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

"No."

"He spends his life throwing away opportunities," said Chom. "The Ghenka, the
girl and now you. Some men have too much luck." He frowned at his cards. "I'll
take two."

"Wait your turn," said Harg. "Earl raised and now it's up to Daroca."

"Take it easy," Chom pleaded as Daroca fingered his coins. "Think of the poor."

Mari snorted. "Let the monks do that. That's one good thing about this journey.
No monks. I was on a ship once carrying two of them. The Universal Brotherhood
might do a lot of good work, but there are times when they don't belong. You know,
they made me feel guilty. Not that they said anything, but they're so damned
self-sacrificing. How can men bear to live like that? Poverty is something I run away
from, but they go out of their way to find it."

"They do good work," said Dumarest. He looked at Vekta Gorlyk. "Don't you
agree?"

"Yes," he said. "I agree."

His voice was flat, like his face, devoid of expression, a dull monotone which
gave no added emphasis to his words.

Dumarest said, watching, "You don't find many in this part of the galaxy. Not like
you do in the Center. But there seem to be plenty of cybers about, and that's odd
when you think about it. If the Cyclan is established out here, then why not the
Church? You have an opinion?"

"I haven't thought about it. I don't travel much. I wouldn't have noticed."

"Cybers go where the money is," said Chom. "Money and influence. Those who
aren't welcome in high places wouldn't see them. What's your trade, Gorlyk?"

"I am a dealer in rare and precious books."

"Books!" Chom raised his eyes and shrugged. "And who buys those? Museums
and libraries and eccentrics. You could trade for a lifetime and never see a cyber.
Now if you were like Earl here, a man who gets around and moves high, then you
would. Well, let's get on with the game. Daroca?"

"I'll stay."

Dumarest sat back as the play went its course. Chom spoke too much of things
he could only assume and he wondered at the entrepreneur's reason. Envy, perhaps?
It was logical, yet somehow it didn't seem to be the answer. A man in his profession
would have early learned the value of silence. It almost seemed that he was
advertising, warning, even, but why and to whom?