"Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Roadside Picnic (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

briefcase, was looking at him and also trying not to blink, even though his
lids were burning and his eyes were tearing. Bones came back, threw two
packs of money on the table, and sat next to Redrick in a huff. Redrick
lazily reached for the money, but Throaty motioned him to stop, tore the
wrappers from the money, and put them in his pajama pocket.
"Now let's see it."
Redrick took the money and stuffed it into his inner jacket pocket
without counting it. Then he presented his wares. He did it slowly, letting
both of them examine the swag and check items off the list. It was quiet in
the room, the only sound was Throaty's heavy breathing and the jingle coming
from the other room--a spoon against the side of a glass, perhaps.
When Redrick shut the briefcase and clicked the lock, Throaty looked up
at him.
"What about the most important thing?"
"No way," Redrick replied. He thought and added: "So far."
"I like that 'so far,"' Throaty said gently. "How about you, Phil?"
"You're throwing dust in our eyes, Schuhart," Bones said suspiciously.
"Why the mystery, I ask you?"
"That comes with the territory: shady dealings," Redrick said.
"We're in a demanding profession.
"All right, all right," Throaty said. "Where's the camera?"
"Hell!" Redrick scratched his cheek, feeling the color rise in his
face. "I'm sorry, I forgot all about it.
"There?" Throaty asked making a vague gesture with the cigar.
"I don't remember. Probably there." Redrick shut his eyes and leaned
back on the couch. "Nope. I clean forgot."
"Too bad," Throaty said. "But you at least saw the thing?"
"Not even that," Redrick said sadly. "That's the whole point. We didn't
get as far as the blast furnaces. Burbridge fell into the jelly and I had to
head back immediately. You can be sure that if I'd seen it I wouldn't have
forgotten it."
"Hey, Hugh, look at this!" Bones whispered in fright. "What's this?"
He stuck out his right index finger. The white metal hoop was twirling
around his finger and Bones was staring pop-eyed at the hoop.
"It's not stopping!" he said aloud, moving his eyes from the hoop to
Throaty and back again.
"What do you mean it's not stopping?" Throaty asked carefully and moved
away.
"I put it on my finger and gave it a spin, just for the hell of it, and
it hasn't stopped for a whole minute!" Bones lumped up and, holding his
finger extended before him, ran behind the curtain. The silvery hoop twirled
smoothly in front of him like a propeller.
"What the hell did you bring us?" Throaty asked.
"God knows! I had no idea--if I had, I'd have asked more for it."
Throaty stared at him, then got up and went behind the curtain. Voices
started babbling immediately. Redrick picked up a magazine from the floor
and flipped through it. It was chock-full of beauties, but somehow they
nauseated him just then. Redrick's eyes roved around the room, looking for
something to drink. Then he took a pack from his inside pocket and counted
the bills. Everything was in order, but to keep from falling asleep, he