"Jack Vance - The Demon Princes - complete" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

_┬╗)

sus.

Teehalt smiled sadly. "You espouse a very popular doctrine,
ethical pragmatism, which always turns out to be the doctrine of
self-interest. Still, I understand you where you speak of uncertainty,
for I am an uncertain man." He shook his thin, sharp-featured head.
"I know I'm in a bad way, but why should I not? I've had a peculiar
experience." He finished the whiskey, leaned forward to gaze into
Gersen's face. "You are perhaps more sensitive than first impression
would suggest. Perhaps more agile. And possibly younger than you
seem."

"I was born in 1490."

Teehalt made a sign which could mean anything, searched Ger-
sen's face once more. "Can you understand me if I say that I have
known overmuch beauty?"

"I probably could understand," said Gersen, "if you made your-
self clear."

Teehalt blinked thoughtfully. "I will try." He considered. "As
I have admitted to you, I am a locater. It is a poor tradeтАФwith
apologies to youтАФfor eventually it involves the degradation of
beauty. Sometimes only to a small extent, which is what a person
such as myself hopes for. Sometimes there is only small beauty to
corrupt, and sometimes the beauty is incorruptible." He made a
gesture of his hand toward the ocean. "The tavern harms nothing.
The tavern allows the beauty of this terrible little planet to reveal
itself." He leaned forward, licking his lips. "The name Malagate is
known to you? Attel Malagate?"

For a second time Gersen was startled; for a second time the
reaction failed to reach his face. After another slight pause, he asked
casually, "Malagate the Woe, so-called?"

"Yes. Malagate the Woe. You are acquainted with him?" And
Lugo Teehalt peered at Gersen through eyes which had suddenly
gone leaden, as if the mere act of naming the possibility had re-
newed his suspicion,

"Only by reputation," said Gersen, with a bleak twitch of a
smile.

Teehalt leaned forward with great earnestness. "Whatever you
may have heard, I assure you, it is flattery."

"But you don't know what I have heard."