"Lazar Lagin. The Old Genie Hottabych (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

"Does that mean there's nothing inside of it?" Volka asked with
disappointment.
"Why, should there be anything inside?" the old Genie inquired
anxiously. Volka unbuckled the strap in silence and returned the watch to
Hottabych.
"All right, then, I'll give you a watch that doesn't have to have
anything inside."
Once again a gold watch appeared on Volka's wrist, but now it was very
small and flat. There was no glass on it and instead of hands there was a
small vertical gold rod in the middle. The face was studded with the most
exquisite emeralds set where the numbers should be.
"Never before did anyone, even the wealthiest of all sultans, have a
hand sun watch!" the old man boasted again. "There were sun dials in city
squares, in market places, in gardens and in yards. And they were all made
of stone. But I just invented this one. It's not bad, is it?"
It certainly was exciting to be the only owner of a sun watch in the
whole world.
Volka grinned broadly, while the old man beamed.
"How do you tell the time on it?" Volka asked.
"Here's how," Hottabych said, taking hold of Volka's hand gently. "Hold
your arm straight out like this and the shadow cast by the little gold rod
will fall on the right number."
"But the sun has to be shining," Volka said, looking with displeasure
at a small cloud that just obscured it.
"The cloud will pass in a minute," Hottabych promised. True enough, in
a minute the sun began to shine once again. "See, it points somewheres
between 2 and 3 p.m. That means it's about 2:30." As he was speaking,
another cloud covered the sun.
"Don't pay any attention to it," Hottabych said. "I'll clear the sky
for you whenever you want to find out what time it is."
"What about the autumn?" Volka asked.
"What about it?"
"What about the autumn and the winter, when the sky is covered with
clouds for months on end?"
"I've already told you, 0 Volka, the sun will shine whenever you want
it to. You have but to order me and everything will be as you wish."
"But what if you're not around?"
"I'll always be near-by. All you have to do is call me."
"But what about the evenings and nights?" Volka asked maliciously.
"What about the night, when there's no sun in the sky?"
"At night people must surrender themselves to sleep, and not look at
their watches," Hottabych snapped. He had to control himself not to teach
the insolent youth a good lesson. "All right then, tell me whether you like
that man's watch. If you do, you shall have it."
"What do you mean? It belongs to him. Don't tell me you are going
to...."
"Don't worry, 0 Volka ibn Alyosha. I won't touch a hair on his head.
He'll offer you the watch himself, for you are certainly worthy of receiving
the most treasured gifts."
"You'll force him to and then he'll...."