"Bradbury, Ray - The Illustrated Man" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bradbury Ray)

УDonТt let them do it!Ф wailed Peter at the ceiling, as if he was talking to the house, the nursery. УDonТt let Father kill everything.Ф He turned to his father. УOh, I hate you!Ф

УInsults wonТt get you anywhere.Ф

УI wish you were dead!Ф

УWe were, for a long while. Now weТre going to really start living. Instead of being handled and massaged, weТre going to live.Ф

Wendy was still crying and Peter joined her again. УJust a moment, just one moment, just another moment of nursery,Ф they wailed.

УOh, George,Ф said the wife, Уit canТt hurt.Ф

УAll rightЧall right, if theyТll just shut up. One minute, mind you, and then off forever.Ф

УDaddy, Daddy, Daddy!Ф sang the children, smiling with wet faces.

УAnd then weТre going on a vacation. David McClean is coming back in half an hour to help us move out and get to the airport. IТm going to dress. You turn the nursery on for a minute, Lydia, just a minute, mind you.Ф

And the three of them went babbling off while he let himself be vacuumed upstairs through the air flue and set about dressing himself. A minute later Lydia appeared.

УIТll be glad when we get away,Ф she sighed.

УDid you leave them in the nursery?Ф

УI wanted to dress too. Oh, that horrid Africa. What can they see in it?Ф

УWell, in five minutes weТll be on our way to Iowa. Lord, how did we ever get in this house? What prompted us to buy a nightmare?Ф

УPride, money, foolishness.Ф

УI think weТd better get downstairs before those kids get engrossed with those damned beasts again.Ф

Just then they heard the children calling, УDaddy, Mommy, come quickЧquick!Ф

They went downstairs in the air flue and ran down the hall. The children were nowhere in sight. УWendy? Peter!Ф

They ran into the nursery. The veldtland was empty save for the lions waiting, looking at them. УPeter, Wendy?Ф

The door slammed.

УWendy, Peter!Ф

George Hadley and his wife whirled and ran back to the door.

УOpen the door!Ф cried George Hadley, trying the knob. УWhy, theyТve locked it from the outside! Peter!Ф He beat at the door. УOpen up!Ф

He heard PeterТs voice outside, against the door.

УDonТt let them switch off the nursery and the house,Ф he was saying.