nother python?' Helena asked curiously.'And a half!''And who does the dancing – him or you? Or is the trick to make the audience think Zeno is taking a greater part than he really does?''Just like making love to a man: Smart girl you've picked up here!' Thalia commented drily to me. 'You're right,' she confirmed to Helena. 'I dance; I hope Zeno doesn't. Twenty feet of African constrictor is too heavy to lift, for one thing.''Twenty feet!''And the rest of it.''Goodness! So how dangerous is it?''Well:" Thalia tapped her nose confidentially, then she seemed to let us in on a secret. 'Pythons only eat what they can get their jaws around, and even then in captivity they're picky eaters. They're immensely strong, so people think they're sinister. But I've never known one to show the slightest interest in killing a human being.'I laughed shortly, considering my unease over Jason, and feeling conned. 'So this act of yours is pretty tame, really!''Fancy a dance with my big Zeno yourself?' Thalia challenged me caustically. I backed down with a gracious gesture. 'No, you're right, Falco. I've been thinking the act needs pepping up. I might have to get a cobra, to add a bit more danger. Good for catching rats around the menagerie too.'Helena and I both fell silent, knowing cobra bites to be generally fatal.The conversation took a turn in a different direction. 'Well, that's my news!' Thalia said. 'So what job are you on now, Falco?''Ah. A hard question.''With an easy answer,' Helena joined in lightly enough. 'He's not on any job at all.'That was not quite true. I had been offered a commission only that morning, though Helena was still unaware of it. The business was secret. I mean not just that it would involve working under cover,
Навигация с клавиатуры: следующая страница - или ,
предыдущая -
