deathworld-第2节

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the　money　in　the　morning；　so　that's　our　time　limit。〃
　 With　each　moment；　the　whole　affair　became　more　fantastic…and　more　intriguing　for　Jason。　He　looked　at　his　watch。　There　was　still　enough　time　to　find　out　if　Kerk　was　lying　or　not。
　 〃All　right；　we'll　do　it　tonight；〃　he　said。　〃Only　I'll　have　to　have　one　of　those　bills　to　verify。〃
　 Kerk　stood　up　to　go。　〃Take　them　all；　I　won't　be　seeing　you　again　until　after　you've　won。　I'll　be　at　the　Casino；　of　course；　but　don't　recognize　me。　It　would　be　much　better　if　they　didn't　know　where　your　money　was　ing　from　or　how　much　you　had。〃
　 Then　he　was　gone；　after　a　bone…crushing　handclasp　that　closed　on　Jason's　hand　like　vise　jaws。　Jason　was　alone　with　the　money。　Fanning　the　bills　out　like　a　hand　of　cards；　he　stared　at　their　sepia…and…gold　faces；　trying　to　get　the　reality　through　his　head。　Twenty…seven　million　credits。　What　was　to　stop　him　from　just　walking　out　the　door　with　them　and　vanishing。　Nothing　really；　except　his　own　sense　of　honor。
　 Kerk　Pyrrus；　the　man　with　the　same　last　name　as　the　planet　he　came　from；　was　the　universe's　biggest　fool。　Or　he　knew　just　what　he　was　doing。　From　the　way　the　interview　had　gone；　the　latter　seemed　the　best　bet。
　 〃He　knows　I　would　much　rather　gamble　with　the　money　than　steal　it；〃　he　said　wryly。
　 Slipping　a　small　gun　into　his　waistband　holster　and　pocketing　the　money；　he　went　out。
　2
　 The　robot　teller　at　the　bank　just　pinged　with　electronic　shock　when　he　presented　one　of　the　bills　and　flashed　a　panel　that　directed　him　to　see　Vice　President　Wain。　Wain　was　a　smooth　customer　who　bugged　his　eyes　and　lost　some　of　his　tan　when　he　saw　the　sheaf　of　bills。
　 〃You…wish　to　deposit　these　with　us？〃　he　asked　while　his　fingers　unconsciously　stroked　them。
　 〃Not　today；〃　Jason　said。　〃They　were　paid　to　me　as　a　debt。　Would　you　please　check　that　they　are　authentic　and　change　them。　I'd　like　five　hundred　thousand　credit　notes。〃
　 Both　of　his　inner　chest　pockets　were　packed　tight　when　he　left　the　bank。　The　bills　were　good　and　he　felt　like　a　walking　mint。　This　was　the　first　time　in　his　entire　life　that　carrying　a　large　sum　of　money　made　him　unfortable。　Waving　to　a　passing　helicab；　he　went　directly　to　the　Casino　where　he　knew　he　would　be　safe。　For　awhile。
　 Cassylia　Casino　was　the　playspot　of　the　nearby　cluster　of　star　systems。　It　was　the　first　rime　Jason　had　seen　it；　though　he　knew　its　type　well。　He　had　spent　most　of　his　adult　life　in　casinos　like　this　on　other　worlds。　The　decor　differed　but　they　were　always　the　same。　Gambling　and　socialities　in　public…and　behind　the　scenes　all　the　private　vice　you　could　afford。　Theoretically　no…limit　games；　but　that　was　true　only　up　to　a　certain　point。　When　the　house　was　really　hurt；　the　honest　games　stopped　being　square　and　the　big　winner　had　to　watch　his　step　very　carefully。　These　were　the　odds　Jason　clinAlt　had　played　against　countless　times　before。　He　was　wary　but　not　very　concerned。
　 The　dining　room　was　almost　empty　and　the　majordomo　quickly　rushed　to　the　side　of　the　stranger　in　the　richly　cut　clothes。　Jason　was　lean　and　dark　and　moved　with　a　positive；　self…assured　manner。　More　like　the　owner　of　inherited　wealth　than　a　professional　gambler。　This　appearance　was　important　and　he　cultivated　it。　The　cuisine　looked　good　and　the　cellar　turned　out　to　be　wonderful。　He　had　a　professional　and　enthusiastic　talk　with　the　wine　steward　while　waiting　for　the　soup；　then　settled　down　to　enjoy　his　meal。
　 He　ate　leisurely　and　the　large　dining　room　was　filled　before　he　was　through。　Watching　the　entertainment　over　a　long　cigar　killed　some　more　time。　When　he　finally　went　to　the　gaming　roonls；　they　were　filled　and　active。
　 Moving　slowly　around　the　room；　he　dropped　a　few　thousand　credits。　He　scarcely　noticed　how　he　played；　giving　more　attention　to　the　feel　of　the　games。　The　play　all　seemed　honest　and　none　of　the　equipment　was　rigged。　That　could　be　changed　very　quickly；　he　realized。　Usually　it　wasn't　necessary；　house　percentage　was　enough　to　assure　a　profit。
　 Once　he　saw　Kerk　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　but　he　paid　him　no　attention。　The　ambassador　was　losing　small　sums　steadily　at　seven…andsilver　and　seemed　to　be　impatient。　Probably　waiting　for　Jason　to　begin　playing　seriously。　He　smiled　and　strolled　on　slowly。
　 Jason　settled　on　the　dice　table　as　he　usually　did。　It　was　the　surest　way　to　make　small　winnings。　And　if　I　feelit　tonight；　I　can　clean　this　casino　out！　That　was　his　secret；　the　power　that　won　for　him　steadily…and　every　once　in　awhile　enabled　him　to　make　a　killing　and　move　on　quickly　before　the　hired　thugs　came　to　get　the　money　back。
　 The　dice　reached　him　and　he　threw　an　eight　the　hard　way。　Betting　was　light　and　he　didn't　push　himself；　just　kept　away　from　the　sevens。　He　made　the　point　and　passed　a　natural。　Then　he　crapped　out　and　the　dice　moved　on。
　 Sitting　there；　making　small　automatic　bets　while　the　dice　went　around　the　table；　he　thought　about　the　power。　Funny；　after　all　the　years　of　work；　we　still　don't　know　much　about　psi。　They　can　train　people　a　bit；　and　improve　skills　a　bit…but　that's　all。
　 He　was　feeling　strong　tonight；　he　knew　that　the　money　in　his　pocket　gave　him　the　extra　lift　that　sometimes　helped　him　break　through。　With　his　eyes　half　closed　he　picked　up　the　dice…and　let　his　mind　gently　caress　the　pattern　of　sunken　dots。　Then　they　shot　out　of　his　hand　and　he　stared　at　a　seven。
　 It　was　there。
　 Stronger　than　he　had　felt　it　in　years。　The　stiff　weight　of　the　million　credits　had　done　it。　The　world　all　around　was　sharp…cut　and　clear　and　the　dice　were　pletely　in　his　control。　He　knew　to　the　tenth　credit　how　much　the　other　players　had　in　their　wallets　and　was　aware　of　the　cards　in　the　hands　of　the　players　behind　him。
　 Slowly；　carefully；　he　built　up　the　stakes。
　 There　was　no　effort　to　the　dice；　they　rolled　and　sat　up　like　trained　dogs。　Jason　took　his　time　and　concentrated　on　the　psychology　of　the　players　and　the　stickman。　It　took　almost　two　hours　to　build　his　money　on　the　table　to　seven　hundred　thousand　credits。　Then　he　caught　the
　stickman　signaling　they　had　a　heavy　winner。　He　waited　until　the　hardeyed　man　strolled　over　to　watch　the　game；　then　he　breathed　on　the　dice；　bet　all　his　table　stakes…and　blew　it　all　with　a　single　roll。　The　houseman　smiled　happily；　the　stickman　relaxed…and；　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Jason　saw　Kerk　turning　a　dark　purple。
　 Sweating；　pale；　his　hand　trembling　ever　so　slightly；　Jason　opened　the　front　of　his　jacket　and　pulled　out　one　of　the　envelopes　of　new　bills。　Breaking　the　seal　with　his　finger；　he　dropped　two　of　them　on　the　table。
　 〃Could　we　have　a　no…limit　game；〃　he　asked。　〃I'd　like　to…win　back　some　of　my　money。〃
　 The　stickman　had　trouble　controlling　his　smile　now；　he　glanced　across　at　the　houseman　who　nodded　a　quick　yes。　They　had　a　sucker　and　they　meant　to　clean　him。　He　had　been　playing　from　his　wallet　all　evening；　now　he　was　cracking　into　a　sealed　envelope　to　try　for　what　he　had　lost。　A　thick　envelope；　too；　and　probably　not　his　money。　Not　that　the　house　cared　in　the　least。　To　them　money　had　no　loyalties。　The　play　went　on　with　the　Casino　in　a　very　relaxed　mood。
　 Which　was　just　the　way　Jason　wanted　it。　He　needed　to　get　as　deep　into　them　as　he　could　before　someone　realized　they　might　be　on　the　losing　end。　The　rough　stuff　would　start　and　he　wanted　to　put　it　off　as　long　as　possible。　It　would　be　hard　to　win　smoothly　then…and　his　psi　power　might　go　as　quickly　as　it　had　e。　That　had　happened　before。
　 He　was　playing　against　the　house　now；　the　two　other　players　were　obvious　shills；　and　a　crowd　had　januned　solidly　around　to　watch。　After　losing　and　winning　a　bit；　he　hit　a　streak　of　naturals　and　his　pile　of　gold　chips　tottered　higher　and　higher。　There　was　nearly　a　billion　there；　he　estimated　roughly。　The　dice　were　still　falling　true；　though　he　was　soaked　with　sweat　from　the　effort。　Betting　the　entire　stack　of　chips；　he　reached　for　the　dice。　The　stickman　reached　faster　and　hooked　them　away。
　 〃House　calls　for　new　dice；〃　he　said　flatly。
　 Jason　straightened　up　and　wiped　his　hands；　glad　of　the　instant's　relief。　This　was　the　third　time　the　house　had　changed　dice　to　try　and　break　his　winning　streak。　It　was　their　privilege。　The　hard…eyed　Casino　man　opened　his　wallet　as　he　had　done　before　and　drew　out　a　pair　at　random。　Stripping　off　their　plastic　cover；　he　threw　them　the　length　of　the　table　to　Jason。　They　came　up　a　natural　seven　and　Jason　smiled。
　 When　he　scooped　them　up；　the　smile　slowly　faded。　The　dice　were　transparent；　finely　made；　evenly　weighted　on　all　sides…and　crooked。
　 The　pigment　on　the　dots　of　five　sides　of　each　die　was　some　heavy　metal　pound；　probably　lead。　The　sixth　side　was　a　ferric　pound。　They　would　roll　true　unless　they　hit　a　magnetic　field…which　meant
　the　entire　surface　of　the　table　could　be　magnetized。　He　could　never　have　spotted　the　difference　if　he　hadn't　looked　at　the　dice　with　his　mind。　But　what　could　he　do　about　it？
　Shaking　them　slowly；　he　glanced　quickly　around　the　table。　There　was　what　he　needed。　An　ashtray　with　a　magnet　in　its　base　to　hold　it　to　the　metal　edge　of　the　table。　Jason　stopped　shaking　the　dice　and　looked　at　them　quizzically；　then　reached　over　and　grabbed　the　ashtray。　He　dropped　the　base　against　his　hand。
　As　he　lifted　the　asht