Alan Dean Foster SS6 The Time Of The Transferance

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

themselves confronted by drawn shades and a sign in the window that read:
Open from 8 to 8
Jon-Tom tried to see through the beveled glass and around one of the shades.
Nothing moving.
There wouldn t be. Tis too early, or ave you forgotten wot is wizardship
told us? This
ere storekeeper s a member o the lemur persuasion. E s open from eight at
night til eight in the mornin , not the other way round.
I remember now. So we re too early, not too late. He checked the nearby
public clock.
We have enough time to eat first.
Mudge licked his chops. Supper it tis , then! Washed down with a pint or
two, wot?
No booze, Mudge. Not here, not yet. First we have to get on the boat, then
Page 15
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
you can drink yourself silly if you ve a mind to, but if you get yourself good
and plastered in a strange city I might not be able to find you again. You
tend to wander aimlessly when you re liquored up.
I do not, replied the otter with some dignity, ever get liquored up.
Drunk occasionally, inebriated once in a while, but never liquored up. Sounds
like someone fillin a bloomin
orse trough.
Yes, that s not a bad metaphor. The otter made a rude noise as they started
up the street.
Lights showed behind the shades when they returned from eating. It was not
quite eight and they had to wait outside for another few minutes until the
proprietor opened his doors. The indri wore canvas pants and vest over his
black and white fur, and his bright yellow eyes stared at them from behind
round rose-colored glasses with thin lenses.
Come in, come in. You re early, friends, or late, depending on your time of
day preferences.
Izzy s shop was a delight, the shelves crammed full of intricately fashioned
clocks of all kinds, small mechanical toys, music boxes and animated banks.
But Jon-Tom s attention was drawn instantly to the right-hand wall, on which
hung a collection of musical
I can see why, Jon-Tom said. No one but another bear could lift it.
So true, but I enjoy watching customers try. Sometimes a big cat will get it
off the ground.
Then they find they don t have the lung power to operate it. What maybe
perhaps possibly can I do for you, sir? By your stance and attire I divine you
are a person of means, for all that you appear to enjoy associating with
lesser lifes. I will be most very muchly pleased to help you, just as soon as
your friend returns the small gold music box to the cabinet from which he has
removed it.
Jon-Tom whirled to glare back at Mudge. The otter sheepishly removed an
exquisitely made music box in the shape of a clavier from his inside vest
pocket and put it back into the open display cabinet in front of him.
I were just avin a close look at it, mate. Tis a pretty thing and I thought
of buyin it, I
did.
I know, and you had to see whether or not it would ride comfortably in your
breast pocket.
Very comfortably I m sure, said Izzy agreeably. My name, you should know,
friends, comes from my dancing talent and not any inability to take care of
business.
Pfagh. Mudge made a show of sauntering over to inspect a clock that was at
least as tall as he was. Tis all right for me to look at this one or do you
think I ll try an walk off with it when you ain t lookin ?
I d put nothing not at all never past an otter. The indri smiled back at
Jon-Tom. What appeals to you, friend? What can I sell you? A timepiece?
I have plenty of time. I need something else. I am a spellsinger.
The indri peered intently at his customer over the rims of his glasses. Truly
absolutely for sure so? A spellsinger? I ve never met one myself though I once
had an encounter with a substantial rumor.
Jon-Tom indicated the sack secured to his backpack. Got a busted duar with
me. I don t suppose you could fix it?
of a tree. It was fashioned of holly wood and inlaid with mother of pearl.
Difficult hard troublesome to play, but it is said that in the right hands it
can make rain and snow.
I m not a weatherman. I need something more versatile.
I understand comprehend got you. Izzy put the flute aside and placed a
Page 16
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
pocket accordion on the counter. There were only four keys on each side of the
little squeezebox. Jon-Tom gave it a try out of curiosity. It made a sound
like a overweight hog trying to sing Wagner.
Mudge looked pained.
What does it do?
A proper musician can bring food and drink into being and the quality of the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Tematy