The Blue Moon Circus by Michael Raleigh

Author:Michael Raleigh [Raleigh, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2014-06-02T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-ONE

Battle Joined

Lewis stood with his hands on his hips and watched Zheng work with Bill the Bear. A few feet away, Irina laughed and clapped for her own bear. A short, fat creature with thick dark fur, he could actually dance a bit and pedal himself for short rides on a stunted-looking bicycle. He even made a noble attempt at juggling apples, a trick which lasted perhaps three seconds and ended with the bear eating the apples and then being chased around the ring by Irina. Lewis thought an audience would love it. And her.

She brushed her hair from her eyes, and Lewis told himself to stop staring at her. He turned to Zheng, who actually had Bill making little half-turns as Zheng clapped his hands. A few feet away, old Zheng watched his son and the bear with a distressed look. His eyes narrowed and, seeing Lewis, he made a little shake of his head.

Young Zheng turned to Lewis. “We make progresses with this one. You see, he dances—after a fashion.”

“I’m impressed. How’d you do it?”

“I watch the lady and her bear. She rewards it with much affection, she kisses it, pats it on the nose.”

“Got you kissing Bill there, Zheng?” Lewis said maliciously.

Zheng looked at him without expression, though Lewis could tell he was amused. “I do not kiss this one, not yet. This would disturb my father, who already believes his son is crazy man.”

“Tell him I said he’s got him a good son.”

“He knows I am good son, Lewis. But he worries about my work make me go crazy.” Zheng looked over at the twin monkey cages.

The monkeys were Zheng’s newest assignment, and Lewis knew Zheng would have said his latest trouble, brought about by Lewis Tully’s inability to say no to a down-and-outer.

And Lewis had understood precisely what he was doing. The man selling the monkeys was tall and gaunt, and his bad luck hung about him like a cloak. He gave his pitch fast, in a bad accent, attempting to sell the idea that he was an Italian monkey trainer and these were spider monkeys.

Lewis listened to the wretched Italian accent and then called for Mr. Zheng. A moment later, he heard Zheng behind him.

“Mr. Tully?” Zheng said in his precise, unaccented English.

“I am at a loss here, Mr. Zheng. I’ve got this fellow here, seems he’s from Italy, Mr. Pianetto. Perhaps you can say something to him, put him at his ease. Find out where he’s from.”

Zheng nodded and launched into a musical stream of Italian.

The man took a short step back, looked in panic at Lewis, then said, “What’s he sayin’?”

“Mr. Zheng here speaks Italian. He was formerly with the Da’Nicola Brothers Circus out of Florence, Italy. He’s something of a linguist, Zheng is. Speaks five or six languages. I got a feeling you don’t speak but one, and that’s English. What’s your story, Mr. Pianetto?”

The sad eyes widened and he opened his arms wide, and the accent took wings. “I need some luck, Mr.

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