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

УWhiter than thatФ she said gravely, and turned to the sky again. There was a troubled thing in her eyes, as if she was looking for a thundershower up high, and not seeing it made her worry. УMaybe you better go inside.Ф

УOh, Mom!Ф They stared at her in disbelief. УWe got to watch, we just got to. NothingТs going to happen, is it?Ф

УI donТt know. I got a feeling, is all.Ф

УWe just want to see the ship and maybe run down to the port and see that white man. WhatТs he like, huh, Mom?Ф

УI donТt know. I just donТt know,Ф she mused, shaking her head.

УTell us some more!Ф

УWell, the white people live on Earth, which is where we all come from, twenty years ago. We just up and walked away and came to Mars and set down and built towns and here we are. Now weТre Martians instead of Earth people. And no white menТve come up here in all that time. ThatТs the story.Ф

УWhy didnТt they come up, Mom?Ф

УWell, Тcause. Right after we got up here, Earth got in an atom war. They blew each other up terribly. They forgot us. When they finished fighting, after years, they didnТt have any rockets. Took them until recently to build more. So here they come now, twenty years later, to visit.Ф She gazed at her children numbly and then began to walk. УYou wait here. IТm going down the line to Elizabeth BrownТs house. You promise to stay?Ф

УWe donТt want to but we will.Ф

УAll right, then.Ф And she ran off down the road.

At the BrownsТ she arrived in time to see everybody packed into the family car. УHey there, Hattie! Come on along!Ф

УWhere you going?Ф she said, breathlessly running up.

УTo see the white man!Ф

УThatТs right,Ф said Mr. Brown seriously. He waved at his load. УThese children never saw one, and I almost forgot.Ф

УWhat you going to do with that white man?Ф asked Hattie.

УDo?Ф said everyone. УWhyЧjust look at him, is all.Ф

УYou sure?Ф

УWhat else can we do?Ф

УI donТt know,Ф said Hattie. УI just thought there might be trouble.Ф

УWhat kind of trouble?Ф

УYou know,Ф said Hattie vaguely, embarrassed. УYou ainТt going to lynch him?Ф

УLynch him?Ф Everyone laughed. Mr. Brown slapped his knee. УWhy, bless you, child, no! WeТre going to shake his hand. AinТt we, everyone?Ф

УSure, sure!Ф

Another car drove up from another direction and Hattie gave a cry. УWillie!Ф