"Gene Wolfe - The island of Dr. Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wolfe Gene)

cisely where his mental calculations 'had told him to
expect it. For nine days there had 'been no reason to
employ the inadequate paddles .provided with the
raft, but now he had something to row for. Ransom
drank the last of his water and began stroking with a
steady and powerful beat which was not interrupted
BOtil the prow of 'his rubber craft ground into the
beach sand.
Morning. You are slowly awake. Your eyes feel gummy,
and the light over your bed is still on. Downstairs there is
no one, so you get a bowl and milk and puffed, sugary
cereal out for yourself and light the oven with a kitchen
match so that you can eat and read by its open door.
When the cereal is gone you drink the sweet milk and
crumbs in the bottom of the bowl and start a pot of coffee,
knowing that will please Mother. Jason comes down,
dressed but not wanting to talk; drinks coffee and makes
one piece of cinnamon toast in the oven. You listen to him
leave, the stretched buzzing of the car on the road, then
go up to Mother's room.
She is awake, her eyes open looking at the ceiling, but
you know she isn't ready to get up yet. Very politely, be-
cause that minimizes the chance of being shouted at, you
say, "How are you feeling this morning, Mama?"
She rolls her head to look. "Strung out. What time is it,
Tackie?"
You look at the little folding .clock on her dresser.
"Seventeen minutes after eight."
"Jason go?"
"Yes, just now. Mama."
She is looking at the ceiling again. "You go back down-
stairs now, Tackie. I'll get you something when I feel
better."
Downstairs you put on your sheepskin coat and go out
on the veranda to look at the sea. There are gulls riding
the icy wind, and very far off something orange bobbing
in the waves, always closer.
A life raft. You run to the beach, jump up and down
and wave your cap. "Over here. Over here."
The man from the raft has no shirt but the cold doesn't
seem to bother him. He holds out his hand and says,
"Captain Ransom," and you take it and are suddenly
taller and older; not as tall as he is or as old as he is, but
taller and older than yourself. "Tackman Babcock, Cap-



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