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

УMy dear fellow!Ф The captain waved it away. УAnybody can paint a picture. Paintings lie. I want a photograph of the boy.Ф

There was no photograph. Photography was not a known art in their society.

УWell,Ф sighed the captain, face twitching, Уlet me talk to a few other citizens. WeТre getting nowhere.Ф He pointed at a woman. УYou.Ф She hesitated. УYes, you; come here,Ф ordered the captain. УTell me about this wonderful man you saw yesterday.Ф

The woman looked steadily at the captain. УHe walked among us and was very fine and good.Ф

УWhat color were his eyes?Ф

УThe color of the sun, the color of the sea, the color of a flower, the color of the mountains, the color of the night.Ф

УThatТll do.Ф The captain threw up his hands. УSee, Martin? Absolutely nothing. Some charlatan wanders through whispering sweet nothings in their ears andЧЧФ

УPlease, stop it,Ф said Martin.

The captain stepped back. УWhat?Ф

УYou heard what I said,Ф said Martin. УI like these people. I believe what they say. YouТre entitled to your opinion, but keep it to yourself, sir.Ф

УYou canТt talk to me this way,Ф shouted the captain.

УIТve had enough of your highhandedness,Ф replied Martin. УLeave these people alone. TheyТve got something good and decent, and you come and foul up the nest and sneer at it. Well, IТve talked to them too. IТve gone through the city and seen their faces, and theyТve got something youТll never haveЧa little simple faith, and theyТll move mountains with it. You, youТre boiled because someone stole your act, got here ahead and made you unimportant!Ф

УIТll give you five seconds to finish,Ф remarked the captain. УI understand. YouТve been under a strain, Martin. Months of traveling in space, nostalgia, loneliness. And now, with this thing happening, I sympathize, Martin. I overlook your petty insubordination.Ф

УI donТt overlook your petty tyranny,Ф replied Martin. УIТm stepping out. IТm staying here.Ф

УYou canТt do that!Ф

УCanТt I? Try and stop me. This is what I came looking for. I didnТt know it, but this is it. This is for me. Take your filth somewhere else and foul up other nests with your doubt and yourЧscientific method!Ф He looked swiftly about. УThese people have had an experience, and you canТt seem to get it through your head that itТs really happened and we were lucky enough to almost arrive in time to be in on it.

УPeople on Earth have talked about this man for twenty centuries after he walked through the old world. WeТve all wanted to see him and hear him, and never had the chance. And now, today, we just missed seeing him by a few hours.Ф

Captain Hart looked at MartinТs cheeks. УYouТre crying like a baby. Stop it.Ф

УI donТt care.Ф

УWell, I do. In front of these natives weТre to keep up a front. YouТre overwrought. As I said, I forgive you.Ф

УI donТt want your forgiveness."

УYou idiot. CanТt you see this is one of BurtonТs tricks, to fool these people, to bilk them, to establish his oil and mineral concerns under a religious guise! You fool, Martin. You absolute fool! You should know Earthmen by now. TheyТll do anythingЧblaspheme, lie, cheat, steal, kill, to get their ends. Anything is fine if it works; the true pragmatist, thatТs Burton. You know him!Ф

The captain scoffed heavily. УCome off it, Martin, admit it; this is the sort of scaly thing Burton might carry off, polish up these citizens and pluck them when theyТre ripe.Ф

УNo,Ф said Martin, thinking of it.

The captain put his hand up. УThatТs Burton. ThatТs him. ThatТs his dirt, thatТs his criminal way. I have to admire the old dragon. Flaming in here in a blaze and a halo and a soft word and a loving touch, with a medicated salve here and a healing ray there. ThatТs Burton all right!Ф