"Robert A. Heinlein - Magic, Inc" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

the way - and told them not to come back until I sent for them. Luckily it
was Saturday; we had the best part of forty- eight hours to figure out some
answer.

We flagged a magic carpet that was cruising past and headed for the
Professional Building. I settled back and determined to enjoy the ride and
forget my troubles. I like taxicabs - they give me a feeling of luxury - and
I've liked them even better since they took the wheels off them. This
happened to be one of the new Cadillacs with the teardrop shape and air
cushions. We went scooting down the boulevard, silent as thought, not six
inches off the ground.

Perhaps I should explain that we have a local city ordinance against
apportation unless it conforms to traffic regulations - ground traffic, I
mean, not air. That may surprise you, but it came about as a result of a
mishap to a man in my own line of business. He had an order for eleven-odd
tonsof glass brick to be delivered to a restaurant being remodelled on the
other side of town from his yard. He employed a magician with a common
carrier's licence to deliver for him. I don't know whether he was careless
or just plain stupid, but he dropped those eleven tons of brick through the
roof of the Prospect Boulevard Baptist Church. Anybody knows that magic
won't work over consecrated ground; if he had consulted a map he would have
seen that the straight-line route took his load over the church. Anyhow, the
janitor was killed, and it might just as well have been the whole
congregation. It caused such a commotion that apportation was limited to the
streets, near the ground.

It's people like that who make it inconvenient for everybody else.

Our man was in - Mr Wiggin, of the firm of Wiggin, Snead, McClatchey &
Wiggin. He had already heard about my fire', but when Jedson explained his
conviction that magic was at the bottom of it he baulked. It was, he said,
most irregular. Jedson was remarkably patient.

Are you an expert in magic, Mr Wiggin?' he asked.

I have not specialized in thaumaturgic jurisprudence, if that is what you
mean, sir.'

Well, I don't hold a licence myself, but it has been my hobby for a good
many years. I'm sure of what I say in this case; you can call in all the
independent experts you wish - they'll confirm my opinion. Now suppose we
stipulate, for the sake of argument, that this damage was caused by magic.
If that is true, there is a possibility that we may be able to save much of
the loss. You have authority to settle claims, do you not?'

Well, I think I may say yes to that - bearing in mind the legal restrictions
and the terms of the contract.' I don't believe he would have conceded that
he had five fingers on his right hand without an auditor to back him up.