[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]variety of homemade conserves.
The meal was mostly eaten in silence, prompting Doc to give a barking laugh as
Ryan sipped at his third mug of coffee sub. "That is the sad thing about
modern Deathlands.
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Food is killing the art of conversation."
DURING THE LONG MORNING and through into lunch, the tales were told on both
sides.
Ryan spoke of the days and nights of deep coma, waking to find himself in the
filthy hut of Paddy Maxwell, and the adventures during the next few days, then
the trip toward
Twin Forks and its tragic conclusion for Ryan's rescuer.
Krysty told of their search and the encounter with the stickies. "Seems that
slaving's going on around here, using the muties."
Ryan leaned back in his chair, nodding. "Brings back memories of Wolfram and
the
Magus, doesn't it?"
J.B. nodded. "Names from the past& "
"Is bad blood between you and them?" Jak asked, nibbling on a blueberry
muffin, which he said was essential to carry him through until lunch, even
though Toby had promised the meal within the hour.
The Armorer answered. "Goes back to Trader." He took off his glasses and
polished them on his napkin. "Bad blood? Could call it that, Ryan?"
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Axler, James - Deathlands 33 - Eclipse at Noon
"I don't much like picking at old wounds. Just say that things that Trader and
J.B. and me did harmed both Wolfram and the Magus. Harmed them badly. Have you
actually heard that they're involved in slaving?"
Mildred leaned forward across the loaded table. "Haven't heard anything about
who might be behind it. But are you just going to leave it at that? Not tell
us the whole story?"
She turned to J.B. "Come on, John& "
Ryan shook his head. "One day, mebbe. Not now. I want to hear about the
Montana
Queen."
He spoke to Jak and the Armorer. "Good to see you've both got an honest job
for once."
By the time everyone was up-to-date with what had happened and was happening,
it was time to set out clean cutlery and glasses and bring in the lunch.
"You got any of that bubbly wine?" Krysty asked.
"We have some of the finest champagne in this or any other ville," Toby
replied, beaming, wiping his hands on his apron. "You would like a bottle?"
"Yeah. I reckon we've got something to celebrate, don't you, folks?"
Toby carefully unwrapped the wire and eased out the cork, letting it go with a
soft popping sound, the wine foaming into the crystal flutes that he'd brought
out specially.
"Absent friends recovered," Krysty said, raising her glass, chinking it
against Ryan's and against the others.
"I'll drink to that toast." Doc sipped at the wine. "Not quite Moet & Chandon,
but perfectly adequate. Can we afford this luxury?"
J.B. patted his jacket. "Got a jack bonus last night from Dolores Stanwyck.
Some miners in late figured that they were entitled to some freebies with the
girls. Had to convince them otherwise. Managed it without breaking any bones."
In the end they had two more bottles of wine with the meal. An unusual treat
for all of
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Axler, James - Deathlands 33 - Eclipse at Noon them. One was a grenache from
the islands of California, with a delicious pink color. The other a tart
chardonnay from Oregon.
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Even Doc, who fancied himself as something of a connoisseur of wine, sat there
licking his lips and admitted that they were both excellent.
The quality of the food was a lot better than adequate, though with some of
the dishes it seemed as though Toby had been a little bit ambitious.
Ryan chose a fish main course, rainbow trout, grilled off the bone and served
in a pastry shell stuffed with a creamy sauce and crayfish. Krysty picked the
quail, roasted and brought to the table with a rich sauce of cream and brandy.
Mildred fancied the lasagna, which came in a large earthenware pot, though she
found the meat was a little fatty for her taste. J.B. spent ages pondering the
menu before finally picking the same main dish as Ryan. Jak went for some
underdone veal, served with a fried egg on top and an extra side order of
fries. Doc also spent an eternity trawling through the long list of dishes,
reading out some of them aloud, head on one side, pondering his selection.
"Squab? I confess that I have never taken to the name. Too abrupt to be tasty.
Turkey and cranberry sauce. I think that I am not in the Thanksgiving vein
today. Salmon served with pasta and a bean sauce. A trifle heavy, perhaps.
Specially as I may select the heavy trifle for dessert. Red mullet from the
Gulf, with a prawn and octopus ink sauce. Too black by half."
"Doc," Ryan said, "I'm getting dust on my shoulders, and my stomach's in
overdrive. A
spider's weaved its web between my knife and fork. Speed it up, will you?"
"My dear fellow& of course."
He turned to the patiently waiting Toby. "I shall essay the lobster with& "
"Real sorry. Lobster's off today. Never got the fresh delivery."
Groans erupted all around the table.
Doc smiled, showing his perfect set of white teeth. "Worry not, cupbearer.
Then I shall choose the roast beef, well-done and sliced wafer thin, cosseted
by the chef for my dining pleasure, having been fed on lush meadow grass."
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Axler, James - Deathlands 33 - Eclipse at Noon
The main courses all came with a selection of vegetables. Boiled potatoes, a
little undercooked and served without any salt or butter. Carrots and broccoli
with sliced beans, and a large side salad that was heavy on wilted lettuce.
But it was still a great meal by Deathlands standards, and they all cleaned
their plates.
Mildred, Krysty and J.B. passed on the creaking dessert trolley that Toby
wheeled proudly up to show them.
Jak, Ryan and Doc didn't.
"Those chocolate balls with cream," Jak said, watching the serving of the
profiteroles with great attention. "More than that. Better."
Ryan pointed at some round dishes with a kind of crust on top. "What's that?"
"Lemon brulie. A
sorbet of lemons covered in brown sugar that's baked quickly under a very hot
grill."
"I'll have that."
Doc nodded. "I believe that I shall join you in that selection. I remember
sampling a similar delicious in Del Greco's on Fifth Avenue at an anniversary
meal with my dear
Emily. I trust this lives up to my memory."
Ryan wasn't a great gourmet, partly because there were precious few
opportunities in
Deathlands to sample quality food. But he actually sighed out loud at the
first mouthful.
His spoon broke through the baked crust of molten sugar, into the ice-cold
lemon sorbet beneath. It was a truly exquisite combination of hot and cold, of
sweet and bitter.
"Fireblast! But that's good."
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Doc leaned back, eyes closed, savoring the taste sensation. "By the Three
Kennedys! It is perfection. Every bit as delicious as my memory of the dish."
In the end they had to order another round so that everyone could sample it.
After they'd settled the check, using up all of Jak and the Armorer's bonus
and then some, they staggered out, well stuffed, onto the quay, blinking in
the bright afternoon sunshine.
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"That was a meal and a half," Ryan said. "Reckon I've put back every ounce I
lost during my time with Paddy."
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plkajaszek.htw.pl
