"Alexei Panshin - New Celebrations" - читать интересную книгу автора (Panshin Alexei)

man than Villiers. His face was narrow and his nose large and pointed, which gave him a vulpine air. His
long black hair was caught at the sides in matching ornamental pins with silver figures. He wore a thin
mustache that he constantly sleeked with a thumbnail, lending the impression that it might be its narrow
self from attrition rather than design.

“Good evening, Mr. Godwin,” said Villiers.

“Enjoying yourselves, I trust?”

Villiers shrugged. “Indifferently. I must confess that I would prefer more individual sport. Would the
house, in your person, favor me with a game of raffles?” He turned to Adams. “It is your intention, is it
not, to continue to play Flambeau?”

“It is.”

“Then, Mr. Godwin?”

Godwin regarded him with his usual cold glance. “You play raffles, do you? I might have supposed. But
up until now you have been content with the tables.”

“Up until now it has not mattered to me whether I won or lost.”

“I might oblige you, then, if you need to lose to a man rather than to a machine.” Godwin raised a
be-ringed hand and made two rapid hand signals.

“Mr. Shirabi allows you this much latitude?”

Godwin flared. “I don’t need Shirabi’s permission! He has no con—” Then he checked himself and
lowered his voice. “Say, if you will, that I am trusted to the extent of a game of raffles.”

“Ah, you play well, then?” Villiers turned to Adams. “If you will excuse us? Perhaps we may share an
evening again before your ship leaves.”

Adams salaamed with a regimental exactness. “Mr. Villiers. Mr. Godwin, sir.”

Godwin grunted and turned away. Villiers joined him. Adams looked after them for a moment as they
walked together between the widely spaced tables, his face tightening like a child’s who has accidentally
chosen the smaller slice of cake. Then he turned to go for his tokens.

As they walked, Villiers said to Godwin, “I confess I was surprised to find you on the floor at this hour.”

“Oh?”

“It seems to me that on other occasions Mr. Shirabi has overseen operations at this time.”

“You are very observant. Shirabi had some . . . warehouse work he wanted to supervise personally.”

“There are things, then, that you aren’t . . . permitted . . . to handle?”

Godwin gave Villiers a sharp glance, then smiled thinly. They had reached the side of the casino where a