"Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. The snail on the slope" - читать интересную книгу автора

of Kim, concealing the paper bag behind his back and making odd head
movements as if his neck was itching.
"Kim," he said, "it's me."
Kim made no reply. His pen could be heard tearing and scratching the
paper.
"Kimmy," Stogan said, ingratiating. "I'm asking you, on my knees."
"Get lost," said Kim. "Maniac."
"It's the very last time," said Stoyan. "The very, very last little
time!"
He moved his head again and Pepper saw in the depression at the back of
his skinny shaven neck a tiny little pink shoot, sharply pointed and already
twining, trembling, avid.
"Just pass it over and say it's from Stoyan, that's all. If he starts
telling you to go to the cinema, tell him you've got urgent overtime. If he
offers you tea, say you've already had some. And don't accept any wine if he
suggests it. Eh? Kimmikins! For the very last time for ever and ever!"
"What're you fidgeting about for?" Kim asked irritably. "Here, turn
around!" "Got one again?" asked Stoyan, turning. "Well, it doesn't matter.
Just so you hand that over, nothing else matters."
Kim, leaning forward over the table, was busy with his neck, kneading
and massaging, elbows spread. He bared his teeth from squeamishness and
muttered curses. Stoyan patiently shifted his weight from foot to foot, head
bent and neck extended.
"Hello, Peppy," said he. "Long time no see. What're you doing here?
I've brought some again . . . what can I do? . . . Very, very last time
ever." He unwrapped the paper and showed Pepper a small bunch of
poison-green forest flowers. "Boy, what a smell! What a smell!"
"Stop pulling, you," cried Kim. "Stand still. Maniac.
Useless."
"Maniac. Useless," agreed Stoyan ecstatically. "But! For the last time
ever and ever!"
The pink shoots on his boiler-suit were already wilted and wrinkling,
raining down on the brick face of the lady under the shower.
"There," said Kirn. "Now get out."
He moved away from Stoyan and threw something half alive, squirming and
bloody into the waste-bin.
"I'm going," said Stoyan. "Right away. But, well, our Rita's acting up
again. I'm afraid to be away from the biostation. Peppy, you might come over
and have a word with them, eh?"
"What next!" said Kim. "Pepper's not needed there."
"What d'you mean, not needed?" Stoyan exclaimed. "Quentin's fading away
before your eyes! Just listen. Rita ran off a week ago--all right. Okay,
what can you do? But, she came back that night all wet, white, and icy cold.
The guard was questioning her, unarmed, and she did something to him, so
he's been senseless ever since. And the whole experimental compound has been
invaded by grass."
"Well?" said Kim.
"Quentin cried all morning. . . ."
"I know all about that," Kim broke in. "What I don't get is how Pepper
comes into it."