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

УYou must know.Ф

УDo you see him?Ф asked the mayor, indicating the crowd.

The captain looked. УNo.Ф

СThen he is probably gone,Ф said the mayor.

УProbably, probably!Ф cried the captain weakly. УIТve made a horrible mistake, and I want to see him now. Why, it just came to me, this is a most unusual thing in history. To be in on something like this. Why, the chances are one in billions weТd arrived at one certain planet among millions of planets the day after he came! You must know where heТs gone!Ф

УEach finds him in his own way,Ф replied the mayor gently.

УYouТre hiding him.Ф The captainТs face grew slowly ugly.

Some of the old hardness returned in stages. He began to stand up.

УNo,Ф said the mayor.

УYou know where be is then?Ф The captainТs fingers twitched at the leather holster on his right side.

УI couldnТt tell you where he is, exactly,Ф said the mayor.

УI advise you to start talking,Ф and the captain took out a small steel gun.

УThereТs no way,Ф said the mayor, Уto tell you anything.Ф

УLiar!Ф

An expression of pity came into the mayorТs face as he looked at Hart.

УYouТre very tired,Ф he said. УYouТve traveled a long way and you belong to a tired people whoТve been without faith a long time, and you want to believe so much now that youТre interfering with yourself. YouТll only make it harder if you kill. YouТll never find him that way.

УWhereТd he go? He told you; you know. Come on, tell me!Ф The captain waved the gun.

The mayor shook his head.

УTell me! Tell me!Ф

The gun cracked once, twice. The mayor fell, his arm wounded.

Martin leaped forward. УCaptain!Ф

The gun flashed at Martin. УDonТt interfere.Ф

On the floor, holding his wounded arm, the mayor looked up. УPut down your gun. YouТre hurting yourself. YouТve never believed, and now that you think you believe, you hurt people because of it.Ф

УI donТt need you,Ф said Hart, standing over him. УIf I missed him by one day here, IТll go on to another world. And another and another. IТll miss him by half a day on the next planet, maybe, and a quarter of a day on the third planet, and two hours on the next, and an hour on the next, and half an hour on the next, and a minute on the next. But after that, one day IТll catch up with him! Do you hear that?Ф He was shouting now, leaning wearily over the man on the floor. He staggered with exhaustion. УCome along, Martin.Ф He let the gun hang in his hand.

УNo,Ф said Martin. УIТm staying here.Ф