"Kim Stanley Robinson - Forty Signs of Rain" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Kim Stanley)

flooded?тАЭ

тАЬMany times,тАЭ they said in unison. Padma, still sniffing CharlieтАЩs sauce as if it were the perfect ambrosia,
elaborated. тАЬUsed to happen only every eighteen years or about, moon tides, you know. We could plan
it happening, and be prepared. But now, whenever the monsoon hits hard.тАЭ

тАЬAlso every month at moon tide,тАЭ Sucandra added. тАЬCertainly three, four times a year. No one can live
that way for long. If it gets worse, then the island will no longer be habitable. So we came here.тАЭ

Charlie shook his head, tried to joke: тАЬThis place may be lower in elevation than your island.тАЭ

They laughed politely. Not the funniest joke. Charlie said, тАЬListen, speaking of elevation, have you talked
to the other low-lying countries?тАЭ

Padma said, тАЬOh yes, we are part of the League of Drowning Nations, of course. Charter member.тАЭ

тАЬHeadquarters in The Hague, near the World Court.тАЭ

тАЬVery appropriate,тАЭ Charlie said. тАЬAnd now you are establishing an embassy hereтАж.тАЭ

тАЬTo argue our case, yes.тАЭ

Sucandra said, тАЬWe must speak to the hyperpower.тАЭ

The two men smiled cheerily.

тАЬWell. ThatтАЩs very interesting.тАЭ Charlie tested the pasta to see if it was ready. тАЬIтАЩve been working on
climate issues myself, for Senator Chase. IтАЩll have to get you in there to talk to him. And you need to hire
a good firm of lobbyists too.тАЭ

тАЬYes?тАЭ They regarded him with interest. Padma said, тАЬYou think it best?тАЭ

тАЬYes. Definitely. YouтАЩre here to lobby the U.S. government, thatтАЩs what it comes down to. And there
are pros in town to help foreign governments do that. I used to do it myself, and IтАЩve still got a good
friend working for one of the better firms. IтАЩll put you in touch with him and you can see what he tells
you.тАЭ

Charlie slipped on potholders and lifted the pasta pot over to the sink, tipped it into the colander until it
was overflowing. Always a problem with their little colander, which he never thought to replace except at
moments like this. тАЬI think my friendтАЩs firm already represents the Dutch on these issuesтАФoopsтАФso itтАЩs a
perfect match. TheyтАЩll be knowledgeable about your suite of problems, youтАЩll fit right in there.тАЭ

тАЬDo they lobby for Tibet?тАЭ

тАЬThat I donтАЩt know. Separate issues, I should think. But they have a lot of client countries. YouтАЩll see
how they fit your needs when you talk to them.тАЭ

They nodded. тАЬThank you for that. We will enjoy that.тАЭ

They took the food into the little dining room, which was a kind of corner in the passageway between