"Larry Niven - Limits UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry)

That really wasn't Merle's department, but he was willing to advise.
"Low heat in an oven, for a long time, maybe an eighth of an arc," meaning an eighth of the sun's path from horizon to horizon.
Rordray nodded. "Low heat, covered. I'll ifiet it first. I can fiddle up a sauce, but I'll have to see how fatty the meat is . . . All right, Merle. Six meals in trade. Anyone else could have a dozen, but you-"
Merle nodded placidly. He never argued price. "I'll start now." He went through into the restaurant section, scraping the door on both sides, and Rordray turned to greet his son.
"We have guests," said Thone, "and we have red meat, and we have a bigger boat. I thought it proper to bargain for you."
"Guests, good. Red meat, good. What have you committed me to?"
"Let me tell you the way of it." Thone was not used to mpking business judgments in his father's name. He looked down at his hands and said, "Most of the gold you gave me, I had spent. I had spices and dried meat and vegetables and pickle and the rest. Then a boat pulled in with sides of ox for sale. I was wondering what I could sell, to buy some of that beef, when these two found me at the dock."
"Was it you they were looking for?"
"I think so. The lady Durily is of the old Minterl nobility, judging by her accent. Karskon speaks Minterl but he might be of the new nobility, the invaders from Torov. Odd to find them together-"
"You didn't trust them. Why did you deal with them?"
Thone smiled. "Their offer. The fame of Rordray's Attic has spread throughout Minterl, so they say. They want a place to honeymoon; they had married that same day. For two weeks' stay they offered. . well, enough to buy four sides of ox and enough left over to trade Strandhugger in on a larger boat, large enough for the beef and two extra passengers."
"Where are they now? And where's the beef?"
"I told . . . eep. It's still aboard."
Rordray roared. "Anita!"
"I meant to tell Estrayle to do something about that, but it-"
"Never mind, you've done well."
Arilta came hurrying from the restaurant area. Rordray's wife resembled her husband to some extent: big-boned, heavy, placid of disposition, carrying her weight well. "What is it?"
"Set the boys to unloading the new boat. Four sides of beef. Get those into the meatbox fast; they can take their time with the other goods."
She left, calling loudly for the boys. Rordray said, "The guests?"
"I gave them the two leeward rooms, as a suite."
"Good. Why don't you tell them dinner is being served? And then you can have your own meal."

The dining hall was a roar of voices, but when Rordray's guests appeared the noise dropped markedly. Both were wearing court dress of a style which had not yet reached the provinces. The man was imposing in black and silver, with a figured silver patch over his right eye. The lady was eerily beautiful, dressed in flowing sea-green, and a thuniblength taller than her escort. They were conversation stoppers, and they knew it.
And here a man came hurrying to greet them, clapping his hands in delight. "Lady Durily, Lord Karskon? I sin Rordray. Are your quarters
comfortable? Most of the middle floor is empty, we can offer a variety of choices-"
"Quite comfortable, thank you," Karskon said. Rordray had taken him by surprise. Rumor said that Rordray was a were-lion. He was large, and his short reddish-blond hair might be the color of a lion's mane; but Rordray was balding on top, and smooth-shaven, and well-fed, with a round and happy face. He looked far from ferocious-.
"Rondray! Bring 'em here!"
Rordray looked around, disconcerted. "I have an empty table in the corner, but if you would prefer Merle's company . . .
The man who had called was tremendous. The huge platter before him bore an entire swordfish fillet. Durily stared in what might have been awe or admiration. "Merle, by all means! And can you be persuaded to join us?"
"I would be delighted." Rordray escorted them to the huge man's table and seated them. "The swordfish is good-"
"The swordfish is wonderful!" Merle boomed. He'd made amazing progress with the half-swordfish while they were approaching. "It's baked with apricots and slivered nuts and . . . something else, I can't tell. Rordray?"
"The nuts are soaked in a liqueur called brosa, from Rynildissen, and dried in the oven."
"I'll try it," Karskon said, and Durily nodded. Rordray disappeared into the kitchen.
The noise level was rising toward its previous pitch. Durily raised her voice just high enough. "Most of you seem to be fishers. It must have been hard for you after the merpeople went away."
"It was, Lady. They had to learn to catch their own fish instead of trading. All the techniques had to be invented from scratch. They tell me they tried magic at first. To breathe water, you know. Some of them drowned. Then caine fishing-spears, and special boats, and nets.-"
"You said they?"
"I'm a whale," said Merle. "I came later."
"Oh. There aren't many were-folk around these days. Anywhere."
"We aren't all gone," Merle said, while Karskon smiled at how easily they had broached the subject. "The merpeople went away, all right, but it wasn't just because they're magical creatures. Their life styles include a lot of magic. Whales don't practice much magic."
"Even so," K.arskon wondered, "what are you doing on land? Aren't you afraid you might, ah, change? Magic isn't dependable any more-"
"But Rordray is. Rordray would get me out in time. Anyway, I spend
most of my time aboard Shrimp. See, if the change comes over me there, it's no problem. A whale's weight would swamp my little boat and leave me floating."
"I still don't see-C-"
"Sharks"
Ptli. -
"Damn brainless toothy wandering weapons! The more you kill the more the blood draws more till-" Merle shifted restlessly. "Anyway, there are no sharks ashore. And there are books, and people to talk to. Out on the sea there's only the whale songs. Now, I like the singing; who wouldn't? But it's only family gossip, and weather patterns, and shoreline changes, and where are the fish."
"That sounds useful."
"Sure it is. Fisherfolk learn the whale songs to find out where the fish are. But for any kind of intelligent conversation you have to come ashore. Ah, here's Rordray."
Rordray set three plates in place, bearing generous slabs of swordfish and vegetables cooked in elaborate fashions. "What's under discussion?"
"Were-creatures," Karskon said. "They're having a terrible time of it almost everywhere."