"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 23 - World of Promise" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

There was still a crowd clustered around the cage in its circle
of brilliance, and as Dumarest passed he heard the raw,
primitive snarl of the beast as it faced its tormentors. The
guards, bribed, no longer made any effort to prevent the hail of
missiles which the dilettantes threw at the cage, some hitting the
bars, others the matted coat of the creature. They would tire of
the sport or the beast would cease roaring its anger or its owner
would come to complete the transshipment and the incident
would be over and forgotten. But, perhaps, the taste would linger
to remind humans that they were, at times, more viciously
savage than any animal.

"Hurry!" A man called to his companion. "Let's get aboard
before it's too late!"

There was no need to hurry; the warning signal had been a
preliminary. It would be repeated later, again to warn of
immediate departure. Even as Dumarest turned from the cage a
siren blasted in the standard pattern and he halted, looking at
the stubby shape which lifted from the dirt, the stained hull and
patches vague beneath the blue shimmer of the Erhaft field
which carried it up and out toward the stars.

The sight caught at the imagination, driving the beast insane.

Dumarest heard the sudden, maniacal scream of naked fury,
the accompanying shrieks as the bars yielded and a guard died
beneath the rake of sickle claws. Another joined him as the
crowd raced from the spot, streaming like ants from the point of
danger, jostling, thrusting, yammering their fear, their terror of
the monster.

The beast stood roaring its hate and defiance, fists drumming
on the barrel of its torso, saliva dripping from bared fangs, blood
smeared on the claws, the matted hair.

"Lavinia! My God, Lavinia!"

The scream cut across the roaring, the drumming, the noise
of the crowd. A sound torn from the throat of a woman in the
extremity of anguish, shocking, desperate.

The thing heard it and dropped its hands, head turning to
scan the area, seeing as Dumarest saw the small figure sprawled
on the dirt, the mane of ebon hair, the glitter of the doll still
clutched firmly in one hand.
 "Lavinia!"