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

УWendy, come back here!Ф said George Hadley, but she was gone. The house lights followed her like a flock of fireflies. Too late, he realized he had forgotten to lock the nursery door after his last inspection.

УWendyТll look and come tell us,Ф said Peter.

УShe doesnТt have to tell me. IТve seen it.Ф

УIТm sure youТre mistaken, Father.Ф

УIТm not, Peter. Come along now.Ф

But Wendy was back. УItТs not Africa,Ф she said breathlessly.

УWeТll see about this,Ф said George Hadley, and they all walked down the hall together and opened the nursery door.

There was a green, lovely forest, a lovely river, a purple mountain, high voices singing, and Rima, lovely and mysterious, lurking in the trees with colorful flights of butterflies, like animated bouquets, lingering in her long hair. The African veldtland was gone. The lions were gone. Only Rima was here now, singing a song so beautiful that it brought tears to your eyes.

George Hadley looked in at the changed scene. УGo to bed,Ф he said to the children.

They opened their mouths.

УYou heard me,Ф he said.

They went off to the air closet, where a wind sucked them like brown leaves up the flue to their slumber rooms.

George Hadley walked through the singing glade and picked up something that lay in the corner near where the lions had been. He walked slowly back to his wife.

УWhat is that?Ф she asked.

УAn old wallet of mine,Ф he said.

He showed it to her. The smell of hot grass was on it and the smell of a lion. There were drops of saliva on it, it had been chewed, and there were blood smears on both sides.

He closed the nursery door and locked it, tight.

In the middle of the night he was still awake and he knew his wife was awake. УDo you think Wendy changed it?Ф she said at last, in the dark room.

УOf course.Ф

УMade it from a veldt into a forest and put Rima there instead of lions?Ф

УYes.Ф

УWhy?Ф

УI donТt know. But itТs staying locked until I find out.Ф

УHow did your wallet get there?Ф

УI donТt know anything,Ф he said, Уexcept that IТm beginning to be sorry we bought that room for the children. If children are neurotic at all, a room like thatЧУ