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

multi-colored flagstones was surrounded by a fruit-tree garden,
with apple branches touching the walls.
"And where is the widow?" I said.
"Let's go inside," said Ahmad.
He went up the steps, leafing through his notebook I was
following him while looking around. I liked the mini-orchard.
Ahmad found the right page and set up the combination on the
small disc by the doorbell. The door opened. Cool, fresh air
flowed out of the house. It was dark inside, but as soon as we
stepped into the hall, it lit up with concealed illumination.
Putting away his notebook, Ahmad said, "To the right is the
landlord's half, to the left is yours. Please come in. Here is
the living room, and there is the bar. In a minute we'll have a
drink. And now here is your study. Do you have a phonor?"
"No."
"It's just as well. You have everything you need right
here. Come on over here. This is the bedroom. There is the
control board for acoustic defense. You know how to use it?"
"I'll figure it out."
"Good. The defense is triple, you can have it quiet as a
tomb or turn the place into a bordello, whatever you like...
Here's the air-conditioning control, which, incidentally, is
not too convenient, as you can only operate it from the
bedroom."
"I'll manage," I said.
"What? Well, okay. Here is the bathroom and powder room."
"I am interested in the widow," I said, "and the
daughter."
"All in good time. Shall I open the drapes?"
"What for?"
"Right you are, for no reason. Let's go have a drink."
We returned to the living room and Ahmad disappeared up to
his waist in the bar.
"You want it on the strong side?" he asked.
"You have it backwards."
"Would you like an omelette? Sandwiches?"
"How about nothing?"
"No," said Ahmad, "an omelette it shall be - with
tomatoes." He rummaged in the bar. "I don't know what does it,
but this autocooker makes an altogether astonishingly good
omelette with tomatoes. While we are at it, I will also have a
bite."
He extracted a tray from the bar and placed it on a low
table by a semicircular couch. We sat down.
"Now about the widow," I reminded him. "I would like to .
present myself."
"You like the rooms?"
"They'll do."
"Well, the widow is quite all right, too. And the daughter
is not bad either."