"Vance, Jack - Gaean Reach - Demon Princes 03 - The Palace of Love" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

currently is in residence at Pamg."

"Perhaps I will have a chance to utter a few words there, or at
least make a reassuring signal," said Gersen. "Well, then, let us
look through the bazaar."

Subdued and depressed, Edelrod took them through the bazaar.
Only in the Poison Quarter did he recover his animation, and
pointed here and there to bargains and especially noteworthy prep-
arations. He seized a ball of gray wax. "Observe this deadly mate-
rial. I handle it without fear: I am immunized^ But if you were to
rub it on an article belonging to your enemy-his comb, his ear-
scraper-he is as good as gone. Another application is to spread a
film over your identification papers. Then, should an overofficious
administrator hector you, he is contaminated and pays for his in-
solence."

Alusz Iphigenia took a deep breath. "How does a Sarkoy survive
to become an adult?"

"Two words," Edelrod replied, holding two fingers didactically
high. "Caution, immunity. I am immune to thirty poisons. I carry
indicators and alarms to warn ofcluthe, meratis, black-tox and vole.
I observe the most punctilious caution in eating, smelling, donning
garments, bedding with a strange female. Ha-ha. Here is a favorite
trick, and the ovenmpulsive lecher finds himself in difficulties. But
to go on. I am cautious in these situations and also in passing down-
wind of a covert, even though I have no fear of meratis. Caution
has become second nature. If I suspect that I have or am about to
have an enemy, I cultivate his friendship and poison him to diminish
the risk."

"You will live to become an old man," said Gersen.

Edelrod reverently made a circular motion with his two hands,
moving in opposite directions, to symbolize a halting ofGodogma's
wheel. "Let us hope so. And here"-he pointed to a bulb contain-

THE Dг MON PRINCES

ing white powder-"cluthe Useful, versatile, effective If you need
poison, buy here "

"I have cluthe," said Gersen, "though it may be somewhat
stale "

"Discard it, or you will be disappointed," Edelrod told him
earnestly "It will merely provoke suppurating sores and gangrene "
He turned to the dealer "Your stock is fresh7"