"Xanth 18 - Geis Of The Gargoyle" - читать интересную книгу автора (Xanth)

"How should I know, spoutface?"

"You don't know how?"

"That's right, gamishee."

Gary paused, realizing that two of his questions were al-
ready gone, by her slightly crazy rules. He had already
failed to learn why her clothing had been confused, and he
didn't want to fail to leam how to do his job the easy way.
So he phrased his question carefully. "What gives you the
idea that there is an easy way to do my job?"

Mentia shrugged, making ripples all across her front and
down her arms. "There has to be, because if you went to
ask the Good Magician about it, he would have the an-
swer."

The Good Magician! He had never thought of that. But
he realized that this was not a wise course for him. "I
couldn't go to ask him, because the moment it rains, the
river will resume its flow, and I shall have to be here to
clarify it. Anyway, I understand he's extremely grumpy.
And I don't know the way there."

"Why don't you make a dam, so the water can't pass
until you return to process it? And what's so bad about
grumpiness, if it frees you from a lifetime's geis? And
why not ask me to show you the way there?"

Three more questions. Gary pondered, then answered
them. "I could make such a dam. A few minutes of
grumpiness seem a bargain, when I think of it that way.
And I won't ask you to show me the way there because
you're a demoness who surely has mischief in mind."

She considered that. "It's your turn for questions. Why
don't you ask me if I mean to lead you astray?"

He became interested. "Do you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I have a defect of demonly character: I'm
slightly crazy. That's why my clothing was mixed up." Her
blouse and skirt reappeared, correctly placed. "I share this
with my better half: I like to be entertained, and you prom-