"Jack Vance - Assault on a City" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

Waldo made a guttural sound and directed one of his burning
suspicious glances into the screen. "They scoured me and scrubbed me,
and shaved all my hair. Still I smell it. The stuff apparently reacts with
skin protein, and stays until a layer of skin wears off."
"Certainly a remarkable affair," mused Alice. "I wonder who would do a
thing like that? And why?"
"I know who, at least. It was the fellow in green pantaloons at the table
opposite. I've been meaning to ask you: didn't you photograph that
couple?"
"Yes, indeed I did! They seemed such a typical pair! I don't think you
can identify the man; his head is turned away. But the woman is clear
enough."
Waldo thrust his head forward with something of his old animation.
"Good! Will you bring over the photograph? I'll show it to the police;
they'll work up an identification fast enough. Somebody's going to suffer."
"I'll certainly send over the photograph," said Alice. "But I'm afraid that
I don't have time to drop by. The Academy is on my schedule for today."
Waldo drew back, eyes glittering. "You won't learn much in one day. It
usually takes a week just for orientation."
"I think I can find the information I want in just an hour or two;
anyway, that's all the time I can spare."
"And may I ask the nature of this information?" Waldo's voice now had
a definite edge. "Or is it a secret?"
 "Of course not!" Alice laughed at the thought. "I'm mildly curious as to
the formal methods of transmitting the urbanite ideology. Academicians
are naturally a diverse lot, but in general they are confirmed urbanites: in
fact, I suppose this is the basis upon which they attain their positions.
After all, rabbits don't hire lions to teach their children."
"I don't follow you," said Waldo haughtily.
"It's perfectly simple. The Academy indoctrinates young rabbits in
rabbitry, to pursue the metaphor, and I'm mildly curious as to the
techniques."
"You'll be wasting your time," said Waldo. "I attend the Academy and
I'm not aware of any 'rabbitry,' as you put it."
"You would be more apt to notice its absence," said Alice. "Goodbye,
Waldo. It was kind of you to show me Jillyville; I'm sorry the evening
ended unpleasantly."
Waldo stared at the fresh young face, so careless and gay. " 'Goodbye'?"
"I may not be seeing you again. We won't be in Hant all that long. But
perhaps someday you'll come out to the starlands."
"Not bloody likely," Waldo muttered.



A curious affair, Alice reflected, as she rode the cab down to the
Academy. The man in the green pantaloons probably mistook Waldo for
someone else. Or he might have acted out of sheer perversity; such folk
were probably not uncommon in the psychological stew of the great city
Hant.
The cab discharged her on a plat at the center of the campus. She stood