标题: 《The Robot Is Running Away From the Trees》作者： - Terry Dowling【EPUB】 [打印本页] 作者: zaq 时间: 2014-6-9 08:30 标题: 《The Robot Is Running Away From the Trees》作者： - Terry Dowling【EPUB】 TERRY DOWLING homesite eidolon.net20ho TERRY DOWLINGHOMESITE The Robot is Running Away From the Trees Terry Dowling The old AbO rotated his hands in opposite directions palm to palm two inches apart and heldthe universe between them. quotIt will give you everything. A lovely gift for a famous desert sailor like yourself and agood price.quot quotNo. Thank you Phar. I dont think I need a double-planisphere. You use it.quot quotAh noquot Phar said taking the intricate device from me and putting it away under glass. quotMyshop is universe enough. I dream already.quot quotIm sure thats not what you wanted to show me Phar.quot quotNo Captain Tom. But ah its a delicate matter. A surprise. Look around awhile. Humour me.quot quotVery wellquot I said and moved among the stacked counters ducked under hanging shapesnavigated between pieces of furniture antique converters broken consoles musicalinstruments worn-out belltrees seized-up motion sculptures headed back into the dustiergloomier shadows of Phars Emporium. I knew the shop well probably as well as anyone apartfrom the old man. I loved it loved its timelessness the way it was tucked into its deepwedge-shaped niche at the end of Socket Lane sandwiched between two large warehouses near thesea-wall in the poorer part of the Byzantine Quarter. It was a place of shadows and quietunchanged for generations-a place for finding unexpected treasures splendid curios heartsdesires. Phar followed me as he had for years whenever I came to examine his mostly questionablesometimes remarkable merchandise always the Man in the Shadow Shop as he was first introducedto me nearly six years ago. quotThats a vanityquot he said pointing to a glossy dark rock in a broken vacuum case. quotI doubt it. It looks like quassail slag.quot quotA meteorite then. I have vanitiesquot Phar said in a conspiratorial voice. quotSpecials too.Naders eyes locked away in stone. Very good pricequot quotNoquot I said. quotTell me what it is you want or let me look.quot quotLookquot he said and pretended to move away-pretended because he stayed close by mutteringsoftly so I could hear. quotI think the planisphere suits you.quot Then I saw it a dull metal man-shape in the gloom standing where I remembered a dusty wall-hanging had always been fixed. quotPhar what is this Armourquot The AbO was there like a toy on a spring. quotArmour thatquot His eyes widened. quotYes armour. Abattle suit.quot quotIt looks