"Carr, Terry (ed) - anthology - Science Fiction for People Who Hate Science Fiction - 07 - Davidso" - читать интересную книгу автора (Carr Terry)

There is no such thing as a bad boy. I never met a man I
didn't like."
"Front!" said the clerk, his voice tremulous.
Mr. Feltz handed the keys to 516 to the bellboy himself,
urged Mr. Taylor to make his wants known immediately.
As David walked toward the elevator, the manager turned
to his subordinate. "The Rich," he said simply. The clerk
nodded solemnly. "We know their ways," said Mr. Feltz.
"Eh? Well, that's very generous of you, Robertbut, no,
sixty-forty is good enough. He seems to have taken a liking
to you. Send up flowers, the morning papers, a split of cham-
pagne. And include my card, Robert."
As soon as the bellboy had gone (rather like a satisfied
customer on his way out of a high-class opium den, with a
$500 bill clutched in his hot hand), David went down the
corridor and knocked on the door of Suite 521. "Ethel-
Mac?" he asked, his face close to the door. "Dearest? This
is David. Please open. I can explain everything."
And, sure enough, her words as she opened the door and
fell into his arms were, "There is nothing to explain!" Then
she said, "It's just that you're so sweetand naive. But that
nasty little nance down at the desk wouldn't understand."
Since David didn't understand either, he made no com-
ment, but covered her face with kisses. "Darling, I love
you," he said. "Please believe me." And she said, But she
didshe did. "Do you know what it's like to be aloneal-
ways alonenever to know love? Do you? Do you? No. Of
course you don't"
Her answer was exactly correct. "Hush, darling," she
said. "Everything's going to be all right." He sighed, kissed
her again. Then
"Ethel-Mac? Ethel-Mac? Mrs. Conar? What-? Why are
you" But she didn't seem to heai him. Nothing he had
ever heard on radio or seen on television prepared him
for what was happening now. Buthe decided after a mo-
ment or sowhat was happening now wasthough strange
not unpleasant. "This is wrong," he groaned happily. "It's
all wrong. But I1 don't care. Do you hear, I don't caret"
It was two in the morning before he stumbled back to his
own room, and bed. At half-past two, he was awakened by
the bellboy's father and mother (smuggled up on the serv-
ice elevator) who had come all the way from Mulberry
Street to kiss his hands. At three, he was halt-awakened by
a scratching noise at his door. After a few minutes, he got
up andafter approaching it as cautiously as the Sheriff of
Hangtown on the program of the same namethrew it sud-
denly open.
A pretty girl with her red hair in a pony-tail uttered a
little scream. Pencil and notebook fell to the floor. "Why
youyou're only a child!" he said, in a hushed voice.