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

УGet going!Ф

They went.

УLetТs have a delegation to fix theater seats, roped off, the last two rows for whites.Ф

More hands.

УGo on!Ф

They ran off.

Willie peered around, bubbled with perspiration, panting with exertion, proud of his energy, his hand on his wifeТs shoulder who stood under him looking at the ground with her downcast eyes. УLetТs see now,Ф he declared. УOh yes. We got to pass a law this afternoon; no intermarriages!Ф

УThatТs right,Ф said a lot of people.

УAll shoeshine boys quit their jobs today.Ф

УQuittinТ right now!Ф Some men threw down the rags they carried, in their excitement, all across town.

УGot to pass a minimum wage law, donТt we?Ф

УSure!Ф

УPay them white folks at least ten cents an hour.Ф

УThatТs right!Ф

The mayor of the town hurried up. УNow look here, Willie Johnson. Get down off that box!Ф

УMayor, I canТt be made to do nothing like that.Ф

УYouТre making a mob, Willie Johnson.Ф

УThatТs the idea.Ф

УThe same thing you always hated when you were a kid. YouТre no better than some of those white men you yell about!Ф

УThis is the other shoe, Mayor, and the other foot,Ф said Willie, not even looking at the mayor, looking at the faces beneath him, some of them smiling, some of them doubtful, others bewildered, some of them reluctant and drawing away, fearful.

УYouТll be sorry,Ф said the mayor.

УWeТll have an election and get a new mayor,Ф said Willie. And he glanced off at the town where up and down the streets signs were being hung, fresh-painted: LIMITED CLIENTELE: Right to serve customer revokable at any time. He grinned and slapped his hands. Lord! And streetcars were being halted and sections being painted white in back, to suggest their future inhabitants. And theaters were being invaded and roped off by chuckling men, while their wives stood wondering on the curbs and children were spanked into houses to be hid away from this awful time.

УAre we all ready?Ф called Willie Johnson, the rope in his hands with the noose tied and neat.

УReady!Ф shouted half the crowd. The other half murmured and moved like figures in a nightmare in which they wished no participation.

УHere it comes!Ф called a small boy.