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

"Why should I be Malagate's man?"

"Circumstances suggest as much. But circumstances only. And
in fact I know that you are not. He would not send someone here
whom I have not met."

"You have a rendezvous, then."

"One I don't care to keep. ButтАФI don't know what else to do."

"Return to the Oikumene."

THE STAR KING

II

"What does Malagate care tor that? He comes and goes as he
pleases."

"Why should he concern himself with you? Locators are twenty
to the dozen."

"I am unique," said Teehalt. "I am a locater who has found a
prize too precious to sell."

Gersen was impressed in spite of himself.

"It is a world too beautiful for degradation," said Teehalt. "An
innocent world, full of light and air and color. To give this world
to Malagate, for his palaces and whirligigs and casinosтАФit would
be like giving a child to a squad of Sarcoy soldiers. Worse? Possibly
worse."

"And Malagate knows of this?"

"It is my unfortunate habit to drink rashly and talk wildly."

"As you do now," suggested Gersen.

Teehalt smiled his wincing morose smile. "You could tell Mal-
agate nothing he does not already know. The damage was done at
Brinktown."

"Tell me more of this world. Is it inhabited?"

Teehalt smiled again, but made no answer. Ciersen felt no re-
sentment. Teehalt, beckoning to Araminta Smade, ordered Fraze,
a heavy sour-sweet liquor reputed to include among its constituents
a subtle hallucinizer. Gersen signified that he would drink no more.