"Деннис Уитли. The Devil Rides Out (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

having to ask you to go at all.'
A fat, oily-looking Babu in a salmon-pink turban and gown had
just arrived and was shaking hands with Mocata; behind him came a
red-faced Teuton, who suffered the deformity of a hare lip.
Simon stepped quickly forward again as the two advanced, but De
Richleau once more caught the first words which were snuffled out by
the hare-lipped man.
'Well, Abraham, wie geht es?' then there came the fulsome chuckle
of the fleshy Indian. 'You must not call him that, it is unlucky to
do so before the great night.'
The devil it is!' muttered the Duke to himself, but Simon had
left the other two with almost indecent haste in order to rejoin
him, so he said with a smile: 'I gather you are about to execute
Deed Poll, my friend?'
'Eh!' Simon exclaimed with a slight start.
To change your name,' De Richleau supplemented.
'Ner.' He shook his head rapidly as he uttered the curious
negative that he often used. It came of his saying 'No' without
troubling to close the lips of his full mouth. 'Ner-that's only a
sort of joke we have between us-a sort of initiation ceremony-I'm
not a full member yet.'
'I see, then you have ceremonies in your Astronomical Society-how
interesting!'
As he spoke De Richleau, out of the corner of his eye, saw Mocata
make a quick sign to Simon and then glance at the ormolu clock on
the mantelpiece; so to save his host the awkwardness of having
actually to request his departure, he exclaimed: 'Dear mel Twenty
past eleven, I had no idea it was so late. I must drag Rex away from
that lovely lady after all, I fear.'
'Well, if you must go.' Simon looked embarrassed and worried, but
catching Mocata's eye again, he promptly led the way over to his
other unwelcome guest.
Rex gave a happy grin as they came up. This is marvellous Simon.
I've been getting glimpses of this lady in different continents
these two years past, and she seems to recall having seen me too.
It's just great that we should become acquainted at last through
you.' Then he smiled quickly at the girl: 'May I present my friend
De Richfeau? Duke, this is Miss Tanith.'
De Richleau bent over her long, almost transparent hand and
raised it to his lips. 'How unfortunate I am,' he said with old-
fashioned gallantry, 'to be presented to you only in time to say
good-bye, and perhaps gain your displeasure by taking your new
friend with me as well.'
'But,' she regarded him steadily out of large, clear, amber eyes.
Surely you do not depart before the ceremony?'
'I fear we must. We are not members of your er-Circle you see,
only old friends of Simon's.'
A strange look of annoyance and uncertainty crept into her
glance, and the Duke guessed that she was searching her mind for any
indiscretions she might have committed in her conversation with Rex.