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

УYouТre a fool. Stay if you like. But IТm going on, with the others, as far as I can go.Ф

The mayor looked up at Martin. УIТll be all right. Leave me. Others will tend my wounds.Ф

УIТll be back,Ф said Martin. УIТll walk as far as the rocket.Ф They walked with vicious speed through the city. One could see with what effort the captain struggled to show all the old iron, to keep himself going. When he reached the rocket he slapped the side of it with a trembling hand. He holstered his gun. He looked at Martin.

УWell, Martin?Ф

Martin looked at him. УWell, Captain?Ф

The captainТs eyes were on the sky. УSure you wonТtЧcome withЧwith me, eh?Ф

УNo, sir.Ф

УItТll be a great adventure, by God. I know IТll find him.Ф

УYou are set on it now, arenТt you, sir?Ф asked Martin.

The captainТs face quivered and his eyes closed. УYes.Ф

УThereТs one thing IТd like to know.Ф

УWhat?Ф

УSir, when you find himЧif you find him,Ф asked Martin, Уwhat will you ask of him?Ф

УWhyЧФ The captain faltered, opening his eyes. His hands clenched and unclenched. He puzzled a moment and then broke into a strange smile. УWhy, IТll ask him for a littleЧpeace and quiet.Ф He touched the rocket. УItТs been a long time, a long, long time sinceЧsince I relaxed.Ф

УDid you ever just try, Captain?Ф

УI donТt understand,Ф said Hart.

УNever mind. So long, Captain.Ф

УGood-by, Mr. Martin.Ф

The crew stood by the port. Out of their number only three were going on with Hart. Seven others were remaining behind, they said, with Martin.

Captain Hart surveyed them and uttered his verdict: УFools!Ф He, last of all, climbed into the airlock, gave a brisk salute, laughed sharply. The door slammed.

The rocket lifted into the sky on a pillar of fire.

Martin watched it go far away and vanish.

At the meadowТs edge the mayor, supported by several men, beckoned.

УHeТs gone,Ф said Martin, walking up.

УYes, poor man, heТs gone,Ф said the mayor. УAnd heТll go on, planet after planet, seeking and seeking, and always and always he will be an hour late, or a half hour late, or ten minutes late, or a minute late. And finally he will miss out by only a few seconds. And when he has visited three hundred worlds and is seventy or eighty years old he will miss out by only a fraction of a second, and then a smaller fraction of a second. And he will go on and on, thinking to find that very thing which he left behind here, on this planet, in this cityЧФ