| Do you?" | А ты? |
| Her voice was deep and husky, like the wind on a winter day pushing itself between two of the city's towers. Her accent was odd, and the words came out as if she were holding her tongue in the wrong part of her mouth. | Она жевала слова, а голос у нее был низким и хриплым, словно ветер в зимний день. |
| But he understood her. | Но Скэг понимал ее. |
| He said, "I speak Language, and I understand what you say. | - Я тоже говорю на Межязыке, - ответил он. - Я понимаю тебя. |
| But who are you?" | Но кто ты? |
| "Fa Sol La," she sang. | - Фа Соль Ля, - пропела она. |
| "Is that your name?" | - Это твое имя? |
| "That is my name. | - Да |
| And yours?" | А твое? |
| "Skagg.." | - Скэг. |
| "Do all the people in this city have names like Skagg?" | - У жителей этого города все имена такие? |
| "I am the only Skagg," said Skagg. | - Я - единственный Скэг. |
| "Where do you come from?" | Откуда ты пришла? |
| She pointed eastward. "From a place beside the River Without Fish. Is this Shining City?" | - Из города рядом с Рекой-Без-Рыбы, - девушка указала на восток. - А это - Блистательный Город? |
| "Yes," Skagg said. | - Да, - отвечал Скэг. |
| "Then I am where I want to be." | - Значит, я шла правильно. |
| She unslung the pack that she was carrying over one shoulder and set it down, and then she removed her robe, so that she was as naked as he was. Her skin was very pale, and there was practically no flesh on her. Her breasts were tiny and her buttocks were flat. | Она сняла с плеча дорожную сумку и сбросила платье. Теперь она была такой же нагой, как и Скэг, с бледной кожей, крошечными грудями и плоскими ягодицами. |
| From where he stood, Skagg could easily have mistaken her for a boy. | Издалека ее легко было принять за мальчика. |
| She picked up the pack again. | Она уложила платье в сумку и забросила ее за плечо. |
| "Will you take me into your city?" she asked. | - Ты проводишь меня в Город? |
| They were on the outskirts, in the region of the Empty Buildings. | Они находились в предместье, в районе Пустующих Зданий. |
| Skagg sometimes went there when he felt that his mind was too full. | Иногда Скэг приходил сюда - когда хотелось подумать и побыть в одиночестве. |
| Tall tapering towers sprouted here. Some were sagging and others had lost their outer trim. Repair Machines no longer functioned in this part of the city. | Здесь вздымались к небу острые шпили башен -правда, некоторые полностью обвалились, а другие обветрились и потеряли внешнюю отделку, но Ремонтным Машинам до этого не было дела. |
