Galaxy Magazine (January 1958) by Galaxy

Author:Galaxy
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 1958-01-08T16:00:00+00:00

REX AND MR. REJ ILLA

"Look," he said. "You go out and try to keep Rejilla occupied. We'll shut Rex up in here. I'll try to get in touch with Dan-era ux."

"Are you going to phone him?"

"No, no," said Tom. "Too much of a chance. Who knows what Rejilla might be able to do with an ordinary telephone? Maybe he carries a little portable wiretap or something. I'll run out and phone from the drugstore."

"Go walk?" asked Rex.

"Sorry," said Tom, dressing hurriedly. "Later—if we're lucky," he added nervously.

The drugstore was empty, as it should have been at a little before nine o'clock in the morning. Daneraux's office informed Tom that Daneraux had not yet come in*

"Hell!" said Tom.

He went back home.

T UCY was drinking coffee in ^ the living room. Mr. Rejilla was seated opposite her in the big armchair, playing a flute.

"Good morning," said the Oprinkian as Tom came in, and lowered his instrument "Take a condolence, please."

"Uh—I beg your pardon?" asked Tom, dropping down on the living room sofa.

Lucy hastily handed him a full cup of coffee.

"I was just telling Mr. Rejil-

la how sick Rex is," she said, with a meaningful glance. "How you had to go for the veterinarian. Did you get him?"

"He wasn't in his office yet OwF said Tom. He breathed violently through his open mouth.

"Well, you might have known it was hot," said Lucy.

"You find yourself internally dismayed by hot liquids?" inquired Mr. Rejilla. He produced what looked like a small slate and a crayon from under one of the straps of his harness. "May I make a note?"

"Oh—sure," said Tom.

"I am endeavoring to understand humanity as a means to establishing the bonds between," explained Mr. Rejilla. "That is my twenty-four-hour mission here. Do you like music?"

"Well, yes," Tom said warily.

"I will play you a small composition," said Mr. Rejilla. He did so. The tune that came out sounded like anything but a tune. "Does it provoke you?" he inquired politely.

"It's very original," volunteered Lucy.

"Indeed. Eighty per cent original," said Mr. Rejilla proudly. "It is a theme upon one of your human melodies."

"Oh?" questioned Tom, searching his memory for a single similarity.

"A Chinese melody, I am so

80

GALAXY SCIENCE FICTION

told," said Mr. Rejilla, driving his point home,

"Have some coffee," offered Tom. "What would you like to do today, Mr. Rejilla?"

"I would like to peep," said

Rejilla.

"Peep?"

"In on your lives. How fascinating, the living process, don't you agree? You are embound with so many things that on Oprinkia are unthought of. This pet of yours, now in malady. Has he existed for a number of years?"

"Five," said Tom. "No, dear—six," corrected Lucy. "Don't you remember—"

"Five," repeated Tom firmly.

"Has he offspring?" Mr. Rejilla wanted to know.

nPOM sipped cautiously at his •*- coffee, which was starting to get down to a tolerable temperature finally. "Not only that, but his offspring has offspring."

"A grandfather!" breathed Mr. Rejilla.

"Well, yes."

"How noble!" said Mr. Rejilla enthusiastically. "I will make a special effort to remember him in my thoughts. Now I must not detain you both.

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