"H. L. Gold - Trouble With Water" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gold H. L)

Last year there was quite a drain. The bu-reau of fisheries is cooperating with us to some exten
but, of course, we cannot depend too much on them. Until the population rises to normal, eve
fish has instructions not to nibble. "
Greenberg allowed himself a smile, an annoyingly skeptical smile.
"My main work," the gnome went on resignedly, "is con-trol of the rainfall over the Easte
seaboard. Our fact-find-ing committee, which is scientifically situated in the meteorological cent
of the continent, coordinates the rainfall needs of the entire continent; and when they determine t
amount of rain needed in particular spots of the East, I make it rain to that extent. Now may I ha
my hat, please?"
Greenberg laughed coarsely. "The first lie was big enough—about telling the fish not to bi
You make it rain like I'm President of the United States!" He bent toward the gnome slyly. "How
about proof? "
"Certainly, if you insist." The gnome raised his patient, triangular face toward a particularly cle
blue spot in the sky, a trifle to one side of Greenberg. "Watch that bit of the sky."
Greenberg looked up humorously. Even when a small dark cloud rapidly formed in t
previously clear spot, his grin re-mained broad. It could have been coincidental. But then lar
drops of undeniable rain fell over a twenty-foot circle; and Greenberg 's mocking grin shrank an
grew sour.
He glared hatred at the gnome, finally convinced. "So you're the dirty crook who makes it ra
on week ends! "
"Usually on week ends during the summer," the gnome ad-mitted. "Ninety-two percent of wat
consumption is on weekdays. Obviously we must replace that water. The week ends, of cours
are the logical time."
"But, you thief!" Greenberg cried hysterically, "you mur-derer! What do you care what you d
to my concession with your rain? It ain't bad enough business would be rotten even without rai
you got to make floods!"
"I'm sorry," the gnome replied, untouched by Greenberg's rhetoric. "We do not create rainf
for the benefit of men. We are here to protect the fish.
"Now please give me my hat. I have wasted enough time, when I should be preparing t
extremely heavy rain needed for this coming week end."
Greenberg jumped to his feet in the unsteady boat. "Rain this week end—when I can may
make a profit for a change! A lot you care if you ruin business. May you and your fish die
horrible, lingering death."
And he furiously ripped the green hat to pieces and hurled them at the gnome.
"I'm really sorry you did that," the little fellow said calmly, his huge ears treading water witho
the slightest increase of pace to indicate his anger. "We Little Folk have no tempers to los
Nevertheless, occasionally we find it neces-sary to discipline certain of your people, in order
retain our dignity. I am not malignant; but, since you hate water and those who live in it, water an
those who live in it will keep away from you."
With his arms still folded in great dignity, the tiny water gnome flipped his vast ears an
disappeared in a neat surface dive.
Greenberg glowered at the spreading circles of waves. He did not grasp the gnome's fin
restraining order; he did not even attempt to interpret it. Instead he glared angrily out of the corn
of his eye at the phenomenal circle of rain that fell from a perfectly clear sky. The gnome mu
have remem-bered it at length, for a moment later the rain stopped. Like shutting off a fauce
Greenberg unwillingly thought.
"
Good-by, week-end business," he growled. "If Esther finds out I got into an argument with t
guy who makes it rain—"
He made an underhand cast, hoping for just one fish. The line flew out over the water; then t