"Richard Wilson - The Eight Billion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilson Richard)

THE EIGHT BILLION
by Richard Wilson

The vizier told the King of New York: "It's time to go downtown, Your
Majesty."
Because of the throng and the hubbub he spoke with his lips pressed to
the King's ear. The vizier, who was old, could remember when the little
throne-room had seemed crowded with a mere hundred courtiers in it.
Now, 40 years later, there were a thousand. He turned his head half right
and the King graciously turned his head to put his lips to the vizier's ear.
"Is it really time?" the King asked. He made a happy, involuntary
gesture and dislodged the crown of his Queen. "Sorry dear."
"What?" the Queen said. She retrieved the crown from the shoulder of
the first lady in waiting, which was as far as it had been able to fall. "We
can't hear a word you say."
The King ignored her. The vizier got his lips back to the King's ear and
said, "Yes, Sire. Your gracious presence would be most welcome." He
spoke in the pre-arranged code.
The circle of nobles closest to the King became aware that a discussion
of import was under way and fell silent. They shifted their feet a quarter
inch and inclined their heads.
The vizier glared at them. "Hubba-hubba!" he barked.
"Hubba-hubba!" they responded, and not until their chatter had
resumed did he again put his lips to the King's ear. "The Supervisors are
thinking of legalizing death," he said, knowing he would be overheard and
deliberately reviving an old rumor for the benefit of the eavesdropping
nobles.
"We should not be displeased," the King said. "They could start right
here."
"Under the plan the nobles would be exempt," the vizier said. "I think a
committee of nobles helped draft the plan."
"That would be a pity," the King said, not bothering to get the vizier's
ear back. "Our wish would be to distribute such a blessing democratically,
if we may use that word. Hubba-hubba, there!"
The nobles' conversation, which had dropped to a murmur, rose in
volume.
"They were thinking of starting at the outskirts," the vizier said. "As you
know, the beneficent protection of immortality extends five hundred feet
beyond the borders of the county. The thought was to bring it to the very
edges, so that if anyone fell off the island he'd be gone, Pfut! like that.
There'd be a law against shoving, of course."
"Very sound," the King said. "But what of those whose business takes
them beyond the borders? Some are authorized by us to travel to the
Kingdoms of Bronx or Richmond. We must not discourage trade, such
little as there is."
Chimes sounded and the voice of the Royal Chef said: "Chow is now
down." He was a former mess sergeant.
The voices of the nobles automatically rose again and there was a
shifting of feet as they braced themselves. Under cover of this the King
sought the vizier's ear and said: "Are they through downtown?" He