"Roger Zelazny - Amber Chronicles, The 06 - Trumps of Doom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zelazny Roger)

couple of accidents."
"More than a couple. I never told you about all of them."
"So you still believe it?"
"Yes."
He shrugged. The waiter came by and filled our coffee cups.
"Okay," he finally agreed. "Have you had it yet today?"
"No."
"Too bad. I hope it doesn't pall your thinking."
I took a sip of coffee.
"No problem," I told him.
"Good." He sighed and stretched. "Listen, I just got back to town
yesterday . . ."
"Have a good trip?"
"Set a new sales record."
"Great."
"Anyhow . . . I just learned when I checked in that you'd left."
"Yeah. I quit about a month ago."
"Miller's been trying to reach you. But with your phone disconnected he
couldn't call. He even stopped by a couple of times, but you were out."
"Too bad."
"He wants you back."
"I'm finished there."
"Wait'll you hear the proposition, huh? Brady gets kicked upstairs and
you're the new head of Design-for a twenty percent pay hike: That's what he
told me to tell you."
I chuckled softly.
"Actually..it doesn't sound bad at all. But, like I said, I'm
finished."
"Oh." His eyes glistened as he gave me a sly smile. "You do have
something lined up someplace else. He was wondering. Okay, if that's the
case he told me to tell you to bring him whatever the other guys offer.
He'll try like hell to top it."
I shook my head.
"I guess I' m not getting through," I said: "I' m finished. Period. I
don't want to go back. I'm not going to work for anyone else either. I' m
done with this sort of thing. I' m `tired of computers."
"But you're really good. Say, you going to teach?"
"Nope."
"Well, hell! You've got to do something. Did you come into some money?"
"No. I believe I'll do some traveling. I've been in one place too
long."
He raised his coffee cup and drained it. Then he leaned back, clasped
his hands across his stomach, and lowered his eyelids slightly: He was
silent for a time.
Finally: "You said you were finished. Did you just mean the job and
your life here, or something else as well?"
"I don't follow you."
"You had a way of disappearing - back in college, too. You'd be gone
for a while and then just as suddenly turn up again. You always were vague
about it, too. Seemed like you were leading some sort of double life. That