"Charles DeVet & Katherine MacLean - Cosmic Checkmate" - читать интересную книгу автора (DeVet Charles)

Vlosmin's limited ability showed at my first pass in the new alignment.
He became confused, hesitated too long before the pukt I exposed, and
made a misplay in passing it up. I took the man he had used in passing. A
minute later he lost another. He saw that he was losing, and tried a total
reversal of tactics, the desperate gamble of a V penetration at center.

Though it required all my concentration the game was soon over. I
looked as Vlosmin rose to his feet, and noted with surprise that a fine
spotting of moisture brightened his upper lip. Only then did I recognize
the strain and effort he had invested into the attempt to defeat me.

"You are an exceptional craftsman," he said. There was a grave
emphasis he put on the "exceptional" which I could not miss, and I saw
that his face was whiter.

His formal introduction of himself earlier as "Caertin Vlosmin" had
meant more than I realized at the time.

I had just played against, and defeated, one of the Great Players!

The sun set a short time later and floating particles of light-reflecting
air-foam drifted out over the Fair grounds. Someway they were held
suspended above the grounds while air currents tossed them about and
intermingled them in the radiance of vari-hued spotlights. The grounds
were still light as day, but filled with light, shifting shadows that seemed
to heighten the byplay of sound and excitement from the Fair visitors.

Around my booth all was quiet; the spectators subdued— as though
waiting for the next act in a tense drama. I was very tired now, but I knew
by the tenseness I observed around me that I did not have much longer to
wait.

By the bubbles' light I watched as new spectators took their positions
about my booth. And as time went by I saw that some did not move on, as
my earlier visitors had done.

The weight that rode my stomach muscles grew abruptly heavier. I had
set my net with all the audacity of a spider waiting for a fly, yet I knew
that when my anticipated victim arrived he would more likely resemble a
spider hawk. Still the weight was not caused by fear: It was excitement—
the excitement of the larger game about to begin.


II
I was playing an opponent of recognizably less ability than Vlosmin
when I heard a stirring and murmuring in the crowd around my stand. It
was punctuated by my opponent rising to his feet.

I glanced up.