"Mack Reynolds - Once Departed" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Mack)

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Once Departed
Mack Reynolds


Chapter One
After the elevator had passed the eighth floor without either of its two
passengers making any signs of debarking, Quint said, "Three'll get you
five we're heading for the same party."

The other said, in surprise, "You're an American."

"Sorry."

"No, I meant… So am I, but you don't look like an American."

"What does an American look like?" Quint said. Actually, the man could
have been his twin in many respects. They were both about five foot ten,
one hundred and seventy, in their early thirties and dressed
conservatively. They differed in that the other wore a crew cut and no
beret, spoke in a voice a trifle louder and more hurried than did Quint. On
top of that, he had the air of aggressiveness that types Americans to
Europeans.

His fellow passenger laughed and held out a hand. "Bart Digby," he
said. "I hope you're going to the Dempsey party."

"Quint Jones," Quint shook. "That's right. But why hope?
 The other looked uncomfortable. "Well, I was supposed to come with a
friend. Englishman named Brett-Home…"

"I know Ronald, more or less. Met him at a few cocktail parties, and we
work out at the same gym."

"Well, he didn't meet me when we agreed. But earlier he insisted that it
was okay for me to crash the party."

Quint said definitely, "Nobody has ever crashed a Dempsey party."
Then, when the other looked increasingly uncomfortable, "They're all
open-house affairs. Anybody, anybody at all, can wander in. They're
invariably informal affairs. Brawls."