Скачать книгу

Isolde?”

      “She’s only there to exalt Tristan.”

      “Brünnhilde?”

      “That’s the exception. The only woman he actually makes wiser than the men. Except she ends up dead like the others. At least the music is revolutionary.”

      The Countess turned to Isobel. “There, you see? I’ll bet I’ve found out more about her in two minutes than you’ve discovered in all those years at school.”

      Isobel gestured to her lips.

      “You may speak.”

      “I was just going to say that I don’t give a damn about any of those things.”

      The Countess frowned. “Why are you wearing that awful suit?”

      “This? Because we went to church this morning, Peaches and I.”

      “Peaches?”

      “That’s her nickname. I gave it to her.”

      “But why ever?”

      “Because she’s sweet and round and delicious, of course. Just look at her.”

      The Countess spun back to study me. She gave the business her whole attention, crossing her left arm under her breasts and propping her right elbow on the knuckles while she sucked thoughtfully on her cigarette. I tried to decide whether she was beautiful or not—certainly her face had the symmetry of beauty, the shapely eyes—but really she was something else. Not handsome or pretty or attractive, something beyond description, so that she held your attention, your dumbstruck admiration, without the slightest effort. Striking, that’s the closest word. You could say she was striking.

      As she studied me studying her, she didn’t give any sign of what she was thinking, or what conclusions she drew from whatever figure I presented to her, in my ragged hair and ill-tailored suit and sunburnt face. The cigarette languished and died. She plucked the stub from the holder and tossed it into the ashtray and said to her daughter, “Whatever she is, she’s certainly not Peaches. Are we absolutely certain you’re mine, darling? It’s impossible to believe I’ve borne a daughter with so little penetration.”

      Isobel sprang from her chair and stalked to the French doors. “I’m going to take a shower and change clothes. Are you coming, Peaches?”

      “She’s not answering to Peaches anymore,” called back the Countess. “I forbid it.”

      Isobel didn’t pause, and I rose and followed her, because I did need to bathe and change before dinner, there was no question of that. As I passed the Countess, she took me gently by the elbow.

      “Before dinner,” she whispered, “we’ve got to talk.”

      17.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAu4AAAR5CAIAAAAdzBdcAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAH aWlDQ1BQaG90b3Nob3AgSUNDIHByb2ZpbGUAAHjalZVZVJMHHsX/35KVkEAIEJDlg7AbSEBkFQqE VfZVwJUkHxAJJCZhq2LpqIjiAlYsVRAVpI4riFAcl0pFK+JYgQq44AZapVgVR9SplnngzLEvnXPm Pv3OPee/PN0LQOcFh4aEoUEA+QU6TVJECJGekUnQhgEDFJhAA+csmVYNfy0EYHoIEACAQVdplERS n+958Fhz2DQvv641kcXNh/8thkyt0QFQewCgV05qZQC0agBYV6xT6wDgJQDwNClJEgAEB6Csz/kT S//EmvSMTABqJQDwcma5HgB40lluBQBeekYmMXv208+yQk3RrIeeBQAmGIM1uIAnBEIUJMNSyAUN lMFGqIF6aIFWOAOX4AbchnF4Ae8RDGEjfESAuCLeSAgSgyxCspA8pAgpRzYjtUgjchg5hZxHepFB ZBR5ikwhH1EaaohaoA6oGPVHw9AENBMlUTW6Gq1Aa9B69BDajn6P9qHD6Bj6Av2A0TFjzBYTYQuw KCwNk2Ma7AtsK7YHO4x1YZexm9g49hpHcUPcBhfjQXgCvgJX4+V4Db4fP4lfxH/GH+NvKXSKOUVI CaQkUGSUQkolZQ/lOKWbcpPylPKBakC1o/pQY6lZ1CJqFXUftYPaR31AnaaxaAKaLy2elk0ro+2k HaVdpN2hvabr0QV0f3oKPZ9eQW+kd9EH6JMMKoNg+DFSGSrGZsZBRjfjLuMdk8cUM2OZCmYFs4l5 gXmP+buemZ63XqqeTm+HXpveDb2XLA5LxIpnqVjbWa2sftaUvpH+fP00/RL93frn9O+zUbY9O4qt ZFezT7FH2B85NpxwTh6nhtPJuWuAGjgZxBsUGTQY9BhMGhoZ+hvKDbcYdhje49K47txM7nruce4t I9xIZJRptMGozWiUx+B58WS8at453oQx3zjcWGfcZDxggpiITVaYVJtcMHlpamOaZLrOtMP0Cd+M H80v47fyx8xMzRaarTVrN/vF3MI80bzC/Kz51BynOcvn1M65ZoFb+FtoLY5YjFtaWqZZbrfstcKs AqyKrU5aPbd2tpZb77MeJcyINOIrot+GYxNrU2Vz1ZZhG2lbaXtFQBdECTYJ+uxYdnF21XYD9sb2 6fZ77O87CBxyHI46vHL0clzj+IMT3SnOqdbprrOds9L5lPMHlzCXbS4jc23nKud2ChFhjLBOOOYq dl3j2utm4iZza3ObEcWJGkSTYn9xlfiuu9C9zP26B+Gh8eiZZzpv5bxznoaepOfp+ez5svldXmwv udcZb663wvuCD99nlU+vr63vGt8hP7HfZr/H/kH+9f7vFqQsaAtgB+QF9AY6BlYEPv4s9LPmIDxI HnQp2CG4MngiJCbkhIQrKZTcCg0IPRBGC8sPGwj3CW+MoEbkR9yMDIhsieJElUQ9WhizsDPaJnpL 9LsYeUx/bEDskTh+XEXcm3h5/GCCJKE9UZC4M4maVJw0kbwk+aeUkJTOVJfUxjRe2ua0mUVFiybT 5el3MpIz+jJDM88v9l7ctkS45Nultkv3LjNf9vVy3vKaFZwV27JYWVuketIqGUu2Vc6WV5Ncsjab n12fQ+Q05zrnnlB4Ks6sDF55JS8hb0SZpXyWr83/WLBRxVU1qJ3VHauCV13XLNFMaEt0NN2uQofC zqKIopFiRfGHkm2lNqUdn0d+Prpas4a2pqFsXtnVtVlr339RU+5SfvHLJV9O/61mnXDdj+tlG2BD Q4VfxcjG4krjyo5NqZvebN5V5V11a8vqrVZbu7eR2xnbj1cnV7+vadwRvuP5V7U7A3Y+qd2+y3fX 2Ndb63zrxr+p2R2we2JPXX14/ZuG5r0pjXhjx76c/fz9fQfKmtybHjd/czCuBWs5/a36kOOhe3/f dTj+CP1I99HVx7yOvTp+7ISi1aF1rG3/yeXtVu2jpxo6lnVadT747kAXedrp9K//aD2jO+t7dubc 5fNbvk+5YHFhvPvYD8UXg3tYPcOXmi6rflxwhXFluLflamFf2DXja0/++d31TT8tvuHWj/YPDRwe LP859aZwCBu6PXxypOqW/HbgHf6d13evjx6+t/G+/EHIQ+LhzKN7Y+fHGx+XP5H+EvrU8Rnz2W8T g792Te59vv63vBfJL/1f2U3pT719/fBf1950TTe/rXm39r3y34t/X/jB76PLH3Nm9GdmPuVySwlA 4h8AAJ88150AuwkAw6WfPNteAKNHAN03dGSJDgBAolKXahQ5uTrCSeJMeIjF3oS0lJColCoNkaxS FuoUqgKtkAhWKokkRU6uTkskkVpSU0TK3YgYhYws0JKEnNRlKZRaQpZVQEhJIltVWCAnVAV+RK5O p/YTiYqLi91ImcJNpckRkTKFiCwQkTJFUkSImzpXzRQQyaSSlOlIuZCQFuqIApWOyFfJFdkKUi4k pKVEZJZGTWokKqVSUaAlEgqlSoU2l9RoidRoQgAAMNt/AADAjpQkELPLiSKP/7alPkSCBBKAABJk oIAkiIAQIKAIPP5q5P/VfwBbvqbpOzxixQAAACBjSFJNAACHCgAAjA0AAQW3AACA6AAAUgUAARVb AAA2rwAAH0EC0NxpABLLn0lEQVR42kz9TYIkyc0kCooAUPModr8rzlHnRLN73WSGqwIyC1FLfiRX rMoMD3c3VUB++f/7//5/JKxVM/397vWsDPYggNEAYOTe39P6eer7/VPrn5X8fjszY8X0aJRJgCSh Pn2EIBhZ0kgKMoN7//sofz4fqs/+fk8/n38wZ0SQwezzB7Ge55nTYEQEqb3P3jtyPauCnNn7dGT2 maoCBQ2EqtrnaJirgpIAYHq++1vrCUJSVswckud7evA8/0QA0MxE5vSAigiC53REQOe0qmpGkTm9 /3xPVak717MyZiYiTjeZmj49axWAmYmMAH73JouaAf/188zsf//nT+T6PM853++3B/rn5+ep6HO+ Rw39PJ/knP4KnFFAo1zrCWJmeqZngPh5KgLffb67V61VlOZ3d1WtTKm7DyMjckYZAaJP/36/tVZV YmaAbkFYK1rQDMBV7PMdsWoxOK3uARjBCJzTM2cGEbGeTwb/7//9Pz3x87OCOqNaFQCgHkUkge+3 I3NV7P39Hn6e/P39D3I9VXvvzHzWEkAigtCcs7tBZiRnhqSUwmSye4iYmVi1EmoNADDICEgAKSkj pP7uQ1ZVBHFOt5SZmQFQM5IY2nuqVoa+Z5/Gz+eJCImk5uz//PmD/Pzz+cxMZuz9n73n5+cfqHum qgCIgDh9BGl/R6jPv7rP3v3z81MZ390RiuA5pxuZiahVUcFvD4QIQYzEv//9fyOepwrQGe2jz6cy g9LeZ6C1FiN67z+/38ifn08B6ml1N/jP5yH05/dXyM8qSf74MuN7fr9bn88TYGZA090zGulZJYqY Gfx+G6x/Ps9oIkhAQiTO93tGz/MJqM8ZIWuBOGeTRUgEBA2y4pwRJiMjEgA5GpGxTw/0WUs6My1k khFJYuaAQeL7Pd2TtVZx7316MjKTkUlR0BlVApo/u0NkRESowQxCDAbR3WREYO/JDEKZ2dMCEtG9 WxypgqseUQSlaTU1//6z1/r8PAvQ/n6P8PPzoXT6QAAUUd0tYGX4ze/W9CYxPaP453/9S/2fP7/f 5/O/nlpSf/c3c52zKz9BntkASVQGJL9aQOfsHmXm8zxknrP7nJFWJTTniBERuYr/+c//O8p//vlX n/09JyPXs6T2ozF9zuBfnx9gunvvARERAnyeAogEhX12sFY9+/z57vPz8wPts7/gIjnTjIxMkhyd aRAhRKYEQjMNRp+zz9Qqv+ff3/9krs/zjNTnzEytJzjnHEg9qrUgSPvP7xeIf/7518ro/v757bWe lQn2/v6eHrCetabP7+8vYv38fNR7H9WziiI5M93a3c96VvH3z94zPz9PZUpz9vd0R9ZT1X2++6z1 1CpMd39nKCET3+/v7nien58nztnTjXwqsM8mo7KEgUDy7D+n9Xw+lWu6//z+ybV+1vr9/c/3TETU WkkCoWkEK3N/t1/Dyoxin9/f76laZBDz3fPz80PNd28hKrnPXusJzJ/fU7V6ulY9mTPTvYX9/erz /AuY3fP5rN7fboF4no8kiLtH0lMRCc3s/dvNzz//qtD+/qdHM2TU5/kAknrvX8aqij9//rPWJ6ke ANr7+/n8ADM9I5zTz+fzrPrzn3+f1j///AscjH6/e4BVz2g0EuPzrODu/RVjrZ+ZuT8FuY9qfYIU upggQAGa0wBzJTB9WooISntmyIyszCAwcwCQnP7D/NF8Iczw+/1KEfVkVlRlBgRNS8EgJWYmSUER gnrVCuDf//7PIKpCCGQIoBQRmRQwEoEejTgzAIPSKCMzIRyAmYsCGD0tiOA+ExEZjJCYQEIAAUiS RIDdk4kIgkAEKQiRIUjDGSFCjMwE1TMzmJEGjPDzCAokRQzUannMaogZweB0Z6VfqADNkJhB3Ilq iAEmE9O/oyYF9KglrcqqmBkQkQGIjIwQmozKkHq0RyeYKxeA0316nuf51+dJYmZEBlXEPt+ZgVCZ SeyzWyARZM8MECQhkhIis1aM1MKImZlJAKPTPcH0ldQSIYYiSY00AgBh+rtHg/TjJbXf2ixpzu6R wMhiBtqXEiuCu0/P6dm1Vq2YOQpkRQDfs2f81jEiqiKC3S1B6t0HjFWVHAlVD0AC/rwBMlLgyH88 AfScrFWZ0OkZJtXqA0b4TQBJckbdiiBIRpDw/NqDyCQUERA8xIyO

Скачать книгу