Sensei of Shambala. Book III. Anastasia Novykh

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ he offered me his hand and introduced himself: “Ariman. Or you can simply call me Arik!”

      In my fright I even recoiled.

      “Nastya,” mumbled I in a hoarse unnatural voice, slipping up at a push.

      But then a quite comical situation took place. From habit I started to shake his hand firmly, at the same time trying to repress quiver in my body that came from fear. Meanwhile, the man attempted to put my hand to his lips and kiss it. But apparently such awkwardness perplexed him. Finally, he managed to fix my hand jerking in a convulsive handshake and press it against his lips. A display of such gallant manners completely put me off my stride of habitualness. I felt not only my cheeks flushing, but even the tips of my ears blushed. My persona promptly dropped my eyes and, ashamed of my own manners, wished to sink into the ground, or rather the sand.

      As with Tatyana, he managed to do everything much easier and more graceful. Evidently, observing my unsuccessful ‘handshake,’ she was able to prepare to such salutation. But when the man passed on to greeting men, suddenly our indefatigable wisecracker Eugene was the first to offer his hand, being original as always. The guy dropped a curtsey and, like a woman of reputation, held out his hand as though for a kiss, apparently hinting the ladies’ part how it should be done. At that he inserted in a fine voice: “Eugene,” although, immediately straightening up and changing position of his arm for a handshake, he added in a mannish voice: “But you can call me simply Gene.”

      Such a comical behavior set everyone laughing loud, including Sensei and Ariman. Even the Chinese man for the first time ever permitted himself a frank smile. Eugene’s prank somewhat defused the tension of an uncomfortable situation of initial constraint.

      When Ariman got to know everyone, Eugene pronounced in a businesslike tone, motioning to the sumptuous yacht: “That’s quite a boat.”

      “I like her too,” Ariman smiled and surveying the coastal strip said: “I see you’ve had a nice gale here.”

      “Yes, brought dirt of sorts,” Sensei nodded.

      “Been cleaning up half a day,” Victor standing by, engaged in conversation.

      “Why, haven’t you caught yesterday’s storm?” Nicolai Andreevich asked in surprise.

      “Yesterday’s?” Ariman repeated. He glanced at Sensei in some underhand way and replied: “No, I haven’t. I was far from this place.”

      “A pity,” Eugene voiced a sympathetic phrase all of a sudden. “It’d be fascinating to see if she were able to survive such elements.”

      Ariman grinned and proudly pronounced: “As far as I remember she survived even Atlantic storms, not just some ...” he intended to say some word, but evidently changed his mind and uttered, motioning to the sea: “tempest in this pool.”

      “H'm, a sound old tub,” Eugene shook his head appraisingly.

      That’s when I sensed a nasty smell of burning spreading through the air. The others seemed to have noticed it too, but, probably, did not determine its source straight away, and, with their looks showing ‘culture’, kept taking paying no attention to the queer odors. At last Ariman couldn’t hold it any longer and muttered: “Hey, guys, I smell something’s burning, isn’t it?”

      “Soup!!!” Tatyana recollected suddenly, and along with Kostya she ran for our would-be pottage.

      In the meantime, Eugene make it out like nothing had happened and, with important look, in a voice of a hospitable host declared: “Care to dine with us, good sir?”

      Some of us could not contain ourselves and burst out laughing, realizing that our lunch was a complete failure. Ariman appreciated his joke too and answered: “I’m deeply obliged. But I have a counter-offer for you. I invite you to share my noon meal. I’d be pleased if you did me such honor by your presence.”

      “Oh, that we ever always welcome, with the utmost pleasure,” Eugene answered with animation for everyone and endeavored to pour out his thanks in a similar grandiloquent manner: “We’d be delighted to do you such honor. As for us it’s also an honor to do you an honor by our honor in sharing your noon meal by our collective.”

      Such pun set everyone laughing loud again. In the meantime, Eugene, to the boot of all that, with a stately air, as he could, make a bow before the ‘dear guests’. Laughing with others for a while Ariman held up his hands: “Well, can one resist an ardent speech of such a born orator?! I’m glad you’ve accepted my offer with such dignity.”

      Everyone laughed again, taking it as another joke. Meanwhile, Ariman gave a quick look to the Chinese and said quietly: “Veliar, organize.”

      Upon hearing the name of the Chinese, I was somewhat surprised. For it did not match his image completely. If he were some Shing Hu, Chiang Shi it would be all right more or less. But Veliar – it was too much for such a reserved and sulky person as he was.

      On receiving the task, the Chinese bowed to Ariman respectfully and hastily retreated towards the lifeboat. While he was giving orders to the sailors awaiting there, Victor asked Ariman: “Is your friend keen on orient martial arts too, judging by calluses on his hands?”

      “Yes, he’s a good master,” Ariman remarked proudly.

      “What style does he perform in?” queried Victor inquisitively.

      “Oh, a little bit of this and that,” Ariman replied evasively and inquired with animation: “Why, is there a mood for limbering up?”

      “It’s possible,” Victor replied modestly, shrugging his shoulders.

      “Yes, yes, there is!” Eugene responded cheerfully, hearing their conversation. “Mood’s present in multiple quantities!”

      “Well, if there is, then no problem,” Ariman smiled.

      I looked in the direction where the lifeboat was. To my amazement, after getting the arrangements from Veliar, the sailors took a detachable engine out of the boat, and fixing it to the stern, quickly cast off from the shore. The Chinese hastily made his way back as a faithful dog returns to its master. Ariman started explaining something to him in a foreign language.

      “Oh?!” Eugene said in surprise and asked Sensei quietly: “In what’s he mumbling there?”

      “It’s Wu – one of Chinese dialects,” replied he.

      “A-a-ah,” drawled the guy as if he knew it, but had forgotten.

      “What’s he saying?” queried Volodya who was standing near.

      But as soon Sensei was about to answer him, Ariman turned to the collective and made a polite excuse: “I’m sorry. He doesn’t understand all words in Russian. I had to explain the matter in his native tongue... Well, let’s warm up?”

      “What? Right now?” Eugene mouthed in amazement.

      “Of course, why tarry? Veliar is burning with desire too,” Ariman replied with a smile and either in jest or in earnest added: “While the lunch is being prepared, we’ll be able to decide the winner.”

      This idea was actively supported by the guys as it wasn’t their habit to neglect an opportunity to spar once in a while, especially with an unknown partner. We walked away from our camp a little. The guys began to warm up. Seeming to have the most burning desire to participate in the СКАЧАТЬ