back.
– I listen to you, mademoiselle Loran.
– Tell, you seriously assume to give to Brike’s head a body or only console it?
– Absolutely seriously.
– And you hope for success of this operation?
– Quite. You saw a dog?
– And you do not assume… to put Thomas on legs? – from far away began Laurent.
– Why would be not present? He already asked me about it. Not all at once.
– And Douel … – Laurent suddenly exorcized quickly and with emotion: – Of course, everyone has the right for life, for normal human life, both Thomas, and Brike. But you, certainly, understand that the value of the head of professor Douel is much higher, than your other heads… And if you want to return to Thomas and Brike’s normal existence, then, it is how more important to return the head of professor Douel to the same normal life.
The core frowned. All expression of his face became alerted and rigid.
– Professor Douel, is more faithful – his professorial head, found the beautiful defender in your person – he told, ironically smiling. – But in such defender, perhaps, there is no need also, and you in vain get excited and worry. Certainly, I thought also of revival of the head of Douel.
– But why you will not begin experience with it?
– Yes just because Douel’s head is more expensive thousands of other human heads. I began with a dog before allocating with a body Brike’s head. Brike’s head is so more expensive than the head of a dog as far as Douel’s head is more expensive than Brike’s head.
– Human life and dogs is incomparable, professor…
– As well as Douel and Brike’s heads. You have no anything else to tell?
– Nothing, mister professor – Laurent answered, going to a door.
– In that case, mademoiselle, I have to you some questions. Wait, mademoiselle.
Laurent stopped at a door, interrogatively looking on the Core.
– I ask you, approach a table, sit down.
Laurent with vague alarm fell to a deep chair. The person Kerna did not promise anything good. Kern leaned back on a back of a chair and long Laurent searchingly looked in the face until it lowered them. Then he quickly rose in all the high growth, strong rested fists against a table, inclined the head to Laurent and asked quietly and impressively:
– Tell, you did not launch the air crane of the head of Douel in action? You did not talk to him?
Laurent felt that her finger-tips grew cold. Thoughts a whirlwind began to spin in her head. The anger which excited in it the Core bubbled and was ready to break outside.
«To tell or not to tell it the truth?» – fluctuated Laurent. Oh, what pleasure to say directly to this person the word «murderer», but such open attack could spoil everything.
Laurent did not believe that the Core will give to Douel’s head a new body. She already knew too much to trust such opportunity. And she dreamed only of one: to discredit the Core which appropriated Douel fruits of labor in the opinion of society and to solve its crime. She knew that the Core will not stop before anything, and, declaring itself his open enemy, she endangered the life. But not the instinct of self-preservation stopped it. She did not want to die before the crime of the Core is not solved. And for this purpose it was necessary to lie. But conscience, all her education did not allow to lie to it. Never before in life she lied and now endured awful nervousness.
The core kept the eyes glued from her face.
– Do not lie – he told derisively – do not burden the conscience a lie sin. You talked to the head, do not open, I know it. John overheard everything…
Laurent, having inclined the head, was silent.
– It is only interesting to me to know about what you talked to the head?
Laurent felt how the rushed-back blood flowed to cheeks. She raised the head and looked fool in the face the Core.
– About everything.
– So – told the Core, without removing hands from a table. – So I also thought. About everything.
There came the pause. Laurent looked down down again and sat with a type of the person waiting for a sentence now.
The core suddenly quickly went to a door and locked it. Walked several times on a soft carpet of an office, having stuffed up hands for a back. Then silently approached Laurent and asked:
– And what you think to undertake, the lovely girl? To prosecute a blood-thirsty monster – the Core? To defame his name? To expose its crime? Douel, probably, asked you about it?
– No, no – having forgotten all the fear, hotly started talking Laurent – I assure you that the head of professor Douel is absolutely deprived of feeling of revenge. Oh, it is noble soul! He even… dissuaded me. This is not what you, it is impossible to judge by himself! – already with a call it finished, having sparkled eyes.
The core grinned and again walked on an office.
– So, so, perfectly. Means, you after all had exposing intentions and if not the head of Douel, then professor Kern would already be imprisoned. If virtue cannot triumph, then, at least, defect has to be punished. So all virtuous novels which you read, isn’t that so, the lovely girl terminated?
– And defect will be punished! – she exclaimed, already almost losing will over the feelings.
– Oh yes of course, there, in heaven. – The core looked at the ceiling revetted with large checkers from a black oak. – But here, on the earth and to you it will be known, naive creation, triumphs defect, and only defect! And virtue… Virtue costs with a cap in hand, begging for pennies at defect, or sticks out there – the Core specified towards the room where there was Douel’s head – as the carrion crows frightened, reflecting on caducity of all terrestrial.
And, having approached Laurent closely, it, having lowered a voice, told:
– You know, as you, and I can burn Douel’s head in a literal sense to ashes, and any soul does not learn about it.
– I know that you are ready for anything…
– Crime? And it is very good that you know it. – The core walked about the room again and by already usual voice continued to speak, as if arguing aloud: – However what you will order to do with you, the beautiful avenger? You, unfortunately, from that breed of people who do not stop before anything and for the sake of the truth are ready to accept a crown of martyrdom. You fragile, nervous, impressionable, but will not intimidate you. To kill you? Today, now? I will manage to cover up murder tracks, but nevertheless it is necessary to tinker with it. And my time is expensive. To bribe you? It is more difficult, than to intimidate you… Well,
