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

The man lay on the ground. They bent over him and he was burned, badly burned. His body was covered with wounds and scars and tissue that was inflamed and smoking. He looked up out of puffed eyes and his thick tongue moved in his split lips.

УWhat happened?Ф demanded the captain, kneeling down, shaking the manТs arm.

УSir, sir,Ф whispered the dying man. УForty-eight hours ago, back in Space Sector Seventy-nine DFS, off Planet One in this system, our ship, and AshleyТs ship, ran into a cosmic storm, sir.Ф Liquid ran gray from the manТs nostrils. Blood trickled from his mouth. УWiped out. All crew. Burton dead. Ashley died an hour ago. Only three survivals.Ф

УListen to me!Ф shouted Hart bending over the bleeding man. УYou didnТt come to this planet before this very hour?Ф

Silence.

УAnswer me!Ф cried Hart.

The dying man said, УNo. Storm. Burton dead two days ago. This first landing on any world in six months.Ф

УAre you sure?Ф shouted Hart, shaking violently, gripping the man in his hands. УAre you sure?Ф

УSure, sure,Ф mouthed the dying man.

УBurton died two days ago? YouТre positive?Ф

УYes, yes,Ф whispered the man. His head fell forward. The man was dead.

The captain knelt beside the silent body. The captainТs face twitched, the muscles jerking involuntarily. The other members of the crew stood back of him looking down. Martin waited. The captain asked to be helped to his feet, finally, and this was done. They stood looking at the city. УThat meansЧЧФ

УThat means?Ф said Martin.

УWeТre the only ones whoТve been here,Ф whispered Captain Hart. УAnd that manЧЧФ

УWhat about that man, Captain?Ф asked Martin.

The captainТs face twitched senselessly. He looked very old indeed, and gray. His eyes were glazed. He moved forward in the dry grass.

УCome along, Martin. Come along. Hold me up; for my sake, hold me. IТm afraid IТll fall. And hurry. We canТt waste timeЧЧФ

They moved, stumbling, toward the city, in the long dry grass, in the blowing wind.



Several hours later they were sitting in the mayorТs auditorium. A thousand people had come and talked and gone. The captain had remained seated, his face haggard, listening, listening. There was so much light in the faces of those who came and testified and talked he could not bear to see them. And all the while his hands traveled, on his knees, together; on his belt, jerking and quivering.

When it was over, Captain Hart turned to the mayor and with strange eyes said:

УBut you must know where he went?Ф

УHe didnТt say where he was going,Ф replied the mayor.

УTo one of the other nearby worlds?Ф demanded the captain.

УI donТt know.Ф