"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 05 - The Jester at Scar" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

"Dumarest," said Earl, "a traveler like yourself." He lifted his
left hand so as to draw attention away from his right and the
knife held tight against his leg. The ring he wore caught the
light, the flat, red stone glowing like a pool of freshly spilled
blood. Brephor looked at it and flared his nostrils.

Abruptly he attacked.

Metal flashed as he raked his claws at Dumarest's eyes. At the
same time his free hand reached out to trap the knife and his
knee jerked up and forward in a vicious blow at the groin.
Dumarest swayed backwards, twisting and lifting his knife
beyond reach. He felt something touch his cheek, falling to tear
at his tunic and becoming a furred and sinewy wrist as he
caught it with his left hand. The stabbing knee thudded against
his thigh and, for a moment, Brephor was off balance.

Immediately Dumarest swung up the knife and thrust along
the line of the arm. driving the blade clean into the cat-man's
neck just below the ear; he twisted it so as to free the steel. The
force of the impact sent them both towards the door. Dumarest
regained his balance, jerked free the knife and sent the dead man
toppling from the hut.

A face showed as a pale blob against the darkness, lit by the
small flame of the lamp within the hut. Something bright rose as
the woman screamed a warning.

"Earl! He's got a gun!"

Fire spat from the muzzle of the weapon as Dumarest threw
the knife. He saw the face fall away, the hilt sprouting from one
eye and a ribbon of blood running down to the ruff of beard. The
blood was immediately washed away by the rain.

"Be careful!" Selene lifted the lamp, sheltering the flame.
"There could be others."

He ignored her, springing from the doorway to recover the
knife. Rain hammered at his unprotected head, slammed against
the shoulders of his tunic and sent little spurts of mud leaping up
from the semi-liquid ooze. In seconds it had washed the blade
clean. Dumarest sheathed it and looked to either side; he saw
nothing but darkness relieved only by the weak glimmers of light
coming from behind scraps of transparent plastic or through
cracks in disintegrating walls.

"EarlтАФ"

"Give me the lamp," he snapped, "quickly!"