"Alastair Reynolds - Century Rain" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Alastair)

Floyd clamped a hand over his friendтАЩs mouth. тАЬHeтАЩs just a bit emotional,тАЭ he explained. тАЬYouтАЩll have to
excuse him. HeтАЩs been under a lot of pressure lately, due to some personal difficulties. He apologises
unreservedly for the way he has behaved. DonтАЩt you, Andr├й?тАЭ

Custine said nothing. He just trembled, still fixated on the wreckage of the double bass., He wanted to
reverse time, Floyd thought. He wanted to unhappen the last few minutes of his life and let them spool
forward again. He would be obliging this time, answering the guardsтАЩ questions civilly, and perhaps the
damage that they would inevitably do to the double bass would not be irreparable.

тАЬSay it,тАЭ Floyd whispered.

тАЬI apologise,тАЭ Custine said.

тАЬUnreservedly.тАЭ

тАЬI apologise unreservedly.тАЭ

The inspector looked at him critically, then shrugged. тАЬWhatтАЩs done is done. In future you might take a
leaf from your friendтАЩs book.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩll do that,тАЭ Custine said numbly.

Down below, the guard kicked the remains of the double bass into the river. The bits of wood were soon
lost amidst the oozing debris that hugged the banks.




FloydтАЩs telephone was ringing when he let himself into his office on the third floor of an old building on
rue du Dragon. He put down the mail he had just collected from his pigeonhole and snatched the
receiver from its cradle.

тАЬFloyd Investigations,тАЭ he said, raising his voice above the rumbling passage of a train and pulling the
toothpick from his mouth. тАЬHow mayтАФтАЭ

тАЬMonsieur Floyd? Where have you been?тАЭ The voiceтАФit sounded as if it belonged to an elderly manтАФ
was curious rather than complaining. тАЬIтАЩve been calling all afternoon and was about to give up.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm sorry,тАЭ Floyd said. тАЬIтАЩve been out on investigative work.тАЭ

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 CenturyRain




тАЬYou might consider investing in a receptionist,тАЭ the man said. тАЬOr, failing that, an answering machine.
I gather they are very popular with the Orthodox Jews.тАЭ