"Vance, Jack - Alastor 2 - Trullion-2262" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

A thin long-armed man in dark gray approached Glinnes; who stared in shock and scornful
amusement. "You too? Is it possible!" Akadie showed no embarrassment. "Why not? Where is the harm
in a fad? I enjoy pretending I'm young again." "Must you pretend to Fanscherade at the same
time?" Akadie shrugged. "Again: why not? Perhaps they over-idealize themselves; perhaps they carp
too earnestly at the superstition and sensuality of the rest of us. Still he made a deprecatory
gesture-I am as you see." Glinnes shook his head in disapproval. "Suddenly these Fanschers
control the wisdom of the world, and their parents, who gave them birth, are shiftless and
squalid."
Akadie laughed. "Fads come, fads go. They relieve the tedium of routine; why not enjoy them?"
Before Glinnes could answer, Akadie changed the subject. "I expected to find you here. You're
naturally looking for Junius Farfan, and it just so happens that I can point him out to you. Look
yonder, past that horrid instrument, to the parlor under the Noble Saint Gambrinus. In the deep
shade to the left a Fanscher sits writing in a ledger. That man is Junius Farfan." I'll go talk
to him now." "Good luck," said Akadie. Glinnes crossed the square and, stepping into the beerparlor,
approached the table that Akadie had indicated. "You are Junuis Fartan?" The man looked
up. Glinnes saw a face classically regular, if somewhat bloodless and cerebral. The gray suit hung
with austere elegance on Ms spare frame, which seemed all nerve, bone and sinew. A black cloth
casque confined his hair and dramatized a square pale forehead and brooding gray eyes. His age was
probably less than that of Glinnes himself. "I am Junius Farfan."
"My name is Glinnes Hulden. Glay Hulden is my brother. Recently he turned over to you a large
sum, on the order of twelve thousand ozols." Farfan signified assent. True. "I bring bad news.
Glay derived this money illegally. He sold property that belonged not to him but to me. To cut to
the bone of the matter, I must have this money back." Farfan seemed neither surprised nor overly
concerned. He gestured to a chair. "Sit down. Will you take refreshment?" Glinnes, seating
himself, accepted a mug of ale. Thank you. And where is the money?" Farfan gave him a
dispassionate inspection. "Naturally you did not hope that I would hand over twelve thousand ozols
in a bag." "But I did hope so. I need the money to reclaim the property." Farfan smiled in
polite apology. "Your hopes cannot be realized, for I cannot return the money." Glinnes put down
the mug with a thump. "Why not?" The money has been invested; we have ordered the machinery to
equip a factory. We intend to manufacture those goods which are now imported into Trulllion."
Glinnes spoke in a voice hoarse with fury. "Then you had better get new money into your fund and
pay me my twelve thousand ozols." Farfan gave a grave assent. "If the money was indeed yours, I
freely acknowledge the debt, and I will recommend that the money be repaid with interest from the
first profits of our enterprises." "And when will this be?"
"I don't know. We are hoping somehow to acquire a tract of land, by loan or donation or
sequestration." Farfan grinned and his face became suddenly boyish. "Thereafter we must construct
a plant, arrange for raw materials, learn appropriate techniques, produce and sell our goods, pay
for the original stocks of raw materials, buy new stocks and supplies, and so forth." Glinnes
said, "This all takes an appreciable period of time." Junius Farfan frowned up into the air.
"Let us fix upon the interval of five years. If you will then be good enough to renew your claim,
we can discuss the matter again, I hope to our mutual satisfaction. As an individual I sympathize
with your plight," said Junius Farfan. "As secretary of an organization which desperately needs
capital, I am only too happy to use your money; I conceive our need to be more urgent than yours."
He closed the register and rose to his feet. "Good-day, Squire Hulden."
Chapter 7
* *
Glinnes watched Junius Farfan cross the square, moving around and out of sight behind the
prutanshyr. He had achieved about as much as he had expected nothing. Nevertheless, his resentment
now included the suave Junius Farfan as well as Glay. However, it now became time to forget the
lost money and try to find new. He looked into his wallet, though he already knew its contents: