"Jack Vance - Tschai 4 - The Pnume" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

interest in you. What are men to them but vermin? They prefer to chivy the Pnume
from their burrows. You are no longer the subject of tsaugsh: this is my
supposition."
Reith was not wholly reassured. "What of the Phung or Pnume, whatever they
are, that come to watch us? They aren't there for their health." He referred to
the two black shapes which had been appearing of late on the salt flats. Always
they came to stand against the sunset, gaunt figures wearing black cloaks and
wide-brimmed black hats.
"Phung go alone; they are not Phung," said Traz. "Pnume never appear by
daylight."
"And never so close to Hei, for fear of the Dirdir," Anacho said. "So,
then-they are Pnumekin, or more likely Gzhindra."
On the occasion of their first appearance the creatures stood gazing toward
the warehouse until Carina 4269 fell behind the palisades; then they vanished
into the gloom. Their interest seemed more than casual; Reith was disturbed by
the surveillance but could conceive of no remedy for it.
The next day was blurred by mist and drizzle; the salt flats remained vacant.
On the day following, the sun shone once more, and at sundown the dark shapes


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came to stare toward the shed, again afflicting Reith with disquietude.
Surveillance portended unpleasant events: this on Tschai was an axiom of
existence.
Carina 4269 hung low. "If they're coming," said Anacho, "now is the time."
Reith searched the salt flats through his scanscope.* "There's nothing out
there but tussocks and swamp-bush. Not even a lizard."
Traz pointed over his shoulder. "There they are."
"Hmrnf," said Reith. "I just looked there!" He raised the magnification of
the scanscope until the jump of his pulse caused the figures to jerk and bounce.
The faces, back-lit, could not be distinguished. "They have hands," said Reith.
"They are Pnumekin."
Anacho took the instrument. After a moment he said: "They are Gzhindra:
Pnumekin expelled from the tunnels. To trade with the Pnume you must deal
through the Gzhindra; the Pnume will never dicker for themselves."
"Why should they come here? We want no dealings with the Pnume."
"But they want dealings with us, or so it seems."
"Perhaps they're waiting for Woudiver to appear," Traz suggested.
"At sunset and sunset alone?"
To Traz came a sudden thought. He moved away from the warehouse and somewhat
past Woudiver's old office, an eccentric little shack of broken brick and
flints, and looked back toward the warehouse. He walked a hundred yards further,
out upon the salt flats, and again looked back. He gestured to Reith and Anacho,
who went out to join him. "Observe the warehouse," said Traz. "You'll now see
who deals with the Gzhindra."
From the black timber wall a glint of golden light jumped and flickered.
"Behind that light," said Traz, "is Aila Woudiver's room."
"The fat yellow shulk is signaling!" declared Anacho in a fervent whisper.