Нейромант

           Casewouldhavebeenhardpressedtodistinguishapinefromanoak,butastreetboy’ssenseofstyletoldhimthattheseweretoocute,tooentirelyanddefinitivelytreelike.Betweenthetrees,ongentleandtoocleverlyirregularslopesofsweetgreengrass,thebrightumbrellasshadedthehotel’sguestsfromtheunfalteringradianceoftheLado-Achesonsun.AburstofFrenchfromanearbytablecaughthisattention:thegoldenchildrenhe’dseenglidingaboverivermisttheeveningbefore.Nowhesawthattheirtanswereuneven,astencileffectproducedbyselectivemelaninboosting,multipleshadesoverlappinginrectilinearpatterns,outliningandhighlightingmusculature,thegirl’ssmallhardbreasts,oneboy’swristrestingonthewhiteenamelofthetable.TheylookedtoCaselikemachinesbuiltforracing;theydeserveddecalsfortheirhairdressers,thedesignersoftheirwhitecottonducks,fortheartisanswho’dcraftedtheirleathersandalsandsimplejewelry.Beyondthem,atanothertable,threeJapanesewivesinHiroshimasackclothawaitedsararimanhusbands,theirovalfacescoveredwithartificialbruises;itwas,heknew,anextremelyconservativestyle,onehe’dseldomseeninChiba.

           `What’sthatsmell?’heaskedMolly,wrinklinghisnose.

           `Thegrass.Smellsthatwayaftertheycutit.