"Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. The Final Circle of Paradise (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

"Did he see you?"
"Naturally. He asked me to tell you that he will be
calling tonight."
"That's bad, devil take it, bad...." muttered Rimeyer.
"Listen... damn, what is your name?"
"Zhilin."
The elevator stopped.
"Listen, Zhilin, it's very bad that he has seen you....
However, what the hell is the difference. I must go now." Re
opened the elevator door, "Tomorrow we'll have a real good
talk, okay? Tomorrow... and you look in on the Fishers. Is that
a deal?"
He slammed the door with all his strength.
"Where will I look for them?" I asked.
I stood awhile, looking after him. He was almost running,
receding down the corridor with erratic steps.

Chapter FIVE

I walked slowly, keeping to the shade of the trees. Now
and then a car rolled by. One of these stopped and the driver
threw open the door, leaned out, and vomited on the pavement.
He cursed weakly, wiped his mouth with his palm, slammed the
door, and drove off. He was on the elderly side, red-faced,
wearing a loud shirt with nothing under it.
Rimeyer apparently had turned into a drunkard. This
happens fairly often: a man tries hard, works hard, is
considered a valuable contributor, he is listened to and made
out as a model, but just when he is needed for a concrete task,
it suddenly turns out that he has grown puffy and flabby, that
wenches are running in and out of his place, and that he smells
of vodka from early morning.... Your business does not interest
him, while at the same time, he is frightfully busy, is
constantly meeting someone, talks confusingly and murkily, and
is of no help whatsoever. And then he turns up in the alcoholic
ward, or a mental clinic, or is involved in a legal process. Or
he gets married unexpectedly - strangely and ineptly - and
this marriage smells strongly of blackmail. ... One can only
comment: "Physician, heal thyself."
It would still be nice to hunt up Peck. Peck is hard as
flint, honest, and he always knows everything. You haven't even
finished the rundown on the tech control, and haven't had a
chance to get off the ship, before he is buddy-buddy with the
cook, is already fully informed and involved in the
investigation of the dispute between the Commander of the
Pathfinders and the chief engineer, who didn't settle the
matter of some prize; the technicians are already planning an
evening in his honor, and the deputy director is listening to
his advice in a quiet corner... Priceless Peck! He was born in
this city and has spent a third of his life here.