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

Clydell studied the sheet.

"the first trans-galactic beauty contest!
quest for miss universe!
prize for winner:
her heart's desire.
Judging begins February 1st.
Each contestant will be rated by
the standards of beauty OF HER own world.

JUDGES:
1.Mr. Skde Shproske, Ambas-sador from Gamma Grus.
2.Mr. 92-14-63-55, Commercial Factor from Aspidiske (Iota Argus).
3.Mr. A-O-INH, Student from Persigian (Leo 4A563).
4.Mr. SSEET-TREET, Com-mercial Factor from Kaus Australis (Eta Sagittarii).
5.The Honorable Hardeman Clydell of Earth.

THE CONTESTANTS:
1. Miss ConexxaтАФ"

Tony LeGrand interrupted Hardeman Clydell's reading. "You will notice that
I've made an in-formal note or two after each of the contestants. They're for
your own information onlyтАФthey won't be included on the public pro-gram."
Clydell nodded, took a luxuriant puff of his cigar, read on down the list.

1. Miss Conexxa (Beta Trianguli). Humanoid, Type A. Tall, rangy. Red hair
in varnished spikes, copper skin, black lips and ears. Shins overgrown with
glossy black fur, like cowboys chaps. Attractive in a weird kind of way.
Weight 150 lbs.
2. Miss Alschain (Beta Aquilae) Humanoid, Type B. Little, like a big-eyed
elf. Eyebrows like tufts of green feathers. Thin pale hair like corn-silk.
Insectivorous. Weight 80 lbs.
3. Miss Chromosphoro (Centauri 9518). Upper half like a big red fish,
surrounded by eighteen jointed legs, the knees at eye-level. Weight 150 lbs.
4. Miss Shaula (Lambda Scorpii). Inverted tub. Mottled brown and gray.
Shiny. A hundred little sucker-legs underneath. Eye in center like a
periscope. Weight 200 lbs.
5. Miss TIX (Tau Draconis). Humanoid D. Jackstraw type. 9 feet tall,
spindly. Big head, no chin. Faceted eyes. Cockroach-color. Suckers at tips of
fingers (16 fingers). Weight 90 lbs.
6. Miss Aries 44R951. A big dry tumbleweed, with a hundred jellyfish tangled
in it. Weight 40 lbs.
7. Miss Vindemiatrix (Eta Virginis). Translucent eel with dorsal spines and
four hands around mouth. Brain in long spinal band, phosphoresces visibly
d u r i n g thought processes. Weight 60 lbs. 3 ounces.
8. Miss Achernar (Alpha Eridani) Armadillo with wasp head. Green scales.
Highly telepathic. Be careful what you think around this one. Weight 150 lbs.
9. Miss Earth. Sancha Garay of Paris. Need I describe her? Hu-manoid A.
Weight 115 lbs.
10. Miss Theta Piscium. 40 star-fish strung on a seven-foot length of