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

Godwin paused abruptly in his play. Then, after a moment, he laughed coldly and laid down a card. “You
are observant.”

“If you mean your occasional lapses as we have been playing, they haven’t been greatly expensive. If you
mean the Flambeau table, being observant wasn’t necessary. Your table man is an antic. He was chasing
Mr. Adams’ bets around and around the table, playing tag.”

Godwin’s eyebrows lifted and his thumb ran thoughtfully over his mustache. He raised his hand and made
another signal. Almost immediately a hulk wearing the casino uniform was standing by the table. He was
closer to seven feet in height than to six. His right hand was a broad scoop and his thumb was the size of
two of Villiers’ fingers. His left hand was in a pocket, toying with something. His nose was low-bridged
and turned up on the end. In effect, the nostrils were set directly in the face. The face itself was round and
piggish in appearance.
“Levi,” said Godwin, “do you see Josiah?”

The hulk looked vacantly around until he saw the operator of the Flambeau table. Then he nodded,
stretched a massive arm and pointed. “Uh-huh. He’s there.”

“Levi, escort him to my office and keep him there until I come. He needs to be talked to.”

Levi made somehurr-hurr-hurr noises like a cold engine. Villiers assumed that it was a form of laughter.

Levi said, “Can I have some fun with him?”

“A little, Levi, but don’t exhaust him.”

“What does that mean?”

“Don’t tire him.”

“Oh,” said Levi, and made his noise again. As he lumbered away, Godwin played a card. Villiers,
however, watched the moron over Godwin’s shoulder.

“In many ways he is a perfect instrument,” Godwin said without turning to watch. “What do you think of
him?”

“I must admit that I admire neither his style nor his wit.”

Godwin smiled. “Games of chance don’t tempt him. They’re too complicated. He enjoys a simpler line of
pleasure. And, Mr. Villiers, he is personally devoted to me.”

“He does seem to be displaying a childish sort of delight in his work,” said Villiers, playing a card, but
keeping an eye on the commotion at the tables.

“Oh, that, too. His lack of general understanding is at times an asset, and at other times not. But he does
fathom the principles of pain and reward.”

There was a loud crash, all the more noticeable because the other sounds in the casino had ceased.

“I believe he does. He seems to be earning an extra portion of raw meat.”