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

тАЬOne thing IтАЩve never got straight,тАЭ Custine said. тАЬAre we musicians supplementing our income with a
little detective work on the side, or is it the other way round?тАЭ



file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/Alastair%20Reynolds%20-%20Century%20Rain.html (8 of 556)22-12-2006 17:44:18
 CenturyRain

Floyd glanced into the rear-view mirror. тАЬWhich way round would you like it to be?тАЭ

тАЬI think IтАЩd like it best if I had the kind of income that didnтАЩt need supplementing.тАЭ

тАЬWe were doing all right until recently.тАЭ

тАЬUntil recently we were a trio. Before that, a quartet. Perhaps itтАЩs just me, but IтАЩm beginning to detect a
trend.тАЭ

Floyd slipped the Mathis into gear and eased forward as the line advanced. тАЬAll we have to do is hold
the fort together until she returns.тАЭ

тАЬThat isnтАЩt going to happen,тАЭ Custine said. тАЬShe left for good when she got on that train. You keeping a
seat free for her in the front of the car isnтАЩt going to change things.тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs her seat.тАЭ

тАЬSheтАЩs gone.тАЭ Custine sighed. тАЬThatтАЩs the trouble with recognising talent: sooner or later, someone else
recognises it as well.тАЭ The big Frenchman rummaged in his jacket pocket. тАЬHere. Show the nice man my
papers.тАЭ

Floyd took the yellowing documents and placed them next to his own on the dashboard. When they
reached the checkpoint, the guard flicked through FloydтАЩs papers and handed them back wordlessly. He
thumbed through CustineтАЩs, then leaned down until he had a good view into the back of the Mathis.

тАЬOn business, monsieur?тАЭ

тАЬI wish,тАЭ Custine said quietly.

тАЬWhatтАЩs that supposed to mean?тАЭ

тАЬIt means we were looking for work,тАЭ Floyd said amiably. тАЬUnfortunately, we didnтАЩt find any.тАЭ

тАЬWhat kind of work?тАЭ

тАЬMusic,тАЭ Floyd said, gesturing around the car. тАЬHence the instruments.тАЭ

The guard jabbed the muzzle of his stamped-metal machine gun towards the soft fabric case of the
double bass. тАЬYou could get a lot of cigarettes into that. Pull your vehicle over to the inspection area.тАЭ

Floyd slipped the old Mathis back into gear and crunched it forward, steering into a bay where the