"Jack Vance - Meet Miss Universe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

her prize. Her Heart's Desire."
The reporters made way. Clydell and Tony approached the vivarium.
Clydell tipped his hat to Miss Universe, who, on the other side of the
glass, thumped her tremen-dous thorax upon the floor.
Clydell looked around the pre-sentation platform. "Where are the other
judges?"
A messenger girl in blue slacks approached, whispered to Clydell. He
cleared his throat, addressed the reporters and the TV cameras. "The other
judges have given us as much of their time as they were able; and in the name
of the Ex-position I want to make known my gratitude to them. It is my duty to
ask of Miss Universe her Heart's Desire; and if it lies within my
capabilities, to provide it for her."
He turned, approached the viva-rium. "Miss Universe, it now be-comes my
privilege to ascertain your Heart's Desire."
The interpreter piped across his message, Miss Universe growled and
grumbled a statement in re-turn. The interpreter faced back to Clydell. The
reporters poised their recorders; the TV cameras brought the scene to a
hundred million eyes.
"She says she wants only one thing. That's him." The interpreter pointed at
Tony.
Tony's knees went limp. "She wants me?"
"She says you must come to live with her at her palace on Mel. She says she
likes you very much."
Tony laughed nervously. "I can't leave Earth . . . It's impossible!" Tony
looked around the circle of faces. Clydell was solemn; the re-porters were
shaking their heads. The TV cameras scrutinized his face with impersonal glass
eyes.
Why couldn't they wink?
The interpreter continued, "She says you come to spend at least a month
with her."
Clydell said, "That's not unrea-sonable, Tony. A month soon passes."
The reporters agreed. "Sounds fair enough."
The interpreter remarked, "A year on Mel equals fourteen Earth-years."
Tony cried, "That makes a month more than an Earth-year!"
"Each year," said the interpreter, "is divided into four months."
"Cripes!" yelped Tony. "That's two and a half years!"
A reporter asked, "What's the basis for this beautiful friendship?
Interests in common? Attraction of the minds? Romance of the souls?"
"Don't be asinine!тАЭ snarled Tony.
The interpreter said, "Miss Magdalipe likes the way he smells. He smells
very good. She likes to pet him."
"Just a minute," said Tony. "I've got to check something. I want to talk to
her alone." He moved for-ward as he spoke, brushing past Clydell and jostling
him slightly, then as quickly apologizing. "Sorry, old man. That was awkward
of me."
Tony entered the vivarium with the interpreter; Miss Universe thumped him
cordially.
"Look here," said Tony. "You like the way I smell?"
 Miss Universe croaked assent.
He stepped closer to her. "Smell me now. Do you notice a change?"