"Alastair Reynolds - Revelation Space 04 - Absolution Gap" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Alastair)

Scorpio recognised him as Clavain; he would have been as certain even
if he had thought the island uninhabited.
The pig felt a momentary surge of relief. At least Clavain was still alive.
No matter what else transpired today, that much had to count as a
victory.
When he was within shouting distance of the man, Clavain sensed his
presence and looked around. There was a breeze now, one that had not
been there when Scorpio landed. It pulled wild white hair across ClavainтАЩs
pink-red features. His beard, normally neatly trimmed, had also grown
long and unkempt since his departure. His thin figure was clad in black,
with a dark shawl or cloak pulled across his shoulders. He maintained an
awkward posture between kneeling and standing, poised on his haunches
like a man who had only stopped there for a moment.
Scorpio was certain he had been staring out to sea for hours.
тАЬNevil,тАЭ Scorpio said.
He said something back, his lips moving, but his words were masked by
the hiss of the surf.
Scorpio called out again. тАЬItтАЩs meтАФScorpio.тАЭ
ClavainтАЩs mouth moved a second time. His voice was a croak that barely
made it above a whisper. тАЬI said, I told you not to come here.тАЭ
тАЬI know.тАЭ Scorpio had approached closer now. ClavainтАЩs white hair
flicked in and out of his deeply recessed old-manтАЩs eyes. They appeared to
be focused on something very distant and bleak. тАЬI know, and for six
months we honoured that request, didnтАЩt we?тАЭ
тАЬSix months?тАЭ Clavain almost smiled. тАЬIs that how long itтАЩs been?тАЭ
тАЬSix months and a week, if you want to be finicky about it.тАЭ
 тАЬIt doesnтАЩt feel like it. It feels like no time at all.тАЭ Clavain looked back
out to sea again, the back of his head turned towards Scorpio. Between
thin strands of white hair his scalp had the same raw pink colour as
ScorpioтАЩs skin.
тАЬSometimes it feels like a lot longer, as well,тАЭ Clavain continued, тАЬas if
all IтАЩve ever done was spend each day here. Sometimes I feel as if there
isnтАЩt another soul on this planet.тАЭ
тАЬWeтАЩre all still here,тАЭ Scorpio said, тАЬall one hundred and seventy
thousand of us. We still need you.тАЭ
тАЬI expressly asked not to be disturbed.тАЭ
тАЬUnless it was important. That was always the arrangement, Nevil.тАЭ
Clavain stood up with painful slowness. He had always been taller than
Scorpio, but now his thinness gave him the appearance of something
sketched in a hurry. His limbs were quick cursive scratches against the
sky.
Scorpio looked at ClavainтАЩs hands. They were the fine-boned hands of a
surgeon. Or, perhaps, an interrogator. The rasp of his long fingernails
against the damp black fabric of his trousers made Scorpio wince.
тАЬWell?тАЭ
тАЬWeтАЩve found something,тАЭ Scorpio said. тАЬWe donтАЩt know exactly what it
is, or who sent it, but we think it came from space. We also think there
might be someone in it.тАЭ