"Stephen Goldin - The Last Ghost & Other Stories" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goldin Stephen)

"My government is willing to pay you — " he made a quick mental estimate " — five times your normal
fee. There'll be eleven other girls going up with you, so you won't be lonely. You'll only have to work two
or three hours a day. And nowadays, there's no danger involved at all. Many women have gone into
space and returned safely; they say that the conditions out in space are very restful. And when you retire,
we'll even provide you with a home and a pension fund, so that you can spend your declining years in
comfort."
"All of zis just for me?"
"Just for you."
Babette gulped and closed her eyes. "Zen where did I ever get ze impression zat Americans are — 'ow
you say it? — prudes?"

#

Sen. McDermott: And you say you recruited all these girls yourself?
Mr. Starling: Yes, sir, I did.
Sen. McDermott: Were most of them cooperative?
Mr. Starling: That's their job, sir.
Sen. McDermott: I mean, what were their reactions to your unusual proposal?
Mr. Starling: Well, they've probably gotten a lot of unusual proposals. They seemed to take it pretty
much in stride.
Sen. McDermott: One last question, Mr. Starling. How did you find this job?
Mr. Starling: Very fatiguing, sir.

#

"You must be very tired, Wilbur," Hawkins said, flashing his infamous smile. "How many girls did you
say you interviewed?"
"After twenty I stopped counting."
"And you've got a dozen all picked out for us, eh?"
"Yes sir, nine French and three British."
"Well, I guess you've earned yourself a vacation; you'll get it as soon as the girls are safely tucked away
on USSF 187. By the way, what are their names?"
Starling closed his eyes, as though the names were written on the inside of his eyelids. "Let's see, there's
Babette, Suzette, Lucette, Toilette, Francette, Violette, Rosette, Pearlette, Nanette, Myrtle, Constance,
and Sydney."
"Sydney?"
"I can't help it, Boss, that's her name."
"Oh well, I suppose it could have been worse," Hawkins smiled. "Her last name could have been
Australia."
"It is worse, Boss. Her last name is Carton."

#

Hawkins was giving the dozen new astronettes a pre-take-off pep talk. "I like to think of you as a small
army of Florence Nightingales," he told them. "Hopefully, you will not receive all the credit that your
brave act of self-sacrifice deserves, but nonetheless — "
Starling burst into the room, panic in his eyes. "General Bullfat's coming down the corridor!" he cried.
Filmore jumped up from the table he'd been sitting on. "Jess, are you sure you know what you're doing?
If Bullfat finds these girls — "
"Relax, Bill," Hawkins smiled casually. "I can handle Bullfat with both eyes closed. He's a cinch."