"Stephen Goldin - Scavenger Hunt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goldin Stephen)

attention; in fact, she revelled in it. This was her game, she had made
herself queen of it, and she made the rules to fit her fancy. At the age of
only thirty-three, she had already become one of the people in the Galaxy.

The droning of the crowd, whose only credo seemed to be loquo, ergo
sum, the genteel politeness and hypocritical smiles—this was the world she
had set out to conquer. And conquer she had, perhaps all too well. She
wrapped the buzzing of the crowd around her like a warm, familiar coat.
Her world, her Society. But she felt a faint touch of Alexander fever
tonight—there had to be another world, somewhere, to conquer.

Better savor this, girl, she warned herself sternly. This may be your
last party in quite some time.
 "Why Tyla, darling, how nice to see you again," came a familiar voice
from the left. Tyla turned casually to see Gentlelady Nillia Rathering and a
clump of other women a few meters away. Inwardly she frowned—she had
hoped to avoid Nillia just this once. But Gentlelady Rathering had
probably been lying in ambush for her all evening.

"It's nice to see you, too, Nillia." In social circles, Tyla could lie with the
pleasantest of smiles.

"Do come over here and let me see that stunning outfit."

Tyla obliged, hating every step she had to take. Nillia Rathering was
harmless in her own way, but such a dreadful bore; one-track mind, and
all that. And, Tyla noticed with distaste as she approached, Nillia had
gained a few more kilos since their last meeting. Some women just seemed
to lose all pride in their appearance once they'd reached a hundred and
fifty. I'll never let that happen to me, Tyla decided silently. I'm going to be
one sexy lady right up until the day I die.

Nillia examined the dress closely, oohing and ah-ing with delight. "Oh,
to be a hundred years younger. I could really show you a thing or two, my
dear."

"I'm sure you still can," Tyla obliged, supplying the obligatory
compliment Nillia had been fishing for.

"Oh no, no, dear, you flatter me too much. My days of glory are all
behind me, I'm afraid. I'm just an old woman who lives vicariously off the
experiences of you younger girls." That was the truth, but Tyla doubted
whether Nillia actually believed it.

"And what about you, Tyla?" Nillia prattled on. "You've been something
of a hermit these past few months, haven't you? I've missed your lovely
face at all the parties. I haven't seen you since… since the Maze, wasn't it,
on New Crete?" The tone of voice implied curiosity about her intervening
activities.