happiness,тАЭ said
Mumbi.

Why are old people so selfish and unfeeling?I wondered.Here I am, hot and thirsty and tired, and
all she can do is complain about how unhappy she is.

тАЬCome with me,тАЭ I said. тАЬWe will go to the village together, and we will find a solution to your problem.
You may not remain here.тАЭ

She stared at me for a very long moment, then shrugged. тАЬI will come with you, but we will not find a
solution, and then I will return here to my new home.тАЭ

The sun was low in the sky as we climbed down the hill and began walking along the winding path, and
twilight had fallen by the time we reached the village and began walking by the various huts. A number of
men and women had gathered at Koinnage'sshamba , and most of them displayed the same amused
expressions I had seen earlier in the day. As I approached Koinnage'sboma , they followed me, eager to
see what punishment I would mete out to Mumbi, as if her transgression and my anger were the highlight
of their evening's entertainment.

тАЬKoinnage!тАЭ I said in a loud, firm voice.

There was no response, and I called his name twice more before he finally emerged from his hut, a
sheepish expression on his face.

тАЬJambo, Koriba,тАЭ he said uneasily. тАЬI did not know you were here.тАЭ

I glared at him. тАЬDid you also not know your mother was here?тАЭ

тАЬThis is hershamba : where else would she be?тАЭ he asked innocently.

тАЬYou know very well where she was,тАЭ I said, as the light of the evening fires cast flickering shadows on
his face. тАЬI advise you to think very carefully of the consequences before you lie to yourmundumugu
again.тАЭ

He seemed to shrink into himself for a moment. Then he noticed all the villagers behind me.

тАЬWhat arethey doing here?тАЭ he demanded. тАЬReturn to yourbomas , all of you!тАЭ

They backed away a few steps, but did not leave.

Koinnage turned to Mumbi. тАЬSee how you shame me in front of my people? Why do you do this to me?
Am I not the paramount chief?тАЭ

тАЬI would think that the paramount chief could control his mother,тАЭ I said sarcastically.

тАЬI have tried,тАЭ said Koinnage. тАЬI do not know what has gotten into her.тАЭ He glared at Mumbi. тАЬI order