"Philip Jose' Farmer. The Green Odyssey (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

to suggest his sadness at having to leave the Duchess, he backed out of
the dining room. Not very gracefully, for Alzo chose that moment to refuse
to get out of Green's path. Green tumbled backward, sprawling over the
huge mastiff, who snarled with anger and trembled with hypocritical
indignation and bared his fangs with the intention of tearing Green apart.
The Earthman did not try to rise, because he did not want to give Alzo an
excuse for jumping him. Instead he bared his own teeth and snarled back.
The hall roared with laughter and the Duke, holding his sides, tears
running from his bulging eyes, rose and staggered over to where the two
faced each other on all fours. He clutched Alzo's spike-studded collar and
dragged him away, meanwhile choking out a command to Green to take off
while the taking off was good.

Green swallowed his anger, thanked the Duke and left. Swearing that he'd
rip the hound apart some day with his bare hands, the Earthman left for
the House of Equality. It took all the long rickshaw ride to the temple
for him to calm down.

The great central room with its three-story ceiling was full that night.
Men in their long evening kilts and women in masks crowded around the
gambling tables, the bars and the grudge-stages. There was a large crowd
around the platform on which two dealers in wheat were slugging it out to
work off resentment arising from business disputes. But by far the
greatest number had gathered to watch a husband-and-wife match. His left
hand had been tied to his side, and she had been armed with a club. Thus
equalized, they'd been given the word to go to it. So far the man had had
the worst of the match, as bloody patches on his head and bruises on his
arm showed. If he could get the club away from her he had the right to do
what he wanted to her. But if she could break his free arm she had him at
her complete mercy.

Green avoided the stage, because such barbarous doings made him sick.
Looking for Miran, he finally found him rolling a pair of six-sided dice
with another captain, This fellow wore the red turban and black robes of
the Clan Axucan. He had just lost to Miran and was paying him sixty
iquogr, a goodly sum even for a merchant-prince.

Miran took Green's arm, something he'd never have done outside the House,
and led him off to a curtained booth where they could get as much privacy
as they wished. He matched Green for drinks; Green lost, and Miran ordered
a large pitcher of Chalousma.

"Nothing but the best for yours truly-whenever someone else is paying,"
Miran said jovially. "Now, I'm a great one for fun, but I'm here primarily
for business. So-let's have your proposal at once, if you please,"

"First I must have your solemn oath that you will tell absolutely no one
what you hear in this booth. Second, that if you reject my idea you do not
then use it later on. Third, that if you do accept you will never attempt
later on to kill me or get rid of me and thus reap the profits."