"Andre Norton - Moon Singer 1 - Moon of Three Rings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

kept returning, undeterred by the more garish lures surrounding it.

"That is something special," Slafid continued. "If you like beast shows."

A beast show? For the second time I was disconcerted. My mental
picture of a Combine man suggested a far different taste in amusement—
something closer to the sophisticated, almost decadent pleasures of the
inner planets.

Then suspicion moved in me. I wondered if this Gauk Slafid was esper.
For he had unerringly picked out the one entertainment which would
draw me first, did I know of it. I allowed one of my mind-seek tendrils to
uncurl, not actually to invade, naturally—that was the last thing I must
do—but to seek delicately for any esper aura. There wasn't one, and I was
left a little chagrined at my suspicion.

"If I am fortunate," I answered him, "I will indeed follow your advice."

He was hailed then by a crewman wearing the insignia of his ship, and
gave me that half salute once more before he joined his friend. But I stood
for a moment or two watching that almost demurely colored banner,
trying to figure out why it drew the eye so steadily. Things such as that are
important for Traders to learn. Was it only me that it could so influence,
or was it the same for others? Somehow to know the answer became so
important that I was determined to bring someone, the most cool-headed
crew mate I could find to test it.

I was lucky to come away from the drawing with port leave for that
night. The Lydis had so small a crew that only four of us were free, and it
can be difficult for four pledged to go in pairs if they have very diversified
ideas of amusement. Because of our junior status I went out with Griss
Sharvan, the second engineer. Well, I had wanted a hardheaded
companion to try my banner on, and in Griss fate had given me one. He is
a born Trader, generations bred as all of us. But his first love is the ship
and I do not believe that he ever, except when it was expected of him,
searched for any trade. Luckily I remembered that the deep crimson
banner of a swordsmith's display fencer flapped not too far from the beast
show, and used that as a lure for Griss. Among our own kind Griss is a
gambler, but that is another activity against which we are inhibited in an
alien port. It can lead, as drinking, drugging, and eyeing the daughters of
strangers, to trouble which would endanger the ship. Thus the desires for
such amusements are blocked for us temporarily, and in our sober
moments we agree that is wisdom.

At the end of the show street, now brilliant with lanterns, each as
brightly colored as the banners above, each patterned with pictures
through which light shone to advertise the fares within, I pointed out that
of the fencer. The pink-gray flag was still there, but the lantern below it
was a silver globe with no pattern breaking its pearl luster.