"Mike Resnick - Tales Of The Galactic Midway 03 - The Wild Alien Tamer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

was grateful for any change of scenery, no matter how minute, and for his own amusement he tried to guess
which of the small variety of trees and shrubs smelled the worst.
About five miles into the foothills the vehicle slowed down, and then turned onto a side road. Another half mile
found them before a large fenced area, and the Sabellian punched out a combination on his dashboard's
computer panel. A gate slid open, and the vehicle proceeded up a long driveway to a large building which
seemed to be made out of some stucco-like substance.
тАЬ This is the place?тАЭ asked Monk.
тАЬ We have arrived,тАЭ responded the creature.
They clambered out of the vehicle and walked up the gently inclined ramp that led to the front door of the
building. Then the Sabellian punched out another combination on a lock by the doorknob, the door slid
soundlessly into a wall, and the two of them walked inside.
The place reminded Monk of a zoo, rather than a holding area for the planet's largest animal-exporting firm.
There were cages set into all the walls, enclosed entirely in hard plastic, and the polished floor had an
antiseptic smell to it.
In the center of the building was a huge, two-story, barred cageтАФ notencased in plastic, and stinking of
rotting fruit and fresh stoolтАФ that was filled with artificial trees and various types of gymnastic equipment:
swings, bars, even a set of rings. Sitting with its back propped up against a tree was an animal that looked
suspiciously like Monk himself. A closer examination showed that the animal had a protruding lower jaw, a
sharply receding forehead, only four toes on each foot, and a little more body hairтАФ but the resemblance was
uncanny.
тАЬ Shit!тАЭ said Monk.
тАЬ I beg your pardon,тАЭ said the batlike creature.
тАЬ That was an expletive, not a directive,тАЭ answered Monk with a wry smile. тАЬ Where'd you get that thing?тАЭ
тАЬ In the jungles of our southern hemisphere,тАЭ came the reply. тАЬ They used to be quite common, but they have
been hunted almost to extinction. Though we feed them fruit, they are omnivorous, and have been known to
be quite dangerous on occasion.тАЭ He paused. тАЬ Now you see why I viewed your appearance with some initial
trepidation.тАЭ
Monk quickly scanned the other cages. There were seven more manlike animals identical to the one in the
middle of the room, and a number of smaller members of the same general family.
тАЬ We got a little problem here,тАЭ he announced at last.
тАЬ I assure you they are quite trainable,тАЭ said his companion.
тАЬ I don't doubt it,тАЭ said Monk. тАЬ You got anything else?тАЭ
тАЬ I am afraid not. I understood that you needed a carnivore or omnivore of these dimensions. Is there
something wrong?тАЭ
тАЬ You might say so,тАЭ replied Monk. тАЬ I'm not collecting for a zoo. I need animals for a carnival act, and to the
average untrained eye, these animals could be my brothers.тАЭ
тАЬ I see,тАЭ said the Sabellian slowly.
тАЬ Well, thanks for your time,тАЭ said Monk. тАЬ And if it'll make you feel any better, your looks scared me as much
as mine scared you.тАЭ
тАЬ How very gratifying.тАЭ
тАЬ While we're on the subject, I don't suppose you have any carnivores that look like you?тАЭ
The creature paused and stared at him for a long moment. тАЬ Just what is it that your animals are expected to
do?тАЭ
тАЬ Mostly look ferocious,тАЭ admitted Monk. тАЬ And I'll teach тАШ em to do whatever tricks they're capable ofтАФ
jumping through hoops, that sort of thing.тАЭ
тАЬ How many worlds do you play in the course of a year?тАЭ
тАЬ That's pretty much up to Mr. Ahasuerus. I'd guess about fifteen to twenty.тАЭ He paused. тАЬ You got an animal
for me?тАЭ
тАЬ I might have.тАЭ
тАЬ Yeah?тАЭ