"Henry Kuttner - The Dark World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kuttner Henry)

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THE

DARK

WORLD

I

Fire in the Night

To THE north thin smoke made a column against the darkening sky. Again I felt the unreasoning
fear, the impulse toward nightmare flight that had been with me for a long time now. I knew it was
without reason. There was only smoke, rising from the swamps of the tangled Limberlost country,
not fifty miles from Chicago, where man has outlawed superstition with strong bonds of steel and
concrete.

I knew it was only a camper's fire, yet / knew it was not. Something, far back in my mind, knew
what the smoke rose from, and who stood about the fire, peering my way through the trees.

I looked away, my glance slipping around the crowded walls—shelves bearing the random fruit of my
uncle's magpie collector's instinct. Opium pipes of inlaid work and silver, golden chessmen from
India, a sword...

Deep memories stirred within me—deep panic. I was beneath the sword in two strides, tearing it
from the wall, my fingers cramping hard around the hilt. Not fully aware of what I did, I found
myself facing the window and the distant smoke again. The sword was in my fist, but feeling wrong,
not reassuring, not as the sword ought to feel.

"Easy, Ed," my uncle's deep voice said behind me. "What's the matter? You look—sort of wild."

"It's the wrong sword," I heard myself saying helplessly.

Then something like a mist cleared from my brain. I blinked at him stupidly, wondering what was
happening to me. My voice answered.

"It isn't the sword. It should have come from Cambodia. It should have been one of the three
talismans of the Fire King and the Water King. Three very great talismans—the fruit of •cui,
gathered at the time of the deluge, but still fresh—the rattan with flowers that never fade, and
the sword of Yan, the guarding spirit."

My uncle squinted at me through pipe-smoke. He shook his head.

"You've changed, Ed," he said in his deep, gentle voice. "You've changed a lot. I suppose because
of the war—it's to be expected. Arid you've been sick. But you never used to be interested in
things like that before. I think you spend too much time at the libraries. I'd hoped this vacation
would help. The rest—"

"I don't want rest!" I said violently. "I spent a year and a half resting in Sumatra. Doing