"Jack Vance - The Gray Prince" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

тАЬI had a letter from Father,тАЭ Kelse explained. тАЬI told you that heтАЩd gone up on the Palga. Well, the trip
seems to have exceeded his expectations.тАЭ Kelse brought forth the letter and read: тАЬтАШIтАЩve had some
remarkable adventures and I have a wonderful story to tell you, a most wonderful joke, a most prodigious
and extraordinary joke, which has put ten years on my life.тАЩтАЭ Kelse skipped down across a line or two.
тАЬThen he says: тАШIтАЩll meet you at Galigong. I donтАЩt dare come to Olanje, which would mean suffering
through one of ValtrinaтАЩs awful parties, complete with all the pussy-footers, logic-choppers, aesthetes,
four-flushers, sybarites and sycophants in Szintarre. Make sure Gerd comes back to Morningswake with
us; he, no less than you, will appreciate this situation, and express to Schaine my great pleasure at having

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 THEGRAYPRINCE

her home once againтАжтАЩ

ThereтАЩs more along this line but thatтАЩs the gist of it.тАЭ

тАЬVery mysterious,тАЭ said Gerd Jemasze.

тАЬYes, thatтАЩs how I feel. What is there up on the Palga to cause Father such merriment? HeтАЩs not famous
for his humor.тАЭ

тАЬWellтАФtomorrow weтАЩll know.тАЭ Gerd rose to his feet. тАЬIf youтАЩll excuse me, I have a few errands to do.тАЭ
He bowed with rather cursory politeness to Schaine.

Kelse asked: тАЬYouтАЩre coming to the party at Aunt ValtrinaтАЩs?тАЭ

Gerd Jemasze shook his head. тАЬItтАЩs not really my kind of affair.тАЭ

тАЬOh come along,тАЭ said Kelse. тАЬYou might have a chance to meet the Gray PrinceтАФamong other local
notables.тАЭ

Gerd Jemasze reflected a moment or two as if Kelse had scored a point in a profound and complicated
argument. тАЬVery well. IтАЩll come. What time and where?тАЭ

тАЬFour oтАЩclock at Villa Mirasol.тАЭ


Chapter 2
The road to Villa Mirasol, departing Kharanotis Avenue, wound back and forth up the side of Panorama
Mountain under stands of gonaive, native teak, langtang and mace. Passing under an arch, the road
circled a wide lawn and ended at the villa: an elegant construction of glass, fluted posts, white walls, a
roof of many angles and levels, designed in a light and easy spirit of rococo decadence.

Valtrina Darabesq, maternal great-aunt to Schaine and Kelse, welcomed both with an enthusiasm none
the less real for its impersonal facility. Schaine had always marveled at her energy and her remarkable
gregariousness; Kelse considered her a bit over-stylish, though he could not help but approve her
expansive generosity. Both were prepared for her insistence that they transfer from the Seascape to Villa
Mirasol and stay a week, two weeks, a month. тАЬIтАЩve seen neither of you for so long. Schaine, itтАЩs been at
leastтАФhow many years?тАЭ