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

УNo.Ф MartinТs voice was dazed. He covered his eyes. УNo, I wonТt believe it.Ф

УYou donТt want to believe.Ф Captain Hart kept at it. УAdmit it now. Admit it! ItТs just the thing Burton would do. Stop daydreaming, Martin. Wake up! ItТs morning. This is a real world and weТre real, dirty peopleЧBurton the dirtiest of us all!Ф

Martin turned away.

УThere, there, Martin,Ф said Hart, mechanically patting the manТs back. УI understand. Quite a shock for you. I know. A rotten shame, and all that. That Burton is a rascal. You go take it easy. Let me handle this.Ф

Martin walked off slowly toward the rocket.

Captain Hart watched him go. Then, taking a deep breath, he turned to the woman he had been questioning. УWell. Tell me some more about this man. As you were saying, madam?Ф



Later the officers of the rocket ship ate supper on card tables outside. The captain correlated his data to a silent Martin who sat red-eyed and brooding over his meal.

УInterviewed three dozen people, all of them full of the same milk and hogwash,Ф said the captain. УItТs BurtonТs work all right, IТm positive. HeТll be spilling back in here tomorrow or next week to consolidate his miracles and beat us out in our contracts. I think IТll stick on and spoil it for him.Ф

Martin glanced up sullenly. УIТll kill him,Ф he said.

УNow, now, Martin! There, there, boy.Ф

УIТll kill himЧso help me, I will.Ф

СWeТll put an anchor on his wagon. You have to admit heТs clever. Unethical but clever.Ф

УHeТs dirty.Ф

УYou must promise not to do anything violent.Ф Captain Hart checked his figures. УAccording to this, there were thirty miracles of healing performed, a blind man restored to vision, a leper cured. Oh, BurtonТs efficient, give him that.Ф

A gong sounded. A moment later a man ran up. УCaptain, sir. A report! BurtonТs ship is coming down. Also the Ashley ship, sir!Ф

УSee!Ф Captain Hart beat the table. УHere come the jackals to the harvest! They canТt wait to feed. Wait till I confront them. IТll make them cut me in on this feastЧI will!Ф

Martin looked sick. He stared at the captain.

УBusiness, my dear boy, business,Ф said the captain.

Everybody looked up. Two rockets swung down out of the sky.

When the rockets landed they almost crashed.

УWhatТs wrong with those fools?Ф cried the captain, jumping up. The men ran across the meadowlands to the steaming ships.

The captain arrived. The airlock door popped open on BurtonТs ship.

A man fell out into their arms.

УWhatТs wrong?Ф cried Captain Hart.