"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 09 - Mayenne" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

business they are more bother than worth. The men like them, sure, but they love to
set one against the other and they can change at the drop of a coin. Do you call these
cards?"

"I'll change hands if you want," said Chom. "They can't be worse than mine."

The dour brothers said nothing, playing with a grim determination. Vekta Gorlyk
carefully stacked his hand. Dumarest watched the neat precision of his movements,
the immobility of his face, the eyes which alone seemed alive. Odd eyes, veiled,
secretive.

Daroca moved coins to the center of the table. "I'll bet five."

"Earl?"

"And five more."

"She's going to Ayette," said Man. "Getting married, so I hear. The poor fool
doesn't know what he's letting himself in for. He'll pay for every ounce of pleasure
he gets and he'll be wearing horns before a month is past. I'd bet on it."

"Bet on your hand," suggested Harg. "And you're wrong. She's marrying high
and there'll be enough guards around to keep her pure. Even so, Earl, I wouldn't visit
that world if I were you. Chom?"

"I'll stay."

"Mari?"

"This hand is like the girl, pretty to look at but useless for anything else." She
threw the cards aside. "With your luck, Harg, we should be partners. How about
that? I've a nice little place lined up on Selegal, and if you've got some cash you
could do a lot worse. With me running the girls and you the tables we should do
well. Interested?"
 "I might be," said Harg. He leaned back, knowing there was no need for high
concentration, that the game had lost its sharp edge and that the players were sitting
more for social reasons than anything else. And the prospect was attractive. He was
getting tired of the limited life of endless journeyings broken only by brief halts at
various planets. And, always, was the possibility that his luck might run out, his skill
become blunted. The woman offered security. "I might be interested," he said again.
"Let me think about it."

"How about you, Earl?" Man was shrewd, her eyes calculating as she glanced at
where he sat. "My experience, Harg's luck and you to give protection. We split the
profits three ways and it won't cost you much to buy in. In my business you need a
strong man around to keep order and take care of the parasites."

"Try the amazon," suggested Earl. "She might be interested."

"And you're not?"