《The Motorman's Coat》作者： - John Kessel 【EPUB】

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The Motorman’s Coat by John Kessel John Kessel’s last F&SF story, “Pride and Prometheus” (Jan. 2008), masterfully melded two literary classics. His new story came about after he spent two summers teaching in Prague, and as befits that historic city, it follows from a very different literary tradition than his last tale. Mr. Kessel reports that his current project is an anthology entitled The Secret History of Science Fiction that he is coediting with James Patrick Kelly. We could tell you about the book, but then it wouldn’t be secret. When they opened the shop in Michaelska Street, Frantisek swore it would be the making of them. Veronika protested that the mortgage would leave them in penury, but he countered that a Staré Mêsto address was necessary to attract the clientele that would be interested in—and could afford—the merchandise they would have for sale. Veronika said they would just see tourists, not real monied people. “Tourists have money, too,” Frantisek would explain. He would be wearing a chef’s jacket of nucotton twill with a double row of buttons down the front, or perhaps a Victorian cutaway with a red waistcoat, or even a synthetic denim shirt whose shoulders were embroidered with poppies. “But will they pay a thousand euros for some old pitcher?” “Tourists especially will pay.” She would only sigh, her dark eyes glistening so much Frantisek wanted to kiss her. Veronika was willowy, with long chestnut hair and a full mouth. “I hope you’re right,” she said. Within a year she had left him. As agent for InVirtu GMBH, Frantisek had