Книга только для ознакомления
.
"I beg your pardon, Excellency," Krammes said faintly, "but what--I mean, who is ... what is ..."
Raoul stared at the woman a moment as if endeavoring to remember where he'd seen her before, then--looking in the direction she was looking--he smiled.
"Ah, I beg your pardon." He waved his hand. "The Little One. My constant companion. He is with me. Always."
It was impossible to determine the Little One's species, race, or anything about the creature, much beyond the fact that it was, apparently, alive. The Little One said nothing. He kept his hands--if he had hands--in the cadaverous pockets of an oversized raincoat. The turned-up collar hid the lower part of the creature's face, the fedora hat hid the upper. All anyone could see of the Little One were two bright and penetrating eyes, gazing solemnly out from the shadow cast by the hat.
"How ... how do you do?" Krammes said, not quite knowing how to address the apparition.
The Little One gazed unblinking at the two.
Krammes gulped. Baejling made a snorting sound and the two exchanged alarmed glances. The ambassador, meanwhile, was studying the spaceport with languid curiosity.
But when Raoul turned to Baejling, the aide was disconcerted to note that the Loti's eyes were not quite as lustrous and unfocused as Baejling had first supposed.
"Remarkably empty for such a large planet, isn't it, Dolf?" Raoul observed
|
