"Jack Vance - The Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolph" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

"Isn't there anything close by the inn?"

"No, Madame. Shadow Valley Tumble only just finished a campaign against Marble Arch, and are
occupied now in repairing their weapons."

"What are the odds on the first of these - the Ivory Dune and the Eastern Shield?"

"I believe eight gets you five on Ivory Dune, and five gets you four on Eastern Shield."

"That's strange. Why aren't the odds the same both ways?"

"All bets must be placed through the inn management, Madame."

The carry-all rattled into the courtyard of the inn. Magnus Ridolph leaned forward. "Kindly brace
yourself, Madame; the vehicle is about to stop, and I do not care to be held responsible for a second
unpleasant incident."

The woman made no reply. The charabanc halted; Magnus Ridolph climbed to the ground. Before him
was the inn and behind a mountainside, dappled with succulent green flowers on lush violet bushes.
Along the ridge grew tall, slender trees like poplars, vivid black and red. A most colorful world, decided


file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ja...20Many%20Worlds%20of%20Magnus%20Ridolph.html (8 of 132) [10/18/2004 3:43:07 PM]
 THE MANY WORLDS OF MAGNUS RIDOLPH by Jack Vance

Magnus Ridolph, and, turning, inspected the view down the valley. There were bands and layers of colors
- pink, violet, yellow, green, graying into a distant dove color. Where the mouth of the valley gave on the
river peneplain, Magnus Ridolph glimpsed a tall conical edifice. "One of the tumbles?" he inquired of the
charabanc attendant.

"Yes sir - the Meadow View Tumble. Shadow Valley Tumble is further up the valley, behind the inn."

Magnus Ridolph turned to enter the inn. His eyes met those of a man in a severe black suit - a short man
with a dumpy face that looked as if it had been compressed in a vise. Ridolph recognized the countenance
of Julius See. "Well, well, this is a surprise indeed," said Magnus.

See nodded grimly. "Quite a coincidence..."

"After the unhappy collapse of Outer Empire Realty and Investment I feared - indeed, I dreaded - that I
should never see you again." And Magnus Ridolph watched Julius See with mild blue eyes blank as a
lizard's.

"No such luck," said See. "As a matter of fact, I run this place. Er, may I speak to you a moment inside?"

"Certainly, by all means."

Ridolph followed his host through the well-appointed lobby into an office. A thin-faced man with thin red
hair and squirrel teeth rose quickly to his feet. "You'll remember my partner, Bruce Holpers," said See
with no expression in his voice.