"C M Kornbluth - The Luckiest Man In Denv" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kornbluth C M)

The Luckiest Man in Denv



C. M. Kornbluth




The Luckiest Man in Denv



MAY'S MAN Reuben, of the eighty-third level, Atomist, knew there was something wrong when the
binoculars flashed and then went opaque. Inwardly he cursed, hoping that he had not committed himself
to anything. Outwardly he was unperturbed. He handed the binoculars back to Rudolph's man Almon, of
the eighty-ninth level, Maintainer, with a smile.

"They aren't very good," he said.

Almon put them to his own eyes, glanced over the parapet, and swore mildly. "Blacker than the heart of
a crazy Angelo, eh? Never mind; here's another pair."

This pair was unremarkable. Through it, Reuben studied the thousand setbacks and penthouses of Denv
that ranged themselves below. He was too worried to enjoy his first sight of the vista from the
eighty-ninth level, but he let out a murmur of appreciation. Now to get away from this suddenly sinister
fellow and try to puzzle it out.

"Could we-?" he asked cryptically, with a little upward jerk of his chin.
"It's better not to," Almon said hastily, taking the glasses from his hands. "What if somebody with stars
happened to see, you know? How'd you like it if you saw some impudent fellow peering up at you?"

"He wouldn't dare!" said Reuben, pretending to be stupid and indignant, and joined a moment later in
Almon's sympathetic laughter.

"Never mind," said Almon. "We are young. Some day, who knows? Perhaps we shall look from the
ninety-fifth level, or the bun-" dredth."

Though Reuben knew that the Maintainer was no friend of his, the generous words sent blood
hammering through his veins; ambition for a moment.

He pulled a long face and told Almon: "Let us hope so. Thank you for being my host. Now I must return
to my quarters."

He left the windy parapet for the serene luxury of an eighty-ninth-level corridor and descended
slow-moving stairs through gradually less luxurious levels to his own Spartan floor. Selene was waiting,
smiling, as he stepped off the stairs.

She was decked out nicely-too nicely. She wore a steely hued corselet and a touch of scent; her hair
was dressed long. The combination appealed to him, and instantly he was on his guard. Why had she